Frank Leahy - Inducted 1970

Born Aug. 21, 1908 in O'Neill, Neb. Grew up in Winner through junior year of high school, spent senior year at Omaha, Neb. 1931 Notre Dame grad. One of the most famous coaches in the history of college football. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970. Leahy was 33 when he replaced Elmer Layden as Notre Dame's coach in 1941. In 11 seasons, Leahy's teams were 87-11-9 and won five national championships. His winning percentage as a college coach (.864, 107-13 in 13 seasons) is one of the best in the history of college football. As a player at Notre Dame, he was a 6-foot, 180-pound right tackle for Rockne's unbeaten national champions in 1929. A knee injury in the midst of the 1930 season ended his playing career, but while in the hospital he and Rockne would talk often. Leahy assisted at Georgetown, Michigan State and Fordham (he was line coach for the famous Seven Blocks of Granite) before becoming head coach at Boston College in 1939. At BC, he immediately turned one of the most uninspired teams in the country into a juggernaut, going 20-2 in two seasons. Health concerns forced Leahy to leave coaching in 1954. At Winner, he played football, baseball and basketball and also was an outstanding boxer.