Amos Alonzo Stagg collection, 1869-1989

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Summary

Creators:
Stagg, Amos Alonzo, 1862-1965
Abstract:
The Stagg Collection contains biographical materials, correspondence, clippings, writings by and about Stagg, photographs and memorabilia.
Extent:
25.5 linear ft.
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

Amos Alonzo Stagg collection. MSS 072. Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library.

Background

Scope and content:

The Stagg Collection contains biographical materials, correspondence, clippings, writings by and about Stagg, photographs and memorabilia. A detailed 82 page finding aid/inventory of materials is available upon request.

Biographical / historical:

Amos Alonzo Stagg, the "Grand Old Man of Football" was born on Aug 16, 1862, in West Orange County, N. J. during the American Civil War, and seven years before the first intercollegiate football game was played. When it was time for Amos to decide whether or not he should go to college, he asked for the advice of one of his teachers and after being greatly inspired by his talk, he decided to go. After attending Philips Exeter Academy, Stagg went on to Yale to become a minister, but while there Stagg found another calling in life, to promote Athletics. While at Yale, Stagg became one of Yale's greatest baseball pitchers of all time, and later he was chosen to be a member of Walter Camp's first All America Team in 1889. After graduating from Yale Stagg decided that he was not ministerial material and thus began the career of one of football's greatest legends. In 1890, Stagg began coaching football at Springfield College, and by 1892 he was a coach at the University of Chicago. Stagg stayed at Chicago for 41 years until his retirement in 1933. After which, Stagg traveled by train to the Pacific Coast to what was then a tiny college that would someday become the University of the Pacific. While coaching at Pacific, Coach Stagg had such an impressive impact on the school's team that he was voted coach of the year for 1943. In 1946, he left Pacific to join his son at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania, and there Stagg continued to coach until 1953, when his beloved wife Stella began to suffer from declining health and he decided to return to Stockton for her sake. Even then, Coach Stagg continued to coach, and until 1959 he coached the Stockton Junior College Football Team, now Delta College. Stagg's influence on football included more than his activity on the field. Since its founding, Stagg was an active member of the NCAA and played an important role in the development of football as well as many other sports.

Throughout his life, Coach Stagg believed that football provided young men with high ideals, and a good strong character. While Coach Stagg coached his teams, he forbid his players to smoke, drink, or commit other vices under penalty of being thrown off the team. A strong advocate of prohibition, and a witness to the saddening effects of alcohol abuse, Stagg strongly spoke against alcohol on many occasions. His belief was that he could shape the young men he coached by giving them a strong character, enhanced by good morals and leadership qualities, and by doing so he could improve society. Coach Stagg died peacefully at the age of 102.

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection open for research. A detailed 82 page finding aid/inventory of materials is available upon request.

Terms of access:

Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Preferred citation:

Amos Alonzo Stagg collection. MSS 072. Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library.

Location of this collection:
University of the Pacific, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University Library
Stockton, CA 95211, US
Contact:
(209) 946-2404
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