Lisle Blackbourn

Lisle William "Liz" Blackbourn (June 3, 1899 – June 14, 1983) was an American football coach in Wisconsin,[1] most notably as the third head coach of the Green Bay Packers, from 1954 through 1957, and the final head coach at Marquette University in Milwaukee in 1960.[2][3]

Lisle Blackbourn
Biographical details
Born(1899-06-03)June 3, 1899
Beetown, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedJune 14, 1983(1983-06-14) (aged 84)
Lancaster, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma materLawrence College, 1925
Playing career
1918, 1921–23Lawrence
Position(s)Lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1924Lawrence (freshmen)
1925–1946Washington HS (WI)
1947Wisconsin (scout)
1948Wisconsin (backs)
1949Marquette (line)
1950–1953Marquette
1954–1957Green Bay Packers
1958Carroll (WI)
1959–1960Marquette
Head coaching record
Overall30–32–4 (college)
17–31 (NFL)
141–30–6 (high school)

Early years

Born in Beetown, Wisconsin, in 1899, Blackbourn attended high school in Lancaster and played college football at Lawrence College in Appleton, under head coach Mark Catlin, Sr. He arrived on campus in 1918, but left after a semester to work on the family farm for several years, then returned to school.[4] He earned "all-state" honors three times for the Vikings and also was a catcher on the baseball team. While finishing his degree at Lawrence, he coached the Vikings' freshman football team in the fall of 1924.

Coaching career

High school coach

After earning his degree in 1925, he became head coach at Washington High School in Milwaukee and continued for 22 seasons, compiling a 141–30–6 record (.814) through 1946. While remaining as athletic director at the school, he was a scout for the University of Wisconsin–Madison under head coach Harry Stuhldreher.

College coach

In March 1948, Blackbourn became the backfield coach at Wisconsin under thirteenth-year head coach Stuhldreher, who resigned in December.[5] With a new staff at UW for 1949 under Ivy Williamson, Blackbourn moved over to Marquette University in Milwaukee as the line coach under longtime head coach Frank Murray,[6] who stepped down after the season for health reasons and was succeeded by Blackbourn in 1950.[7][8][9] In 1953, Marquette posted a 6–3–1 record, their best in over a decade.

Green Bay Packers

Succeeding Gene Ronzani as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, Blackbourn was hired in January 1954.[10][11] The franchise's third head coach, he had a 17–31 (.354) record in four years, with no post-season appearances, as the only scheduled playoff then was the NFL title game. Requested to resign after a disappointing 3–9 campaign in 1957, he refused and was fired in January 1958.[2][12][13] He had a year remaining on a five-year contract, at $25,000 annually, and backfield coach Ray McLean was promoted to head coach.[14][15]

Blackbourn drafted many future hall of famers, including Forrest Gregg, Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor, Jerry Kramer, and Ray Nitschke. He was still the Packers' head coach during the first part of 1958 NFL Draft, with the first four rounds conducted in early December 1957. Green Bay's first four picks in that draft are considered among the best by a team in league history; in addition to Taylor, Nitschke, and Kramer, consensus All-American linebacker Dan Currie was selected third overall.

Carroll College

After the dismissal by the Packers, Blackbourn became the head coach at Carroll College in Waukesha for a single season in 1958, and led the Pioneers to a 6–2 record.[16]

Return to Marquette

The sixteenth head coach at Marquette from 1950 through 1953, Blackbourn returned in 1959 to lead the program for its final two seasons.[17] His record there over six seasons was 24–30–4 (.448), which is third in total wins and twelfth in winning percentage.

Later life and death

After the Marquette football program was discontinued in December 1960,[18][19][20][21] Blackbourn was a scout in professional football for the Packers and others until he retired in 1972.[4][22] He was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978, and died in 1983 in his hometown of Lancaster.[22]

Head coaching record

College
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Marquette Hilltoppers (Independent) (1950–1953)
1950 Marquette 5–3–1
1951 Marquette 4–6–1
1952 Marquette 3–5–1
1953 Marquette 6–3–1
Carroll Pioneers (College Conference of Illinois) (1958)
1958 Carroll 6–25–2T–2nd
Carroll: 6–25–2
Marquette Warriors (Independent) (1959–1960)
1959 Marquette 3–7
1960 Marquette 3–6
Marquette: 24–30–4
Total:30–32–4

NFL
TeamYearRegular Season
WonLostTiesFinish
GB1954 4805th in NFL Western Conference
GB1955 6603rd in NFL Western Conference
GB1956 4806th in NFL Western Conference
GB1957 3906th in NFL Western Conference
Total17310

References
  1. Daniell, Constance (August 10, 1971). "Friends remember Liz". Milwaukee Journal. p. 8, part 2.
  2. Sauerberg, George (June 15, 1983). "Blackbourn style impressed team". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 1, part 2.
  3. "Ex-coach Blackbourn dies". Milwaukee Journal. June 14, 1983. p. 1, part 2.
  4. Johnson, Chuck (April 6, 1967). "Blackbourn could look back with pride, but won't". Milwaukee Journal. p. 13, part 2.
  5. "City coaches give Blackbourn a boost". Milwaukee Journal. January 6, 1949. p. 6, part 2.
  6. Gilka, Bob (March 23, 1948). "Blackbourn is named Marquette line coach". Milwaukee Journal. p. 12, part 2.
  7. "Murray retires; Blackbourn named Marquette coach". Milwaukee Sentinel. December 18, 1949. p. 1, sports.
  8. Lynch, R.G. (January 7, 1954). "Terlep likely Hilltop coach as Packers sign Blackbourn". Milwaukee Journal. p. 17, part 2.
  9. Lawrence Alumni Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame Archived February 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  10. "Blackbourn signs 3 year contract to coach Packers". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. January 8, 1954. p. 4, part 2.
  11. "Blackbourn appointed head coach of Packers". Milwaukee Journal. January 7, 1954. p. 1, part 1.
  12. Lea, Bud (January 7, 1958). "Liz out! McLean Packer coach". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 2, part 2.
  13. "Packers to oust Blackbourn today". Milwaukee Sentinel. January 6, 1958. p. 2, part 2.
  14. "Blackbourn is fired; Packer job to aide". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 7, 1958. p. 16.
  15. "Bye. Bye Blackbourn; McLean in". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. January 7, 1958. p. 28.
  16. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 16, 2006. Retrieved May 16, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. College Football Reference Archived July 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Marquette University Football Records
  18. "Save football, alumni aim". Milwaukee Journal. December 10, 1960. p. 14.
  19. "Marquette drops football, track". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. December 10, 1960. p. 10.
  20. Bolchat, Rel (December 10, 1960). "MU drops football, basketball survives". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 3, part 2.
  21. Riordon, Robert J (December 10, 1960). "'We want football!' MUers yell". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 1, part 1.
  22. "Lisle Blackbourn dies at 84; coached Green Bay Packers". New York Times. Associated Press. June 15, 1983. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
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