Chick Evans (coach)

George G. "Chick" Evans (June 18, 1901 – November 23, 1976) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Northern Illinois University from 1929 to 1954, compiling a record of 132–70–20. Evans was also the head basketball coach at Northern Illinois from 1929 to 1940, tallying a mark of 125–93, and served three stints at head baseball coach at the school (1930–1934, 1937–1944, 1946–1947), amassing a record of 118–115–3. Evans was the athletic director at Northern Illinois from 1929 to 1968. His 132 wins are the most of any head coach in the Northern Illinois Huskies football program's history.

For the 1910s and 1920s amateur golfer, see Chick Evans.
Chick Evans
Biographical details
Born(1901-06-18)June 18, 1901
Illinois, U.S.
DiedNovember 23, 1976(1976-11-23) (aged 75)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Alma materDes Moines University (1923)[1]
Playing career
Football
1918Illinois
c. 1920Des Moines
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1924–1927Boone HS (IA)
1928DeKalb HS (IL)
1929–1954Northern Illinois State
Basketball
1924–1927Boone HS (IA)
1928–1929DeKalb HS (IL)
1929–1940Northern Illinois State
Baseball
1930–1934Northern Illinois State
1937–1944Northern Illinois State
1946–1947Northern Illinois State
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1929–1968Northern Illinois State / Northern Illinois
Head coaching record
Overall132–70–20 (college football)
125–93 (college basketball)
118–115–3 (college baseball)
Bowls0–2
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
5 IIAC (1938, 1941, 1944, 1946, 1951)

A native of El Paso, Illinois, Evans attended the University of Illinois, where was a member of the 1918 Illinois Fighting Illini football team led by head coach Robert Zuppke. He then moved on to the now-defunct Des Moines University in Des Moines, Iowa, which was later acquired by the University of Sioux Falls; this should not be confused with the present Des Moines University. At Des Moines, Evans won 11 varsity letters and captained teams in four different sports directed by head coach Harry M. Bell.

Evans began his coaching career at Boone High School in Boone, Iowa, where he spent four years before moving to DeKalb High School in DeKalb, Illinois for one year before becoming head football coach and athletic director of what was then Northern Illinois State Teachers College in 1929.[2] As athletic director and coach, Evans oversaw Northern’s growth from a teacher’s college to a major university.

Evans later earned a master's degree from Columbia University. He died on November 23, 1976, at Kearney-Mesa Convalesclent Hospital in San Diego, California after a short illness.[3] Evans and his wife, Venus, had moved there following his retirement as athletic director at Northern Illinois in 1968.[4]

Chick Evans Field House, former home of the Huskies basketball team, is named for him.

Head coaching record

College football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Northern Illinois State Teachers/Evansmen/Huskies (Illinois/Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1929–1954)
1929 Northern Illinois State 6–1–14–1–1T–6th
1930 Northern Illinois State 6–2–14–1–1T–5th
1931 Northern Illinois State 5–34–2T–6th
1932 Northern Illinois State 4–2–12–2–1T–10th
1933 Northern Illinois State 5–44–313th
1934 Northern Illinois State 5–1–24–1–25th
1935 Northern Illinois State 7–1–15–1–1T–3rd
1936 Northern Illinois State 4–3–13–2–1T–7th
1937 Northern Illinois State 3–2–33–2–1T–9th
1938 Northern Illinois State 6–1–14–01st
1939 Northern Illinois State 5–2–13–13rd
1940 Northern Illinois State 6–32–24th
1941 Northern Illinois State 7–1–13–1T–1st
1942 Northern Illinois State 4–2–22–0–22nd
1943 Northern Illinois State 4–1–11–0
1944 Northern Illinois State 7–03–01st
1945 Northern Illinois State 4–32–23rd
1946 Northern Illinois State 9–24–01stL Turkey Bowl
1947 Northern Illinois State 4–3–32–1–12ndL Hoosier Bowl
1948 Northern Illinois State 6–42–23rd
1949 Northern Illinois State 7–2–12–1–12nd
1950 Northern Illinois State 3–62–45th
1951 Northern Illinois State 9–06–01st
1952 Northern Illinois State 3–62–4T–4th
1953 Northern Illinois State 1–81–56th
1954 Northern Illinois State 2–71–5T–6th
Northern Illinois State: 132–70–2075–43–12
Total:132–70–20
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
  1. The Blue Book of College Athletics. F. Turbyville. 1948. ISSN 0893-7737. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  2. "Evans Signed as Coach by State Teachers' College". Daily Chronicle. DeKalb, Illinois. May 23, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved January 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  3. "'Chick' Evans dies at 76". Daily Chronicle. DeKalb, Illinois. November 24, 1976. p. 1. Retrieved January 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  4. Daily Messenger, November 24, 1976, Canandaigua, New York
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