Frederick A. Speik

Frederick A. Speik

Fred Speik, c. 1909
Sport(s)	Football
Biographical details
Born	(1882-01-26)January 26, 1882
Died	June 30, 1940(1940-06-30) (aged 58) South Pasadena, California
Playing career
1901–1904	Chicago
Position(s)	End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1905–1907	Chicago (assistant)
1908–1909	Purdue
Head coaching record
Overall	6–8
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
All-American, 1904

Frederick Adolph Speik (January 26, 1882 – June 30, 1940) was an American football player and coach. He played for the University of Chicago from 1901 to 1904 and was selected as a first-team All-American in 1904. He was the head football coach at Purdue University from 1908 to 1909, compiling a record of 6–8.

Speik was born in in 1882. He was the son of a manufacturer and grocer. Speik came to Chicago for his education and attended the Northwest Division High School.

Speik enrolled at the University of Chicago in 1901 and played four years of college football there under legendary coach Amos Alonzo Stagg. He also played for Chicago's water polo and track teams. As a football player, he played at the left end position, was captain of the 1904 team, and became a close friend of Coach Stagg. The Chicago Daily Tribune called him "one of the best ends ever developed at Chicago." At the end of the 1904 season, Speik was selected as a first-team All-American by Caspar Whitney in Outing magazine

After graduating from Chicago in 1905, Speik served as an assistant football coach under head coach Stagg. Speik attended Rush Medical College while working as an assistant football coach. He graduated from medical school in 1907.

In 1908, Speik accepted the job as the head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers football team and served there in the 1908 and 1909 college football seasons. He compiled a 6–8 record in two years at Purdue and resigned his position as head coach on October 23, 1909. At the time of his resignation, the Chicago Daily Tribune reported: "Since Speik has been in charge at the Boilermaker institution Purdue has not won a game of note, and his ability as an instructor did not meet the expectations of members of the association, who assert that Speik had splendid material from which to pick an eleven."