Henry Frank Schulte (February 4, 1879 – October 18, 1944) was an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...

player and coach of football,

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

, and

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

. Schulte played football at Washington University in St. Louis from 1898 to 1900 and at the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

from 1903 to 1905 and later coached football and track and field at

Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United Sta ...

(1906–1908),

Southeast Missouri State University Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) is a public university in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In addition to the main campus, the university has four regional campuses offering full degree programs and a secondary campus housing the Holland Co ...

(1909-1911),

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus University of Missouri System. MU was founded in ...

(1914–1919), and

University of Nebraska A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...

(1919–1938). Schulte was often referred to by the nickname "Indian" Schulte, though he was of German rather than Native American descent.

Biography

Early years

Schulte was born in 1879 in St. Louis County, Missouri.

Football player

Schulte played football at Smith Academy in St. Louis and then at Washington University in St. Louis. Charges of not being a bona fide student were lobbied against Schulte in 1900 by

Missouri School of Mines Missouri University of Science and Technology, or Missouri S&T, is a Public university, public research university in Rolla, Missouri. It is a member institution of the University of Missouri System. Most of its 7,645 students (fall 2020) study ...

and by C. B. C., leading to the expulsion of the

Washington University Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...

manager. In 1903, Schulte transferred to the University of Michigan where he played at the

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison gu ...

and

center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...

positions for Fielding H. Yost's famous "Point-a-Minute" teams of

1903 Events January * January 1 – Edward VII is proclaimed Emperor of India. * January 19 – The first west–east transatlantic radio broadcast is made from the United States to England (the first east–west broadcast having bee ...

1904 Events January * January 7 – The distress signal ''CQD'' is established, only to be replaced 2 years later by ''SOS''. * January 8 – The Blackstone Library is dedicated, marking the beginning of the Chicago Public Library syst ...

, and

1905 As the second year of the massive Russo-Japanese War begins, more than 100,000 die in the largest world battles of that era, and the war chaos leads to the 1905 Russian Revolution against Nicholas II of Russia ( Shostakovich's 11th Symphony ...

, which compiled a record of 33–1–1 over the three years Schulte was a starter. In late 1905 and early 1906, charges of professionalism were leveled at the major college football programs, including Michigan, leading to calls for reform or even elimination of the sport from college campuses. In response to the controversy, the faculty at Michigan ruled Schulte and two other football players,

Germany Schulz Adolph George "Germany" Schulz (April 19, 1883 – April 14, 1951) was an All-American American football center for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1904 to 1905 and from 1907 to 1908. While playing at Michigan, Schulz is credited wit ...

and Walter Rheinschild, academically ineligible. As a result, Schulte missed the 1906 season.

Football and track coach

In his senior year at Michigan, Schulte began a long career in coaching as the track coach at

Michigan State Normal College Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United Sta ...

(now Eastern Michigan University). From 1906 to 1908, Schulte served as coach of the football, baseball and track teams at Eastern Michigan University. In three years as Eastern Michigan's football coach, Schulte compiled a 9–6–1 record. From 1909 to 1911, Schulte coached at Missouri State Normal–Third District (Cape Girardeau), compiling a 8–3 record. He was also an assistant coach to Fielding Yost for the 1912 Michigan Wolverines football team. From 1914 to 1919, Schulte coached football and track and field at Missouri. In three years as coach of the football team (1914–1917), he compiled a 16–14–2 record. The track athletes he coached at Missouri included

Jackson Scholz Jackson Volney Scholz (March 15, 1897 – October 26, 1986) was an American sprint runner. In the 1920s, he became the first person to appear in an Olympic sprint final in three different Olympic Games. After his athletic career, he also gained ...

and Bob Simpson. A newspaper profile of Schulte in 1917 noted his contributions to the Missouri athletic program:

"Missouri hardly can afford to let 'Indian' Schulte, the football and track coach, leave the athletic department of the university, Schulte has had splendid success at Missouri. He has turned out well coached football teams and highly successful track teams. He has given Missouri in a coaching way what C. L. Brewer has supplied in the way of careful management and the upbuilding of a fine athletic plant. Schulte, an impulsive, impetuous fellow, is beloved of his boys. He has done much for Missouri athletics. He is entitled to the best Missouri can give him."

From 1919 to 1920, he was the head football coach at Nebraska, where he compiled an 8–6–3 record. He also served as the school's track coach from 1919 to 1938, and was an assistant coach for the football team from 1922 to 1927. One newspaper columnist noted that "his work with the big, sturdy plainsmen of the Cornhusker state largely was responsible for the name the school built for itself." Schulte was credited with building great football lines for Nebraska, including his years as an assistant coach; Notre Dame coach

Knute Rockne Knut ( Norwegian and Swedish), Knud ( Danish), or Knútur (Icelandic) is a Scandinavian, German, and Dutch first name, of which the anglicised form is Canute. In Germany both "Knut" and "Knud" are used. In Spanish and Portuguese Canuto is used ...

frequently mentioned Schulte as "the greatest line coach in the game." In 20 years as the

Cornhuskers The Nebraska Cornhuskers (often abbreviated to Huskers) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference, and the Cornhuskers compete in NCAA Divis ...

' track coach, Schulte coached his teams to 15 conference titles. Schulte also served as a coach on the U.S. track team at the

1928 Summer Olympics The 1928 Summer Olympics ( nl, Olympische Zomerspelen 1928), officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad ( nl, Spelen van de IXe Olympiade) and commonly known as Amsterdam 1928, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated fro ...

. At Nebraska, the track athletes coached by Schulte included

Ed Weir Samuel Edwin Weir (March 14, 1903 – May 15, 1991) was an American collegiate and professional football player. He was the first Nebraska Cornhuskers football player elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and is known as one of Nebraska ...

, John "Choppy" Rhodes,

Hugh Rhea Hugh McCall Rhea (September 9, 1909 – October 18, 1973) was an American football player and track and field athlete. A native of Arlington, Nebraska, Rhea attended Arlington High School and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He played c ...

Sam Francis Samuel Lewis Francis (June 25, 1923 – November 4, 1994) was an American painter and printmaker. Early life Sam Francis was born in San Mateo, California,

and

Lloyd Cardwell Lloyd Raymond Cardwell (April 19, 1913 – November 10, 1997) was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and professionally in the National Football League (NFL) with the Detroit Lions for se ...

. In later years, Schulte served as an instructor at coaching schools. In 1934, Schulte taught track coaching at a program in which

Fritz Crisler Herbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler (; January 12, 1899 – August 19, 1982) was an American college football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football," an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and ...

also taught football coaching. A newspaper story on the coaching school reflected the popularity of Schulte's classes:

"Henry 'Indian' Schulte, University of Nebraska, concluded his track and field work yesterday, and was given a rousing send-off by the 200 or more coaches who have been attending his lectures. It was the opinion of numerous coaches yesterday that the Texas Tech coaching school authorities would do well to sign Schulte immediately for another course next year. ... One of the most popular lecturers to appear here, Schulte, who is getting along in years but younger in ideas and thought, has had almost as large a following as any football coach on the staff."

Family, death and tributes

In 1939, Schulte resigned as Nebraska's track coach due to illness. After several years of illness, Schulte died at

Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers with a population of 292,657 in 2021. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 73rd-largest in the United ...

in October 1944 at age 65. (places date of death at October 18, 1944) In its obituary for Schulte, the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...

referred to Schulte as the "grand old man" of the University of Nebraska track teams. Schulte was married to Neva Schulte, born in 1889 in

Marcellus, Michigan Marcellus is a village in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,198 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Marcellus Township. It is part of the South Bend– Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Are ...

. They had a son, Henry A. Schulte, born in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1924. When Nebraska completed a new athletic field house in 1946, it was named Schulte Fieldhouse in his honor. Schulte Fieldhouse was demolished to make room for the Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex, which was completed in 2006.

Head coaching record

Football

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Schulte, Henry 1944 deaths 1879 births American football centers American football guards Eastern Michigan Eagles baseball coaches Eastern Michigan Eagles football coaches Michigan Wolverines football players Michigan Wolverines football coaches Missouri Tigers football coaches Nebraska Cornhuskers football coaches Southeast Missouri State Redhawks football coaches Southeast Missouri State Redhawks men's basketball coaches Washington University Bears football players Missouri Tigers track and field coaches University of Missouri faculty Sportspeople from St. Louis County, Missouri Players of American football from Missouri American people of German descent Basketball coaches from Missouri Nebraska Cornhuskers track and field coaches