Bernie Heselton

Bernard E. Heselton (January 25, 1903 – February 6, 1981) was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, from 1938 to 1964. During his career, Heselton won six Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC) championships, including the first in his initial season as Vikings' head coach. He amassed a 111–79–5 overall record, the second-most wins in university history. Heselton, who grew up in South St. Paul, Minnesota, died in February 1981.

Bernard Heselton
Biographical details
Born(1903-01-25)January 25, 1903
Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedFebruary 6, 1981(1981-02-06) (aged 78)
Appleton, Wisconsin, U.S.
Playing career
Football
c. 1924Hamline
Basketball
c. 1924Hamline
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1925–1927Central HS (MN)
1928–1937East Division HS (WI)
1938–1964Lawrence
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1961–1970Lawrence
Head coaching record
Overall111–79–5 (college football)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
6 MCAC (1938, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1951)

Early life

Heselton was born January 25, 1903, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He attended South Saint Paul High School, Hamline University and the University of Minnesota, where he graduated in 1925. Bernie starred in football and basketball while at Hamline.

Heselton married Alice Nellermoe. The couple had two daughters, Mary and Janet.[1]

Coaching career

Heselton started his coaching career at Central High School, in Duluth, Minnesota, in 1925, then moving on to East Division High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1928, where he coached for ten years. His teams at East Division won 58 games, lost 16, and tied 6. They won six conference championships, five in succession with four undefeated seasons and a string of 32 straight wins.

While Heselton served as head coach at Lawrence University, the Vikings won the Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC) championships, in 1938, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1949 and 1951. In addition to his coaching duties at Lawrence, Heselton served as the school's athletic director from 1961 to 1970.[2]

Honors and legacy

Heselton's coaching accomplishments led to his induction to the state of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981, the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1982, and was part the inaugural class of the Lawrence University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.[3][4]

In 1988, to commemorate the 25 years of rivalry between Carl Doehling of Ripon College and Heselton, the two schools instituted the Doehling–Heselton Memorial Trophy. The winner of the annual game between the Red Hawks and the Vikings is awarded this traveling trophy.

Head coaching record

College football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Lawrence Vikings (Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1938–1964)
1938 Lawrence 6–15–01st
1939 Lawrence 2–51–49th
1940 Lawrence 2–52–58th
1941 Lawrence 4–2–13–2–14th
1942 Lawrence 6–05–01st
1943 Lawrence 2–2
1944 Lawrence 2–3
1945 Lawrence 3–2
1946 Lawrence 6–1–16–01st
1947 Lawrence 7–15–11st
1948 Lawrence 7–15–12nd
1949 Lawrence 7–16–01st
1950 Lawrence 2–51–5T–6th
1951 Lawrence 7–07–01st
1952 Lawrence 7–16–12nd
1953 Lawrence 6–1–15–1–13rd
1954 Lawrence 6–26–22nd
1955 Lawrence 1–3–11–3–1NA
1956 Lawrence 4–44–4T–5th
1957 Lawrence 1–71–7T–8th
1958 Lawrence 1–71–79th
1959 Lawrence 4–44–4T–4th
1960 Lawrence 3–53–5T–8th
1961 Lawrence 4–44–4T–6th
1962 Lawrence 6–26–23rd
1963 Lawrence 3–4–13–4–18th
1964 Lawrence 2–62–6T–7th
Lawrence: 111–79–592–68–4
Total:111–79–5
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
  1. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/g/e/r/Percy-D-Gerde/ODT1-0005.html
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 28, 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "OCR Document". Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2009.
  4. "Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame 1996 Inductees - Lawrence University". Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
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