 Sachs from the 1938Loyolan | |
| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Position | End |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1897-08-07)August 7, 1897 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | October 27, 1942(1942-10-27) (aged 45) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Weight | 176 lb (80 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Carl Schurz High School |
| College | American College of Physical Education (BA/BS) Loyola (ILL) (MA/MS) |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1920–1922 | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1923–1924 | Milwaukee Badgers |
| 1924–1925 | Hammond Pros |
| 1925 | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1926 | Louisville Colonels |
Coaching | |
| 1926 | Louisville Colonels |
| Awards and highlights | |
| Coaching profile atPro Football Reference | |
| Other information | |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  U.S. Navy |
| Years of service | 1917–1919 |
| Battles / wars | World War I |
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Leonard David Sachs (August 7, 1897 – October 27, 1942) was an Americanbasketball andfootballcoach and player. In 1961, he was posthumously enshrined as a coach in theBasketball Hall of Fame.
He was born inChicago, Illinois on August 7, 1897. Sachs attendedCarl Schurz High School in Chicago, where he earned 11 varsity letters before his graduation in 1914. Upon graduation from high school, Sachs joined theUnited States Navy duringWorld War I, where he continued playing sports, earning an All-Service team honorable mention in football in 1918 while playing on theClevelandNaval Reserves football team.
After the war, Sachs enrolled at Chicago's American College of Physical Education—which later merged withDePaul University—and graduated in 1923. While at college, Sachs played for theChicago Cardinals in theNational Football League (NFL) from 1920 to 1922.
Sachs was hired as basketball coach in 1923 atLoyola University Chicago, even while continuing his NFL career. From 1923 to 1926 Sachs played for theMilwaukee Badgers,Hammond Pros, andLouisville Colonels, ending his career as a player-coach for the 1926 Louisville Colonels, a road-only team based in Chicago. Sachs was also an assistant football coach at Loyola on the staff of head coachRoger Kiley.[1]
After abandoning his NFL career, Sachs began to flourish as a basketball coach. In the 1926–27 season, the Loyola basketball team improved to 13–4. In 1927–28, the team set a new Loyola record for wins in a season by earning a record of 16–4. And in 1928–29, Loyola was a perfect 16-0 under Sachs' guidance. Loyola recorded 31 consecutive victories between 1928 and 1930.
In the 1930s, Sachs developed an innovative fast-break offense and a 2–2–1zone defense that prompted a rule change in 1937 to prevent goaltending. His 1938–39 team was 21–0 before losing to 44–32 toLong Island University in theNational Invitation Tournament final atMadison Square Garden.
On October 27, 1942, Sachs suffered a fatal heart attack while advising theWendell Phillips High School football team for their appearance in theChicago Public League championship. He was 45 years old.
Sachs amassed a record of 224–129 as a college basketball coach. In 1935 he earned a graduate degree from Loyola.