John Edmund Fries (June 19, 1885 – January 21, 1955) was an American football player and coach.
Early life and playing career Fries was born in Norway, Wisconsin in 1885. Fries played right tackle at Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin. In his senior year, he was captain of the team that he played on for four years.Hinakaga Yearbook Collection "Carroll Digital Collections" As a player, he witnessed his opposing team throw the first legal forward pass on September 5, 1906, in a 22–0 loss against Saint Louis.The Anatomy of a Game: Football, the Rules, and the Men Who Made the Game by David M. Nelson 1994
Fries also played on the basketball team at CarrollCarroll College 1911 Yearbook and his brother Arthur (who students affectionately called "Nuts") played left tackle for the football team.Carroll College 1911 Yearbook Arthur "Nuts" Fries
Coaching career Fries was named the 11th head football coachThe Milwaukee Sentinel "Open Season Saturday" September 23, 1915 for his alma mater and he held that position for five seasons, from 1914The Waukesha Freeman "Last Days at Carroll" June 11, 1914 until 1918 and then returning for the 1920 season.Appleton Post-Crescent "Carroll is Next Lawrence Victim" November 9, 1920 His career coaching record at Carroll College was 11 wins, 14 losses, and 5 ties. This ranks him 12th at Carroll College in total wins and 19th at Carroll College in winning percentage.Carroll College/University Athletics Football Records The school did not field a team in 1917 because of World War I. His best season was 1914 with a 5–1 record, defeating Marquette and Lake Forest. His teams also played Loyola of Chicago, Michigan, and Michigan State.Carroll University Football Season by Season Results The Michigan Wolverines soundly beat them by a score of 54 to 0Christian Science Monitor "MICHIGAN DEFEATS CARROLL" October 12, 1916 in the 1916 season under legendary coach Fielding Yost,College Football Data Warehouse University of Michigan historical football results where Carroll only produced one first down the entire game.Hartford Courant "Football Games" October 12, 1916
While coaching, he also was the physical director and a professor of mathematics at Carroll.Carroll College Yearbook 1914 Fries died at a hospital in Burlington, Wisconsin in 1955. He was buried at Norway Cemetery in Norway, Wisconsin, his birthplace."Former Carroll Coach is Dead", Waukesha Daily Freeman, Thursday, January 27, 1955, Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States Of America
In 1986, the school honored his contribution to sports at the school by inducting him into their "Athletic Hall of Fame" for exemplary performance in competition and their contributions to athletics at Carroll.The Pioneer Carroll College "Hall of Fame" Spring 2004
References
External links