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Alfred J. Robertson

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Alfred J. Robertson
Biographical details
Born(1891-05-19)May 19, 1891
South Haven, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedOctober 30, 1948(1948-10-30) (aged 57)
Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1910–1912Carleton
1913Minnesota (freshmen)
1914–1915Montana
Basketball
1910–1913Carleton
1913–1914Minnesota (freshmen)
1914–1916Montana
Position(s)Quarterback (football)
Forward (basketball)
Third baseman (baseball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1919Fort Hays State
1920–1947Bradley / Bradley Tech
Basketball
1918–1919Georgetown (KY)
1919–1920Fort Hays State
1920–1948Bradley / Bradley Tech
Baseball
1919Georgetown (KY)
1921–1948Bradley / Bradley Tech
Track
1919Georgetown (KY)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1919–1920Fort Hays State
1920–1948Bradley / Bradley Tech
Head coaching record
Overall147–70–10 (football)
330–198 (basketball)
244–157–6 (baseball, Bradley only)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
4 IIAC (1925–1927, 1937)
1 ICC (1938)

Alfred James "Robbie" Robertson (May 19, 1891 – October 30, 1948) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, track athlete, coach, and college athletics administrator. He spent most of his coaching career at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, where he was the athletic director and head coach in football, basketball, and baseball from 1920 to 1948. Robertson Memorial Field House, the former home basketball venue at Bradley, was named in his honor.

Playing career

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A native of South Haven, Minnesota, Robertson lettered in football, basketball, and track at Carleton College. In 1912, he captained the football team and was named All-State quarterback. He played as a forward on Carleton's basketball team and as a third baseman in baseball. Robertson spent the 1913–14 academic year at the University of Minnesota, where he played on the freshman football and basketball squads.[1] He transferred to the University of Montana in 1914, where he lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track. At Montana, he again played quarterback before graduating in 1916.[2][3]

Coaching career

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Robertson began his coaching career in 1917 at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, Kentucky. From January to June 1919, he coached basketball, baseball, and track at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. Robertson spent the 1919–20 academic year at Fort Hays Kansas State Normal School—now known as Fort Hays State University—as athletic director and coach of all sports.[1] He led the 1919 Fort Hays football team to a record of 3–6.[4]

Illness and death

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Robertson was hospitalized in October 1948 in Peoria, Illinois and had surgery for a "rare liver aliment" at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota later that month. He died on October 30, at the Saint Mary's Hospital in Rochester, at the age of 57.[5]

Legacy

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Robertson Memorial Field House was dedicated to Robertson's memory on December 17, 1949.[6] In 2008, Robertson was named to the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame.[7] A bronze statue, sculted by Fisher Stolz, of Robertson on Bradley University's West Campus was unveiled in December 2012.[8]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Fort Hays State Tigers (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1919)
1919 Fort Hays State 3–6 3–4 T–7th
Fort Hays State: 3–6 3–4
Bradley Indians/Braves (Independent) (1920–1922)
1920 Bradley 4–4
1921 Bradley 8–2
1922 Bradley 9–0–1
Bradley Indians/Braves (Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1923–1936)
1923 Bradley 6–2 6–2 5th
1924 Bradley 8–1 7–1 3rd
1925 Bradley 9–0 5–0 T–1st
1926 Bradley 9–0 5–0 T–1st
1927 Bradley 6–3 6–1 1st
1928 Bradley 7–2 6–1 T–3rd
1929 Bradley 6–3 4–2 T–7th
1930 Bradley 4–3–1 2–2–1 T–12th
1931 Bradley 5–3 4–1 T–2nd
1932 Bradley 3–3–2 3–1–1 T–4th
1933 Bradley 3–5–2 3–2–1 12th
1934 Bradley 5–3 3–2 T–8th
1935 Bradley 1–6–1 1–5–1 16th
1936 Bradley 6–3 6–2 T–2nd
1937 Bradley 6–3 5–0 T–1st
Bradley Tech Braves (Illinois College Conference) (1938–1945)
1938 Bradley Tech 7–0–1 4–0 T–1st
1939 Bradley Tech 6–1–2 2–1 6th
1940 Bradley Tech 4–4 0–2 9th
1941 Bradley Tech 8–1 1–0 2nd
1942 Bradley Tech 4–4 0–1 6th
1943 No team—World War II
1944 No team—World War II
1945 No team—World War II
Bradley Braves (Independent) (1946–1947)
1946 Bradley 7–2
1947 Bradley 3–6
Bradley: 144–64–10 72–26–4
Total: 147–70–10
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ a b "Bradley Mentor Was Star Athlete in College Days". The Dispatch. Moline, Illinois. Associated Press. November 18, 1921. p. 24. Retrieved July 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ^ Kieran, John (March 9, 1938). "Sports of the Times; Popping In From Peoria" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  3. ^ "Carleton College: Alumni Council: Alfred J. Robertson". Carleton College. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  4. ^ Fort Hays State University coaching records Archived May 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "A. J. Robertson, Bradley Athletic Director, Dies". Palladium-Item. Richmond, Indiana. International News Service. November 1, 1948. p. 8. Retrieved September 12, 2017 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  6. ^ Wessler, Kirk (February 21, 2008). "Robertsons reunite at Field House". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  7. ^ "A.J. Robertson Inducted Into MVC Hall of Fame". Bradley University Athletics. March 7, 2008. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  8. ^ "The Sporting Statues Project: Alfred Robertson: West Campus, Bradley University, Peoria, IL". www.offbeat.group.shef.ac.uk. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
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