| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1908-09-11)September 11, 1908 Portage, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | August 1, 2002(2002-08-01) (aged 93) Portage, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1932 | Winnipeg St. John's Rugby Club |
| 1933–1938 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| Position | Halfback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1932 | Winnipeg St. John's Rugby Club |
| 1933–1938 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 1952–1963 | Milwaukee |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football Grey Cup (1935) Basketball WIAC (1960) | |
Russell "Doss"Rebholz (September 11, 1908 – August 1, 2002) was a professional football player for theWinnipeg Blue Bombers and later a high school and college football and basketball coach.
A native ofPortage, Wisconsin, Rebholz was a letter winner in football from 1929 to 1931 and in basketball from 1930 to 1931 at theUniversity of Wisconsin. In 1930, he led the Midwest,Big Ten, and UW in scoring, with 48 points. Rebholz played in the 1932East-West Shrine Game.[1]
In 1932, Rebholz played for and coached the Salamander Water Polo Club In Japan. From 1933 to 1938, he was a player/coach for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers football team, which won the 1935Grey Cup. Nicknamed "The Wisconsin Wraith" while with the Blue Bombers, he wore jersey number 66.[2][3]
Rebholz was one of the first two football imports to arrive in Canada from the United States. A versatile halfback, he was known for his passing, running, blocking, and kicking abilities. In a 1934 exhibition game, he threw one of the longest passes ever, 68 yards in the air, to Lynn Patrick for a touchdown. In the 1935 Grey Cup game, he threw two touchdown passes and led the Blue Bombers to a Dominion Championship over the favoredHamilton Tigers from the East.[3]
He was elected a charter member of theCanadian Football Hall of Fame on November 27, 1963, and the Winnipeg Blue Bomber Hall of Fame in 1984.
During his coaching career, Rebholz served at Stevens Point,Racine Horlick High School and theUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in a variety of positions, earning six Coach of the Year honors.
While at Horlick High School, he led the team to a winning season in men's basketball. The community started calling the team Rebholz's Rebels for their style of play, and the nickname stuck. Rebels is now one of the two official nicknames for the school's athletic teams.[4][5]
Between 1952 and 1963, Rebholz compiled a .539 winning percentage (123-105) while coaching the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee men's basketball team. He was 58-42 in his first 100 games as the coach atUW–Milwaukee, which is second best in the school's history, behind formerTennessee Volunteers coachBruce Pearl, who was 66-34 in his first 100 games at the university.[6] In the 1959-1960 season, the team went 18-4 overall and 10-2 in theWisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) and were the NCAA College Division Regional Third Place team. It was the first time the school had made it to the post-season. They lost to Lincoln[clarification needed] and beatAugustana College. The Panthers were nicknamed the Cardinals at the time.[7]
In 2000, Rebholz was inducted into the University of Wisconsin/National W Club Hall of Fame.[1]
| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Positions | Running back •Guard •Flying wing |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1908-09-11)September 11, 1908 Portage, Wisconsin |
| Died | August 1, 2002(2002-08-01) (aged 93) Portage, Wisconsin |
| Career information | |
| College | University of Wisconsin |
| Career history | |
| 1933–1938 | Winnipeg 'Pegs/Blue Bombers |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
Canadian Football Hall of Fame (Class of 1963) | |
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee State Green Gulls / Milwaukee Cardinals(Wisconsin State College Conference)(1952–1963) | |||||||||
| 1952–53 | Milwaukee State | 9–12 | 6–6 | ||||||
| 1953–54 | Milwaukee State | 14–7 | 9–3 | ||||||
| 1954–55 | Milwaukee State | 11–10 | 7–5 | ||||||
| 1955–56 | Milwaukee State | 13–8 | 7–5 | ||||||
| 1956–57 | Milwaukee | 12–7 | 7–5 | ||||||
| 1957–58 | Milwaukee | 13–7 | 7–5 | ||||||
| 1958–59 | Milwaukee | 17–4 | 11–2 | ||||||
| 1959–60 | Milwaukee | 18–4 | 10–2 | 1st | NCAA College Division Regional Third Place | ||||
| 1960–61 | Milwaukee | 8–12 | 5–7 | ||||||
| 1961–62 | Milwaukee | 4–17 | 3–9 | ||||||
| 1962–63 | Milwaukee | 4–17 | 3–9 | ||||||
| Milwaukee State / Milwaukee: | 123–105 | 75–58 | |||||||
| Total: | 123–105 | ||||||||
National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||
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