Gordon Kirkland

Gordon Ashby Kirkland (July 26, 1904 – June 23, 1953) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina from 1934 to 1948, compiling a record of 106–32–7. Kirkland also had two stints as the head basketball coach at Catawba, from 1934 to 1936 and 1942 to 1945, tallying a mark of 60–37, and was the school's head baseball coach from 1934 to 1948, amassing a record of 179–70–3.[1] He led the Catawba Indians football team to six North State Conference titles and consecutive bowl game victories, in the 1947 and the 1948 Tangerine Bowls.

Gordon Kirkland
Biographical details
Born(1904-07-26)July 26, 1904
Durham, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedJune 23, 1953(1953-06-23) (aged 48)
Salisbury, North Carolina, U.S.
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1929Oxford HS (NC)
1930–1933Salisbury HS (NC)
1934–1948Catawba
Basketball
1934–1936Catawba
1942–1945Catawba
Baseball
1935–1948Catawba
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1929–1930Oxford HS (NC)
1930–1934Salisbury HS (NC)
1934–1953Catawba
Head coaching record
Overall106–32–7 (football)
60–37 (basketball)
179–70–3 (baseball)
Bowls2–0
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
6 North State (1938, 1940, 1942, 1945–1947)

A native of Durham, North Carolina, Kirkland was a graduate of Elon College.[1] He was the athletic director and head coach at Oxford High School in Oxford, North Carolina, where he led the football team to the finals of the North Carolina class B state championship in 1929. Kirkland was hired in 1930 as the athletic director and head coach at Salisbury High School in Salisbury, North Carolina.[2] In 1934, he was appointed athletic director and head coach of all major sports at Catawba.[3]

Kirkland died on June 23, 1953, at his home in Salisbury, following two weeks of serious illness and several years of declining heath due to a heart and kidney condition.[4] He is a member of the Catawba College Hall of Fame, the Salisbury Athletic Hall of Fame, and North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.[5]

Head coaching record

Football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Catawba Indians (North State Conference) (1934–1948)
1934 Catawba 5–2–32–0–22nd
1935 Catawba 8–23–1T–2nd
1936 Catawba 5–53–23rd
1937 Catawba 8–23–23rd
1938 Catawba 7–2–14–1T–1st
1939 Catawba 6–2–22–1–14th
1940 Catawba 8–14–01st
1941 Catawba 8–34–12nd
1942 Catawba 9–24–01st
1943 No team—World War II
1944 Catawba 6–3NANA
1945 Catawba 10–12–0T–1st
1946 Catawba 10–25–01stW Tangerine
1947 Catawba 11–16–01stW Tangerine
1948 Catawba 5–4–15–23rd
Catawba: 106–32–747–10–3
Total:106–32–7
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
  1. "North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame | Raleigh, NC". Ncshof.org. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
  2. "Gordon Kirkland Will Coach Salisbury Highs". The News & Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press. April 13, 1930. p. 20. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  3. "Gordon Kirkland Named New Catawba Athletic Director". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. Associated Press. March 18, 1934. p. 24. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  4. "Coach Gordon Kirkland Dies at Salisbury Home Today". Times-News. Burlington, North Carolina. June 23, 1953. p. 3. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  5. "Discover What's Inside". Salisburync.gov. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
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