Joseph Anthony Bach (January 17, 1901 – October 24, 1966) was one of Notre Dame's famed "Seven Mules" and later the head coach for the NFL's

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

(1935–36) and later the renamed

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...

(1952–53).

Early life

Bach was born in

Tower, Minnesota Tower is a city located in St. Louis County, Minnesota, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a total population of 430. State Highways 1 (Minnesota State Highway 1, MN 1), 1 ...

on January 17, 1901. His father was an originally from

Styria, Slovenia Styria (, ), also known as Slovenian Styria (; ) or Lower Styria (; ) to differentiate it from Austrian Styria, is a traditional region in northeastern Slovenia, comprising the southern third of the former Duchy of Styria. The population of St ...

before migrating to the United States in 1900 with his wife, Marie Novak. As a young man, Bach grew up at 327 Elm Street in Tower. Bach engaged in various athletic activities during his youth. After the death of his father when he was six years old, he experienced disciplinary issues that led to a brief stay at the Minnesota Training School in Red Wing. He later redirected his focus toward athletics. At

Chisholm High School Chisholm High School (founded in 1973) is the second largest high school in Enid, Oklahoma. Located in the northern part of the city, it has a student body of approximately 300 in grades 9–12 with a curriculum including normal and AP academic ...

, he declared himself captain of the newly formed swimming team, played as a

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...

on the football team. He was also a standout basketball player, during the 1918–1919 season, he scored 15 field goals in a 60–5 victory over Biwabik, contributing to the team’s District title win.

College career

After his graduation in 1919, Bach enrolled at the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...

. While there, he continue to pursue athletics. As a senior, he was a lineman on the 1924 national title team — the first Irish team to win a championship, and had a pivotal role in Notre Dame's first

Rose Bowl Rose Bowl or Rosebowl may refer to: * Rose Bowl Game, an annual American college football game * Rose Bowl (stadium), Pasadena, California, site of the football game, and the home stadium of the UCLA Football team * Rose Bowl (cricket ground), West ...

trip in January

1925 Events January * January 1 – The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria (1925–1930), State of Syria. * January 3 – Benito Mussolini m ...

. Famous for the Four Horsemen backfield, the line that blocked for them was known as " The Seven Mules."

Coaching career

Bach became the Pirates coach in 1935 directing the young franchise to their best record yet at 4 wins and 8 losses followed by the 1936 campaign in which he coached the Pirates to their first ever non-losing season at 6 wins and 6 losses. He left the team following 1936 to go back into

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

. Bach spent the 1950 and 1951 seasons as head coach of the St. Bonaventure Brown Indians football team, where Silas Rooney, Steelers owner

Art Rooney Arthur Joseph Rooney Sr. (January 27, 1901 – August 25, 1988), often referred to as "the Chief", was an American professional American football, football executive. He was the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, an American football fr ...

brother A brother (: brothers or brethren) is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a family, familial relationship, it is sometimes used ende ...

, was serving as athletic director;

St. Bonaventure University St. Bonaventure University is a private university, private Franciscan university in St. Bonaventure, New York. It has 2,760 undergraduate and graduate students. The Order of Friars Minor, Franciscans established the university in 1858. In ath ...

ceased sponsoring football after the 1951 season. In 1953, Bach returned as the head coach for the Steelers and installed the T-formation. Pittsburgh had been the last franchise to operate the single wing. The Steelers finished with 5 wins and 7 losses in

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, ...

, and with 6 wins and 6 losses in

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito ...

. Following three home defeats to begin the pre-season in

1954 Events January * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown–IBM experiment: The first public demonstration of a machine translation system is held in New York, at the head ...

, Bach resigned during training camp in late August. He was succeeded by line coach

Walt Kiesling Walter Andrew Kiesling (May 27, 1903 – March 2, 1962) was an American professional football guard and coach who spent 36 years in the National Football League (NFL). He was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966 and ...

, a previous head coach with the team.

Later life

Bach later worked as a state labor mediator and continued as a scout for the Steelers and was an active member of its alumni association. Minutes after the conclusion of a banquet luncheon in his honor on October 24, 1966, Bach collapsed and died from a sudden heart attack.

Head coaching record

College

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bach, Joe 1901 births 1966 deaths American football tackles Boston Yanks coaches Carleton Knights football players Detroit Lions coaches Duquesne Dukes football coaches Fort Knox Armoraiders football coaches NFL announcers New York Yanks coaches Niagara Purple Eagles football coaches Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players Pittsburgh Pirates (football) coaches Pittsburgh Steelers announcers Pittsburgh Steelers coaches St. Bonaventure Brown Indians football coaches Syracuse Orange football coaches People from Chisholm, Minnesota Sportspeople from St. Louis County, Minnesota Coaches of American football from Minnesota Players of American football from Minnesota Pittsburgh Pirates head coaches Pittsburgh Steelers head coaches