John Martin Vesser (October 1, 1900 – March 20, 1996) was an

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

player, coach of football and

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 (appro ...

, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at

Idaho State University Idaho State University (ISU) is a Public university, public research university in Pocatello, Idaho, United States. Founded in 1901 as the Academy of Idaho, Idaho State offers more than 250 programs at its main campus in Pocatello and locations ...

for nine seasons, from 1941 to 1951.

Biography

Vesser was born in 1900 in

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Coeur d'Alene ( ; ) is a city and the county seat of Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. It is the most populous city in North Idaho and the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 54,628 at th ...

. He played

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 ...

for

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

, and was on the West squad for the inaugural

East–West Shrine Game East West (or East and West) may refer to: *East–West dichotomy, the contrast between Eastern and Western society or culture Arts and entertainment Books, journals and magazines *'' East, West'', an anthology of short stories written by Salm ...

in December 1925. Vesser then played professionally for the

Los Angeles Wildcats Los Angeles Wildcats is a name shared by several American football teams from Los Angeles: * Los Angeles Wildcats (AFL), a team that played in the American Football League of 1926 * Los Angeles Wildcats (Minor League AFL), a team that played in the ...

and the

Chicago Cardinals The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons. Roots ca ...

. Following his playing career, Vesser became a coach, first at the high school level, then joined the Idaho Southern Branch Bengals football team as an assistant coach in 1937. In 1941, Vesser succeeded

Guy Wicks Guy Plumb Wicks (June 8, 1902 – January 16, 1968) was an American coach of college athletics and a university administrator; he coached basketball, baseball, and football in the state of Idaho. Early years Born in Eustis, Nebraska, Wicks move ...

as head coach; the school was renamed as

Idaho State College Idaho State University (ISU) is a Public university, public research university in Pocatello, Idaho, United States. Founded in 1901 as the Academy of Idaho, Idaho State offers more than 250 programs at its main campus in Pocatello and locations ...

in 1947. Vesser spent 11 years as head coach, during which the team competed in nine football seasons, as no teams were fielded in 1943 or 1945 due to World War II, compiling an overall record of . Vesser also served as head coach of the

Idaho State Bengals men's basketball The Idaho State Bengals men's basketball team represents Idaho State University in the Big Sky Conference in NCAA Division I. Currently led by head coach Ryan Looney, the Bengals play their home games on campus at Reed Gym in Pocatello, Idaho. ...

team for several seasons, and was

athletic director An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches a ...

at the college from 1952 to 1965. He was inducted to the North Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame in 1974, and the athletics hall of fame at Idaho State in 1979. Vesser died in 1996 in

Pocatello, Idaho Pocatello () is the county seat of and the largest city in Bannock County, Idaho, Bannock County, with a small portion on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in neighboring Power County, Idaho, Power County, containing the city's airport. It is t ...

Head coaching record

College football

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vesser, John 1900 births 1996 deaths American football ends Chicago Cardinals players Idaho State Bengals athletic directors Idaho State Bengals football coaches Idaho State Bengals men's basketball coaches Idaho Vandals football players Los Angeles Wildcats players High school football coaches in Idaho Sportspeople from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Coaches of American football from Idaho Players of American football from Idaho Basketball coaches from Idaho