Bert Clark
 Clark from the 1967 Chinook | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 12, 1930 Wichita Falls, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | December 13, 2004 (aged 74) Katy, Texas, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1949–1951 | Oklahoma |
| 1952 | Dallas Texans |
| 1953 | Calgary Stampeders |
| Position(s) | Linebacker, center |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1956 | Arkansas (assistant) |
| 1957–1963 | Washington (assistant) |
| 1964–1967 | Washington State |
| 1968–1969 | New Mexico (assistant) |
| 1970–? | Winnipeg Blue Bombers (assistant) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 15–24–1 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
Robert B. Clark Jr. (February 12, 1930 – December 13, 2004)[1] was an American gridiron football player and coach. He was the head football coach at Washington State University for four seasons, from 1964 to 1967.
Early life and playing career
Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, Clark graduated from high school in 1948 and played college football at the University of Oklahoma under coach Bud Wilkinson. He lettered three seasons, from 1949] to 1951, as the Sooners posted records of 11–0, 10–1, and 8–2. Clark was a two-time All-Big Eight Conference linebacker and helped the 1950 Sooners capture a national title.
After a brief stint with the Dallas Texas of the National Football League (NFL) in 1952 and a season with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1953, Clark served in the United States Army.
Assistant coach
Following his military service, he was an assistant coach for a season at the
Washington State
After seven seasons in Seattle with Owens at Washington, he was hired as head coach at Washington State in Pullman in January 1964;[2] his initial contract was a three-year deal for $16,500 per year.[3]
On the Palouse, he was near another former 1949 Sooner teammate, Dee Andros, who was in his third (and final) season as head coach of the Idaho Vandals, eight miles (13 km) to the east. Clark's first WSU team lost both rivalry games, expectedly to Washington in the Apple Cup, but unexpectedly to Idaho 28–13 in the Battle of the Palouse, the Vandals' first win the over the Cougars in a decade.[4]
His
Following the 1965 season, Clark signed a new three-year contract, at
.The Cougars were winless through eight games in 1967,[9] then thrashed Idaho 52–14 and squeaked by Washington 9–7 in Seattle to finish at 2–8 and 1–5 in conference.[10] Clark was fired in late November, with a season remaining on his contract.[11][12]
After Pullman
Clark coached at the University of New Mexico in 1968 as defensive coordinator to first-time head coach Rudy Feldman,[13] and went to the CFL in 1970 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers under new head coach Jim Spavital.[14] He later went into the investment business in Texas in Dallas and Galveston.[15]
Clark died in Katy, Texas in December 2004 at the age of 74[1] and was buried at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Wichita Falls.
Head coaching record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State Cougars (Athletic Association of Western Universities) (1964–1967) | |||||||||
| 1964 | Washington State | 3–6–1 | 1–2–1 | T–6th | |||||
| 1965 | Washington State | 7–3 | 2–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 1966 | Washington State | 3–7 | 1–3 | T–6th | |||||
| 1967 | Washington State | 2–8 | 1–5 | T–7th | |||||
| Washington State: | 15–24–1 | 5–11–1 | |||||||
| Total: | 15–24–1 | ||||||||
References
- ^ a b "Led 'Cardiac Kids' in 1965". ESPN. Associated Press. December 17, 2004. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
- ^ Johnson, Bob (January 14, 1964). "Bert Clark named Cougar grid coach". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 15.
- ^ "WSU now 'arranging' new Clark contract". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 7, 1965. p. 12.
- ^ Missildine, Harry (October 25, 1964). "'Thunder Ray' leads Idaho's charge". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
- ^ Missildine, Harry (October 3, 1965). "Charging Vandals defeat WSU 17-13". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
- ^ Johnson, Bob (October 4, 1965). "Palouse back to normal; Idaho conquers Cougars". Spokane Daily Chronicle. p. 17.
- ^ Woods, Roy (October 23, 1966). "Mud replaces turf in football's annual Battle of Palouse in Moscow". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). photos. p. 14.
- ^ "Kennedy en route to a TD". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). photo. October 24, 1966. p. 18.
- ^ "Palouse grid contest seen as "war of wits"". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). November 10, 1967. p. 13.
- ^ Missildine, Harry (November 26, 1967). "Pluck, luck, defense! Cougs 9-7". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
- ^ "Bert Clark parts company with Cougars; search on for successor". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 29, 1967. p. 10.
- ^ "WSU begins search for new grid coach". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 29, 1967. p. 10.
- ^ "Clark gets aide's job". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). UPI. February 9, 1968. p. 11.
- ^ "Clark given Winnipeg job". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. May 20, 1970. p. 42.
- ^ "Former WSU football coach Bert Clark dies". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 18, 2004. p. C6.