Dobie, Gilmour
Football
b. Jan. 21, 1879, Hastings, MN
d. Dec. 23, 1948
He was known as "Gloomy Gil" because he was always pessimistic about his team's chances, but Dobie had an incredible coaching record, producing 14 unbeaten teams in 33 seasons.
Dobie played quarterback and end at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1903, and spent two years as an assistant coach before becoming head coach at North Dakota Agricultural College (now North Dakota State) in 1906. He had a 6-0-0 record in two seasons there.
In 1908, Dobie went to the University of Washington. He spent nine seasons there and never lost a game, winning 58 while tying 3. From 1908 into 1914, Washington won 39 consecutive games.
At Navy from 1917 through 1919, Dobie had a 17-3-0 mark, then went to Cornell in 1920. He had unbeaten teams in 1921, 1922, and 1923 and was then given the first ten-year coaching contract in history. He spent a total of 16 seasons at Cornell, winning 82 games while losing 16 and tying 7.
After Cornell tightened its entrance requirements, Dobie had the first losing season of his career in 1934 and his 1935 team failed to win a game. The school paid him $11,000 to buy out the last two years of his contract. Dobie commented, "You can't win games with Phi Beta Kappas."
Dobie was seriously injured in an automobile accident in 1936 and never fully recovered. He became head coach at Boston College that fall and won 16 games while losing 6 and tying 3 in his 3 seasons there. He retired in 1938. His overall record was 179 wins, 45 losses, and 15 ties, a .780 percentage.