W. G. Speer

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Whitcomb Glenn "Bunt" Speer (November 6, 1884 – April 24, 1955) was an American football and basketball coach. He served as the head football coach at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas from 1915 to 1918 and Nebraska State Normal School—now known as Peru State College–from 1919 to 1922, and Midland College—now known as Midland University—in Fremont, Nebraska from 1923 to 1924, compiling a career college football coaching record of 50–21–3.[1] Speer was also the head basketball coach at Nebraska State Normal from 1919 to 1923, tallying a mark of 71–22.

W. G. Speer
Speer pictured in Reveille 1917, Fort Hays yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1884-11-06)November 6, 1884
Kansas, U.S.
DiedApril 24, 1955(1955-04-24) (aged 70)
Manhattan, Kansas, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1908–1910Kansas State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
c. 1912Kansas State (freshmen)
1915–1918Hays Normal
1919–1922Peru Normal
1923–1934Midland
Basketball
1916–1919Hays Normal
1919–1923PeruNormal
Head coaching record
Overall50–21–3 (football)
71–22 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 KCAC (1917)

While coaching at Fort Hays, he led the Tigers to 12 consecutive victories from the second game in the 1916 season to seventh game in the 1917 season—a record that stands as of the conclusion of the 2007 season. His 1915 and 1917 teams also are tied for the most consecutive games without being scored upon.[2]

Speer died of a heart attack, on April 24, 1955, at a hospital in Manhattan, Kansas.[3]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Hays Normal (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1915–1918)
1915 Hays Normal 4–3 3–3 T–6th
1916 Hays Normal 5–2 4–1 2nd
1917 Hays Normal 7–0 6–0 T–1st
1918 Hays Normal 2–1
Hays Normal: 18–6
Peru Normal Bobocats (Nebraska Intercollegiate Conference) (1919–1922)
1919 Peru Normal 5–2 4–2 T–3rd
1920 Peru Normal 5–4 5–4 6th
1921 Peru Normal 5–3 5–3 4th
1922 Peru Normal 6–1 5–1 2nd
Peru Normal: 21–10 19–10
Midland Warriors (Nebraska Intercollegiate Conference / Nebraska College Athletic Conference) (1923–1934)
1923 Midland 8–2–1 7–1–1 3rd
1924 Midland 3–3–2 3–1–1 5th
Midland: 11–5–3 10–2–2
Total: 50–21–3
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ "Fort Hays State University coaching records". Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
  2. ^ FHSU Football Records/Media Guide
  3. ^ "W. G. 'Bunt' Speer, 72, Dies of Heart Attack Sunday". The Manhattan Mercury. Manhattan, Kansas. April 25, 1955. p. 1. Retrieved June 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com  .