Dixie Howell
minor leagues | |
Position(s) | Furman |
---|---|
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 36–35–5 (college football) 42–40–1 (college baseball) |
Bowls | 0–1–1 |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Championships | |
(1939, 1940) | |
Awards | |
| |
College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 1970 (profile) | |
Military career | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1942–1945 |
Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
Unit | Training |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Millard Fleming "Dixie" Howell (November 24, 1912 – March 2, 1971) was an
Playing career
Football
Born in
In 1937, Howell briefly played professional football in the
Baseball
Howell also played baseball for the Crimson Tide and originally indicated he would finish out the college baseball season in 1935 and turn pro that June.[3] Plans changed and he signed a professional baseball contract with the Detroit Tigers
in early March
A month after signing, he was hospitalized after being struck in the head by a foul line drive; it occurred during batting practice before an April exhibition game in Virginia, off the bat of
Coaching career
While pursuing his baseball career, Howell coached football in his autumn off-seasons; in Mexico City in 1935 with the American football team of the National Autonomous University of Mexico and as an assistant at Loyola University in New Orleans in 1936. [9]
Following a season in the NFL in 1937, he was hired as head coach at the Arizona State Teachers College in Tempe,[10] and stayed for four seasons (1938–1941) with the Bulldogs,[11] with two conference titles and two appearances in the Sun Bowl.[12] He was a finalist for the open job at Idaho in 1941 to succeed Ted Bank,[13] which went to Francis Schmidt, then resigned his position at Tempe in the spring of 1942 and joined the U.S. Navy as a physical training instructor for naval aviators.[12][14] He served until his discharge as a lieutenant commander in November 1945, then returned to Tuscaloosa in January 1946 as an assistant football coach (backs) and head baseball coach for the Crimson Tide.[9]
Howell was hired as head football coach at
Howell's relationship with Idaho fans and the administration was strained following the
The Vandals posted a 3–5–1 record in 1950 and 1–1–1 in conference, and Howell's contract was not renewed in March 1951.[25] Assistant coach Babe Curfman succeeded him, after leading the team through its spring drills on an interim basis.[26]
While Howell was the head coach, the Idaho Vandals wore red jerseys.[27][28][29][30]
In media
Howell had an uncredited role in the 1936 movie, The Adventures of Frank Merriwell as a football player.[31] In the book To Kill a Mockingbird chapter 11, Scout, in an attempt to cheer up her brother, tells him he resembles Dixie Howell.
Howell is also mentioned in Randy Newman's song "My Daddy Knew Dixie Howell" from the album Good Old Boys.
After coaching
Howell got out of coaching and later worked in the Los Angeles area in sales and public relations. He had two operations for intestinal cancer in 1969[32] and 1971 and died at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in March 1971 at age 58.[33] and was buried in Alabama in his hometown of Hartford.[34] His wife, former actress Peggy Watters Howell (1914–2006),[35][36] outlived him by 35 years and is buried beside him.
Weeks after his death, Alabama created an award in his name, given to the outstanding player of the annual spring game.[2]
Head coaching record
Football
Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arizona State Bulldogs (Border Conference) (1938–1941) | |||||||||
1938 | Arizona State | 3–6 | 0–5 | 7th | |||||
1939 | Arizona State | 8–2–1 | 5–1 | 1st | T Sun | ||||
1940 | Arizona State | 7–2–2 | 4–1–1 | 1st | L Sun | ||||
1941 | Arizona State | 5–5–1 | 2–4–1 | 7th | |||||
Arizona State: | 23–15–4 | 11–11–2 | |||||||
Idaho Vandals (Pacific Coast Conference) (1947–1950) | |||||||||
1947 | Idaho | 4–4 | 1–4 | 9th | |||||
1948 | Idaho | 3–6 | 1–5 | 9th | |||||
1949 | Idaho | 3–5 | 1–4 | 9th | |||||
1950 | Idaho | 3–5–1 | 1–1–1 | T–4th | |||||
Idaho: | 13–20–1 | 4–14–1 | |||||||
Total: | 36–35–5 | ||||||||
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth |
References
- ^ Browning, Al (April 26, 1981). "Howell wasn't just whistling 'Dixie'". Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. p. B1.
- ^ a b "New A-Day award will honor Howell". Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. April 20, 1971. p. 6.
- ^ "Dixie Howell may join Detroit Tigers". Ludington Daily News. Michigan. Associated Press. January 28, 1935. p. 2.
- ^ "Howell will play with Detroit Tigers". Palm Beach Post. Florida. Associated Press. March 6, 1935. p. 7.
- ^ "Howell is slated to join Tigers' baseball farm". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. March 15, 1935. p. 2-sports.
- ^ "Dixie Howell remains in serious shape in hospital". Spartanburg Herald. Associated Press. April 12, 1935. p. 3.
- ^ "Dixie Howell signs with Oklahoma City". Berkeley Daily Gazette. California. United Press. February 5, 1940. p. 10.
- ^ "Dixie Howell given head coaching job at University of Idaho". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. February 27, 1947. p. 12.
- ^ a b "Howell named Alabama coach". Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. January 27, 1946. p. 7.
- ^ "Oliver named head coach at Oregon; Howell gets Tempe job". Evening Courier. Prescott, Arizona. Associated Press. January 27, 1938. p. 5.
- ^ Mark, Jay (May 6, 2016). "Tempe history: How a big college football star came to coach at Arizona State". Arizona Republic. Phoenix. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
- ^ a b "'Dixie' Howell quits at Tempe". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. Associated Press. March 14, 1942. p. 2, sports.
- ^ "Dixie Howell views Idaho". Prescott Evening Courier. (Arizona). Associated Press. March 14, 1941. p. 5.
- ^ "Charles Gelbart, Dixie Howell, John Kelly are P.T. instructors now". Ottawa Citizen. Canada. Associated Press. August 25, 1942. p. 8.
- ^ "Howell signed by Idaho U." Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. Associated Press. February 27, 1947. p. 9.
- ^ "Football (fall 1947)". Gem of the Mountains. University of Idaho yearbook. 1948. pp. 282–294.
- ^ "Cougars claw Idaho Vandals 7-0". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. October 5, 1947. p. 1-sports.
- ^ "Grid fans pack Moscow stadium". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. October 4, 1947. p. 1.
- ^ "Dixie Howell signs new two-year contract as Idaho football coach". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. April 28, 1948. p. 8.
- ^ "Dixie Howell signs new Idaho contract". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. April 27, 1948. p. 21.
- ^ "Action in pictures of Idaho's valiant losing battle against Oregon". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. October 10, 1948. p. 3-sports.
- ^ "Report says Howell under fire". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. April 8, 1950. p. 8.
- ^ "Idaho - 1945-49". College Football Data Warehouse. yearly results. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
- ^ "Howell denies he will leave Idaho grid job". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. April 18, 1950. p. 17.
- ^ "Dixie Howell resigns as Idaho football coach". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. March 27, 1951. p. 21.
- ^ "Idaho selects Curfman as coach". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. April 17, 1951. p. 14.
- ^ "On the field: varsity and intramurals (color photo): Oregon at Idaho, October 9, 1948". Gem of the Mountains. University of Idaho yearbook. 1949. p. 218.
- ^ "Reds wallop Whites in finale of Idaho grid spring training, 41 to 14". May 13, 1948. p. 12.
- ^ "Cougars, Idaho tapering off on football tuneups". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. September 13, 1948. p. 15.
- ^ "Reds win Idaho practice game". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. May 7, 1950. p. 2, sports.
- ^ Millard 'Dixie' Howell
- ^ "Howell tumor is malignant". Press-Courier. Oxnard, California. Associated Press. October 1, 1969. p. 21.
- ^ "Former Tide star dies at 58". Spartanburg Herald. South Carolina. Associated Press. March 3, 1971. p. 15.
- ^ Marshall, Phillip (March 3, 1971). "'Dixie' Howell to be buried in Hartford". Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. p. 9.
- ^ "Dixie Howell to wed film actress Nov. 24". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. November 15, 1935. p. 7, part 2.
- ^ "Peggy Waters marries Dixie football star". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. November 25, 1935. p. 5.
External links
- Dixie Howell at the College Football Hall of Fame
- Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference ·
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Dixie Howell at IMDb
- Dixie Howell at Find a Grave