Ira Van Cleave

Ira Harlan "Sphinx" Van Cleave (July 30, 1888 – May 29, 1943) was an American football, basketball, baseball, and track and field coach, athletics administrator, and physical education instructor. He served as the head football coach at Fort Hays Kansas State Normal School—now known as Fort Hays State University—in Hays, Kansas from 1912 to 1914, Whittier College in Whittier, California from 1917 to 1919, and La Verne College—now known as the University of La Verne—in La Verne, California from in 1928 to 1929.

Ira Van Cleave
Van Cleave pictured in Reveille 1914, Fort Hays yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1888-07-30)July 30, 1888
Peoria, Iowa, U.S.
DiedMay 29, 1943(1943-05-29) (aged 54)
Pomona, California, U.S.
Playing career
Baseball
1910–1912Springfield
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1912–1914Hays Normal
1917–1919Whittier
1920–1925Pomona HS (CA)
1927La Verne (freshmen)
1928–1929La Verne
Basketball
1912–1915Hays Normal
1917–1920Whittier
1920–1926Pomona HS (CA)
1927–1930La Verne
Baseball
1917–1920Whittier
1921–1926Pomona HS (CA)
1928–?La Verne (freshmen)
Track
1920–1926Pomona HS (CA)
1927–?La Verne
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1912–1915Hays Normal
1928–1930La Verne
Head coaching record
Overall11–25–1 (college football)

Early life and education

Van Cleave was born on July 30, 1888, in Peoria, Iowa. He graduated from Central College in Pella, Iowa in 1909 and International YMCA College—now known as Springfield College—in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1912.[1]

Coaching career

Van Cleave resigned from his position at Hays Normal in the summer of 1915 and moved to California.[2] He was hired in 1917 as athletic coach at Whittier College in Whittier, California, succeeding Russell T. Wilson.[3] Van Cleave left Whittier in 1920 to become the athletic director at Pomona High School in Pomona, California.[4] He led the Pomona High baseball team to a Citrus Belt League title in 1926.[5] In June 1926, the Pomona school board opted to retain Van Cleave at athletic coach, but offered him the position of physical education instructor.[6]

Van Cleave was hired by La Verne College—now known as the University of La Verne—in La Verne, California as varsity basketball and track coach and freshman coach in football and baseball.[7] He succeeded Claude Arnett as head football coach in 1928.[8] Van Cleave resigned as head athletic coach at La Verne in early 1930 and was succeeded by Lee Eisan.[9][10]

Death

Van Cleave died on May 29, 1943, at Pomona Valley Community Hospital in Pomona, California.[1]

Head coaching record

College football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Hays Normal (Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1912–1914)
1912 Hays Normal 1–1
1913 Hays Normal 4–20–112th
1914 Hays Normal 5–2
Fort Hays State: 10–5
Whittier Poets (Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1917–1920)
1917 Whittier 1–4
1918 Whittier 0–0–1
1919 Whittier 0–50–45th
Whittier: 1–9–1
La Verne Leopards (Independent) (1928–1929)
1928 La Verne 0–6
1929 La Verne 0–5
La Verne: 0–11
Total:11–25–1

References
  1. "Van Cleave Is Stricken". The Pomona Progress Bulletin. Pomona, California. May 31, 1943. p. 3. Retrieved August 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  2. "New Faculty Members Added At Hays Normal". The Topeka Daily Capital. Topeka, Kansas. July 22, 1915. p. 3. Retrieved August 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  3. "Whittier Officials Select New Coach". Los Angeles Evening Express. Los Angeles, California. February 21, 1917. p. 2, section 2. Retrieved August 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  4. "Van Cleave Goes To Pomona High". The Whittier News. Whittier, California. June 12, 1920. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  5. "Pomona Cardinals Win 1926 Citrus Belt League Pennant". The Bulletin. Pomona, California. May 22, 1926. p. 3. Retrieved August 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  6. "Archie Nisbet May Be P. H. S. Mentor". The Pomana Progress. Pomona, California. June 10, 1926. p. 11. Retrieved August 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  7. "La Verne Signs Van Cleave As Coach". The Progress-Bulletin. Pomona, California. May 10, 1927. p. 16. Retrieved August 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  8. "Van Cleave Appointed Leopard Coach". The Progress-Bulletin. Pomona, California. February 24, 1928. p. 8. Retrieved August 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  9. "Eisan Appointed, Accepts As Head Coach At La Verne". The Progress-Bulletin. Pomona, California. January 31, 1930. p. 8. Retrieved August 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  10. "Eisan Coach (continued)". The Progress-Bulletin. Pomona, California. January 31, 1930. p. 9. Retrieved August 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
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