 Dobson at Maryland in 1936 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1885-01-10)January 10, 1885 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | December 1, 1956(1956-12-01) (aged 71) Carlisle, Indiana, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Princeton University |
| Playing career | |
| Baseball | |
| 1906 | Jackson Senators |
| 1907 | Terre Haute Hottentots |
| 1907 | Portsmouth Truckers |
| 1907–1908 | Anderson Electricians |
| 1909–1910 | Fayetteville Highlanders |
| 1910–1911 | Richmond Colts |
| 1913 | Richmond Colts |
| Positions | Outfielder,shortstop |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1906 | Rose Polytechnic (assistant) |
| 1908 | Georgia Tech (assistant) |
| 1909 | University School for Boys (GA) |
| 1909 | Georgia (co-HC) |
| 1910–1912 | Clemson |
| 1913–1917 | Richmond |
| 1918 | South Carolina |
| 1919–1933 | Richmond |
| 1935 | Maryland (assistant) |
| 1936–1939 | Maryland |
| 1940–1948 | Apprentice |
| Basketball | |
| 1911–1913 | Clemson |
| 1912–1917 | Richmond |
| 1919–1933 | Richmond |
| Baseball | |
| 1911–1913 | Clemson |
| 1915–1933 | Richmond |
| Track and field | |
| 1914–1934 | Richmond |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1910–1912 | Clemson |
| 1913–1918 | Richmond |
| 1918 | South Carolina |
| 1919–1933 | Richmond |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 136–142–24 (college football) 166–113 (college basketball) 197–124–2 (college baseball) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 3EVIAA (1913–1914, 1916) 2Virginia (1932–1933) 1SoCon (1937) | |
Frank Mills Dobson (January 10, 1885 – December 1, 1956) was an Americancollege football,college basketball,college baseball, andtrack and field coach and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at theUniversity of Georgia (1909, withJoseph Coulter),Clemson University (1910–1912), theUniversity of Richmond (1913–1917, 1919–1933), theUniversity of South Carolina (1918), theUniversity of Maryland (1936–1939), andThe Apprentice School (1940–1948), compiling a career college football head coaching record of 136–142–24. Dobson was also the head basketball coach at Clemson (1911–1913) and Richmond (1912–1917, 1919–1933) and the head baseball coach at Clemson (1911–1913) and Richmond (1915–1933).
Born inPhiladelphia, Dobson attended theLawrenceville School inLawrenceville, New Jersey and Peddie Institute–now known asPeddie School—aHightstown, New Jersey.[1] At Peddie, he playedhalfback on the football team,forward on the basketball team, andsecond base on the baseball team. He also ran thequarter-mile for the track team.[2]
Dobson began his coaching career as a part-time assistant football coach at Rose Polytechnic Institute—now known asRose–Hulman Institute of Technology—inTerre Haute, Indiana. In 1908, he joined the coaching staff atGeorgia Tech underJohn Heisman.[1] Dobson had charge of Georgia Tech's freshman football team in the fall of 1908.[2]
In the spring of 1909, Dobson was appointed athletic instructor and coach at the University School for Boys inStone Mountain, Georgia.[3] He coached the school's football team that fall. In November 1909, Dobson was brought in by theUniversity of Georgia to assistJoseph Colter in coaching the1909 Georgia Bulldogs football team.[4] Dobson added new trick plays in an attempt to energize the offense. Still the team finished with a record of 1–4–2. Georgia credits Colter and Dobson as co-coaches for the 1909 season.[5]
Dobson moved on toClemson University in 1910, where he coached not only football, but also basketball and baseball.[6] His overall record with the Clemson football team was 11–12–1.
Dobson then moved to theUniversity of Richmond, where he was athletic director and football, baseball, and basketball coach from 1913 to 1933, with one exception: in the abbreviated postwar season of 1918, rather than coaching the Richmond football team, he took over theSouth Carolina Gamecocks and led them to a record of 2–1–1. Dobson's overall football record at Richmond was 79–78–18, his baseball record was 153–112, and his basketball record was 153–106. Dobson was posthumously elected to the University of Richmond Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978.
In 1935, Dobson became an assistant atMaryland under head coachJack Faber.[7] The following season, he was promoted to head coach and served in that position through 1939. Dobson amassed an 18–21 record at Maryland.
Dobson finished his career as the 11th head football coach atThe Apprentice School inNewport News, Virginia and he held that position for nine seasons, from 1940 until 1948. His coaching record at Apprentice was 25–26–2. A highlight at Apprentice was a 7–6 upset of theVirginia in 1943.[8]
Dobson died on December 1, 1956, inCarlisle, Indiana. He was found dead in his bed after suffering a coronary occlusion.[1]
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