DeOrmond "Tuss" McLaughry (May 19, 1893 – November 26, 1974) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania (1915–1916, 1918, 1921), Amherst College (1922–1925), Brown University (1926–1940), and Dartmouth College (1941–1942, 1945–1954), compiling a career college football record of 143–149–13. McLaughry was also the head basketball coach at Brown from 1926 to 1929, tallying a mark of 17–32. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as coach in 1962. Of all coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, McLaughry is the only one with a winning percentage under .500.

Tuss McLaughry
Biographical details
Born(1893-05-19)May 19, 1893
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedNovember 26, 1974(1974-11-26) (aged 81)
Norwich, Vermont, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1912–1914Westminster (PA)
?Massillon Tigers
Position(s)Tackle
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1915–1916Westminster (PA)
1918Westminster (PA)
1921Westminster (PA)
1922–1925Amherst
1926–1940Brown
1941–1942Dartmouth
1945–1954Dartmouth
Basketball
1921–1922Westminster (PA)
1922–1926Amherst
1926–1929Brown
Head coaching record
Overall143–149–13 (football)
17–32 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Amos Alonzo Stagg Award (1951)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1962 (profile)

Early life

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Born on May 19, 1893, in Chicago, McLaughry was the son of James Alexander McLaughry Sr. (1860–1942) and his wife, Mary Graham McLaughry (1874–1952). He had at least seven siblings. He grew up in Sharon, Pennsylvania and attended Michigan State University for a year before transferring to Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.

Coaching career

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McLaughry's coaching career at Dartmouth College was interrupted after two years due to World War II, where McLaughry served as a lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps.

Twenty years after graduating from high school, McLaughry attended night and summer classes to earn his law degree from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. While and after coaching at Dartmouth, McLaughry was also the chairman of the Physical Education Department there until 1960.

McLaughry was instrumental in developing the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) during his lifetime, even serving a one-year term as President in 1936, and then remaining active with the organization as a volunteer secretary-treasurer from 1940 to 1960. It was after 1960 that McLaughry earned compensation for this position, and retired from the organization in 1965.

Personal life

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On August 21, 1911 in Detroit, McLaughry married Florence Marguerite Jackson (July 20, 1892 – June 1, 1985), daughter of John Llouington Jackson (1849-1924) and Ella Adele (nee Lovett) Jackson (1856-1911). Together, they had three children:[1]

  • Jeanne Marguerite McLaughry (1912-2007)
  • John Jackson McLaughry (1917-2007), who followed in his father's footsteps and played and coached football; he was the head football coach at Union College from 1947 to 1949, Amherst College from 1950 to 1958, and Brown University from 1959 to 1966. He also served with the Marines in World War II as a Major.
  • Robert DeOrmond McLaughry (1921-2016)

McLaughry died on November 26, 1974, at his home in Norwich, Vermont.[2]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Westminster Titans (Independent) (1915–1916)
1915 Westminster 2–5
1916 Westminster 2–5–1
Westminster Titans (Independent) (1918)
1918 Westminster 3–2
Westminster Titans (Independent) (1921)
1921 Westminster 1–6–2
Westminster: 8–18–3
Amherst Lord Jeffs (Little Three Conference) (1922–1925)
1922 Amherst 2–6 0–2 3rd
1923 Amherst 3–3–2 1–1 2nd
1924 Amherst 3–5 1–1 2nd
1925 Amherst 7–1 2–0 1st
Amherst: 15–15–2 4–4
Brown Bears (Independent) (1926–1940)
1926 Brown 9–0–1
1927 Brown 3–6–1
1928 Brown 8–1
1929 Brown 5–5
1930 Brown 6–3–1
1931 Brown 7–3
1932 Brown 7–1
1933 Brown 3–5
1934 Brown 3–6
1935 Brown 1–8
1936 Brown 3–7
1937 Brown 5–4
1938 Brown 5–3
1939 Brown 5–3–1
1940 Brown 6–3–1
Brown: 76–68–5
Dartmouth Indians (Independent) (1941–1942)
1941 Dartmouth 5–4
1942 Dartmouth 5–4
Dartmouth Indians (Independent) (1945–1954)
1945 Dartmouth 1–6–1
1946 Dartmouth 3–6
1947 Dartmouth 4–4–1
1948 Dartmouth 6–2
1949 Dartmouth 6–2
1950 Dartmouth 3–5–1
1951 Dartmouth 4–5
1952 Dartmouth 2–7
1953 Dartmouth 2–7
1954 Dartmouth 3–6
Dartmouth: 44–58–3
Total: 143–149–13
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "DeOrmond McLaughry and Florence Marguerite Jackson". ourfamtree.org. Ray Gurganus. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "Tuss McLaughry Dies At Home At Age Of 81". The Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana. United Press International. November 27, 1974. p. 22. Retrieved May 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com  .
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