Mel Taube

Melvin Henry Taube (December 20, 1904 – June 15, 1979) was an American college football, college basketball, and college baseball player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Massachusetts State College, from 1931 to 1935 and at Carleton College from 1960 to 1969, compiling a career college football head coaching record of 62–58–5. Taube was also the head basketball coach at Massachusetts State College (1933–1936), Purdue University (1945–1950), and Carleton (1950–1960), amassing a career college basketball head coaching mark of 201–142 and winning four Midwest Conference championships. He was the head baseball coach at Massachusetts State (1932–1935), Purdue (1947–1950), and Carleton (1951–1970), tallying a career college baseball head coaching record of 93–74–3. A three-sport letterman, Taube played football, basketball, and baseball at Purdue.

Mel Taube

Biographical details
Born	(1904-12-20)December 20, 1904 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died	June 15, 1979(1979-06-15) (aged 74) Clearwater, Florida, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1923–1925	Purdue
Basketball
1924–1926	Purdue
Baseball
1924–1926	Purdue
Position(s)	Quarterback (football)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1926–1927	Purdue (assistant)
1931–1935	Massachusetts State
1936–1942	Purdue (assistant)
1946	Purdue (assistant)
1950–1959	Carleton (assistant)
1960–1969	Carleton
Basketball
1933–1936	Massachusetts State
1936–1942	Purdue (assistant)
1945–1950	Purdue
1950–1960	Carleton
Baseball
1932–1935	Massachusetts State
1947–1950	Purdue
1951–1970	Carleton
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1959–1970	Carleton
Head coaching record
Overall	62–58–5 (football) 201–142 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Basketball 4 MWC (1952–1954, 1958) Baseball 3 MWC (1953, 1957, 1964)

Coaching career

Taube spent 20 seasons at Carleton College, arriving in the summer of 1950 as the head basketball and head baseball coach. He was also an assistant football coach until assuming the role of head football coach in 1960, following the death of Warren Beson. Taube served as Carleton's head football coach, head baseball coach, and athletic director until his retirement in 1970.

In his honor, Carleton annually awards the Mel Taube Award to a varsity athlete for "dedication, loyalty, competitive spirit, and excellence in athletics." In 2008, the Carleton baseball field was named for Taube.

Early life, education and military service

Taube received a bachelor degree from Purdue University in 1926 and a Master of Science from Indiana University in 1933. He served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1945 and became a lieutenant.

Death

Taube died on June 15, 1979, at Morton Plant Hospital in Morton Plant Hospital.

Head coaching record

Football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Massachusetts State Aggies (Independent) (1931–1935)
1931	Massachusetts State	7–1–1
1932	Massachusetts State	7–2
1933	Massachusetts State	5–3
1934	Massachusetts State	5–3–1
1935	Massachusetts State	5–4
Massachusetts State:		29–13–2
Carleton Knights (Midwest Conference) (1960–1969)
1960	Carleton	5–3	5–3	4th
1961	Carleton	5–2–1	5–2–1	4th
1962	Carleton	4–4	4–4	6th
1963	Carleton	5–2–1	5–2–1	2nd
1964	Carleton	0–8	0–8	10th
1965	Carleton	3–5	3–5	7th
1966	Carleton	3–5	3–5	T–5th
1967	Carleton	2–5–1	2–5–1	8th
1968	Carleton	3–5	3–5	T–6th
1969	Carleton	3–6	3–6	8th
Carleton:		33–45–3	33–45–3
Total:		62–58–5

Basketball

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Massachusetts State Aggies (Independent) (1933–1936)
1933–34	Massachusetts State	12–0
1934–35	Massachusetts State	6–6
1935–36	Massachusetts State	2–12
Massachusetts State:		20–18
Purdue Boilermakers (Big Ten Conference) (1945–1950)
1945–46	Purdue	3–4	2–4	8th
1946–47	Purdue	9–11	4–8	8th
1947–48	Purdue	11–9	6–6	5th
1948–49	Purdue	13–9	6–6	T–4th
1949–50	Purdue	9–13	3–9	T–8th
Purdue:		45–46	21–33
Carleton Carls/Knights (Midwest Conference) (1950–1960)
1950–51	Carleton	13–7	7–3	3rd
1951–52	Carleton	18–4	10–0	1st
1952–53	Carleton	18–4	10–2	T–1st
1953–54	Carleton	17–5	9–3	T–1st
1954–55	Carleton	16–6	10–2	2nd
1955–56	Carleton	7–15	6–10	6th
1956–57	Carleton	12–10	9–7	4th
1957–58	Carleton	16–5	12–4	T–1st
1958–59	Carleton	9–12	8–8	5th
1959–60	Carleton	10–12	9–9	T–5th
Carleton:		136–80	83–45
Total:		201–142
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

Baseball

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Massachusetts State Aggies (Independent) (1932–1935)
1932	Massachusetts State	9–6
1933	Massachusetts State	7–5
1934	Massachusetts State	8–5
1935	Massachusetts State	7–6
Massachusetts State Aggies:		31–22
Purdue Boilermakers (Big Ten Conference) (1947–1950)
1947	Purdue	13–10	4–9	8th
1948	Purdue	14–7–1	8–6	4th
1949	Purdue	14–9–2	7–5	3rd
1950	Purdue	11–14	2–8	8th
Purdue:		52–40–3	21–28
Carleton Knights (Midwest Conference) (1951–1970)
1951	Carleton
1952	Carleton
1953	Carleton		6–2	1st
1954	Carleton		3–5	T–4th
1955	Carleton		1–2	T–4th
1956	Carleton		1–4	3rd (North)
1957	Carleton		4–2	1st (North)
1958	Carleton		2–1	1st (Minnesota)
1959	Carleton		5–3	2nd (North)
1960	Carleton		3–4	T–2nd (North)
1961	Carleton		0–2	5th (North)
1962	Carleton		3–5	4th (North)
1963	Carleton		2–6	5th (North)
1964	Carleton		7–1	1st (North)
1965	Carleton		4–4	3rd (North)
1966	Carleton		2–4	3rd (North)
1967	Carleton		4–4	T–2nd (North)
1968	Carleton		0–6	T–4th (North)
1969	Carleton		3–5	4th (North)
1970	Carleton		5–3	2nd (North)
Carleton:
Total:
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

External links

• Mel Taube at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com