Robert E. "Pete" Vaughan (December 29, 1888 – February 18, 1969) 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 was head football coach at

Wabash College Wabash College is a private liberal arts men's college located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Founded in 1832, by a group of Dartmouth College graduates and Midwestern leaders, the institution was originally named "The Wabash Teachers Seminary an ...

for 27 seasons, from 1919 to 1945, compiling a record of 118–85–24. In 1922, he also coached Wabash to the championship of the first national intercollegiate basketball tournament ever held. Prior to coaching Wabash, he spent four seasons (1912–1916) coaching the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team, leading them to a record of 21–32. Vaughan attended

Crawfordsville High School Old Crawfordsville High School is a former public high school erected in 1910 on East Jefferson Street in Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana. It was a part of the Crawfordsville Community Schools. The old building was expanded in 1914, ...

and 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 ...

. 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 ...

alongside

Knute Rockne Knute Kenneth Rockne (; March 4, 1888 – March 31, 1931) was an American football player and coach at the University of Notre Dame. Leading Notre Dame for 13 seasons, Rockne accumulated over 100 wins and three national championships. Rockne is ...

, who became the head coach of the

Fighting Irish The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the athletic teams that represent the University of Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish participate in 26 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I intercollegiate sports and in the NCAA's Division ...

.Robert Vaughn then called Pete, Was actually credited for coining the term "The Fighting Irish". It was during a Michigan Notre Dame game and Notre Dame was behind. Pete jumped up and yelled fight boys, you're Irish! The newspaper picked it up the next day. His grand niece, Kelly Riggs Chillarege also attended St.Mary's/Notre Dame when Joe Montana led, "The fighting Irish
Little Giants
, ''Dear Old Wabash'', Wabash College, December 19, 2008.

Head coaching record

Football

Basketball

References

External links

* 1888 births 1969 deaths American football fullbacks Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball coaches Wabash Little Giants athletic directors Wabash Little Giants basketball coaches Wabash Little Giants football coaches Crawfordsville High School alumni People from Crawfordsville, Indiana Coaches of American football from Indiana Players of American football from Indiana Basketball coaches from Indiana Long stubs with short prose {{1910s-collegefootball-coach-stub