Sometimes we forget how enjoyable the game of football is intended to be. A story like that of Coach Stewart Ferguson from the last century can rekindle the intentions of the game. Our guest Peter Oltchick picked up on a project that his now deceased Father-in-law Bill Bell did not have the opportunity to complete in a book titled Football for Fun.
Coach Stewart Ferguson
Football for Fun: an book by Bill Bell and Peter Oltchick on Coach Fergie Ferguson
The 1922 Rose Bowl
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Who Was Stewart Ferguson?
Stewart Ferguson (1900-1955) was an American football and basketball coach. He is best known for inventing the Swinging Gate offensive formation and leading the Arkansas A&M Boll Weevils to national prominence in the late 1930s and early 1940s. His teams were not known for winning games but they had an entertaining style that made spectators remember them. Often referred to as the "Wandering Weevils" and the "Marx Brothers of Football" Coach Fergie's team enjoyed the game and thrilled audnces during barnstorming tours across the country.
Ferguson was born in Carthage, Missouri, in 1900. He played college football at Dakota Wesleyan University, where he was a standout end. After graduating from Dakota Wesleyan in 1929, Ferguson began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater.
In 1934, Ferguson was hired as the head coach at Arkansas A&M College (now known as the University of Arkansas at Monticello).
Ferguson's Boll Weevils were known for their innovative and unconventional style of play. Ferguson invented the Swinging Gate offensive formation, which was a precursor to the modern spread offense. The Boll Weevils also passed the ball more than any other team in the country at the time.
More on the Book and the Author
Bill Bell and Peter Oltchick's amazing book, Football for Fun on Coach Ferguson has been released for purchase in September of 2023 and what an enjoyable read it is!
About Author Peter Oltchick
Journalist Peter Oltchick is the co-author (with former New York Daily News journalist Bill Bell) of Football for Fun: The Story of Coach Stewart “Fergie” Ferguson. Learn more about his work here on his own site!The legendary athletes, teams, events and people that made contributions and memories in the sporting games we love. Enjoy this chronicled collection of the greatest stories of sport.
The Story of Coach Stewart "Fergie" Ferguson ‣ Football for Fun
Stewart Ferguson was a college football coach who did things in a style quite differently than most any coach in any sports you have ever known about. Author Peter Oltchick picked up where his dearly departed Father-In-Law, Journalist Bill Bell left off to complete a book on the famed Coach Fergie. From special coaching contracts to barnstorming antics of the gridiron, the adventures of Stewart Ferguson are a refreshing story of a unique coach.Conclusion
We appreciate the time and the sharing of knowledge of Coach Ferguson's story that Peter Oltchick wrote about in the book and talked about in the podcast above.
Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer
We invite you to take a ride through 1920's sports history in the audio drama that takes the listener through the sounds and legendary events of the era through the eyes of a young newspaper journalist. You will feel like you were there!
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Sports Jersey Dispatch
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Gridiron Legacy: Pro Football's Missing Origin Story
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Author Joe Ziemba the master historian of football in Chicago has released another beauty. It is titled Bears versus Cardinals: The NFL's Oldest Rivalry.
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