Henry Frnka

Henry E. Frnka (/ˈfræŋkə/ FRANK-ə; March 16, 1903 – December 18, 1980) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at the University of Tulsa from 1941 to 1945 and at Tulane University from 1946 to 1951, compiling a career college football record of 71–32–5. Frnka was also the athletic director at Tulsa from 1941 to 1945.

Henry Frnka
Biographical details
Born(1903-03-16)March 16, 1903
Garwood, Texas
DiedDecember 18, 1980(1980-12-18) (aged 77)
San Antonio, Texas
Playing career
1922–1925Austin
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1935–1939Vanderbilt (assistant)
1940Temple (assistant)
1941–1945Tulsa
1946–1951Tulane
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1941–1945Tulsa
Head coaching record
Overall71–32–5 (college)
103–8–7 (high school)
Bowls2–3
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 MVC (1941–1943)
1 SEC (1949)

Coaching career

High school

Prior to his coaching career at the college level, Frnka was the head coach of a high school team in Greenville, Texas and led them to a Texas state championship in 1933. He used the fumblerooski for the very first time in the 1933 Texas High School Championship game with the Greenville Lions.

Tulsa

From 1941 to 1945, Frnka coached at the University of Tulsa, and compiled a 40–9–1 record. The Tulsa Golden Hurricane had never been to a bowl game before, and he took them to five straight, becoming Tulsa's most prolific coach. The Golden Hurricane won three league titles, and outscored opponents 1,552 to 375. He led the team to their first bowl game and a school-best national ranking of No. 4 at the end of the 1942 season.

Tulane

From 1946 to 1951, Frnka coached at Tulane University, and compiled a 31–23–4 record. Since the 1920s, the Tulane Green Wave had been a national power in college football, and Frnka-led teams produced records of 9–1 in 1948, 7–2–1 in 1949, and 6–2–1 in 1950. In a 1949 issue devoted to a preview of that year's college football season, SPORT magazine declared that Tulane was the best team in the country.

Death

Frnka died on December 18, 1980 in San Antonio, Texas at the age of 77.[1]

Head coaching record

College
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs AP#
Tulsa Golden Hurricane (Missouri Valley Conference) (1941–1945)
1941 Tulsa 8–24–01stW Sun
1942 Tulsa 10–15–01stL Sugar4
1943 Tulsa 6–1–11–01stL Sugar15
1944 Tulsa 8–20–12ndW Orange
1945 Tulsa 8–32–12ndL Oil17
Tulsa: 40–9–112–2
Tulane Green Wave (Southeastern Conference) (1946–1951)
1946 Tulane 3–72–49th
1947 Tulane 2–5–22–3–27th
1948 Tulane 9–15–13rd13
1949 Tulane 7–2–15–11st
1950 Tulane 6–2–13–1–14th20
1951 Tulane 4–61–511th
Tulane: 31–23–418–15–3
Total:71–32–5
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
  1. "Former Tulane, Tulsa coach dies". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. December 20, 1980. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
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