Sport(s) | Football, baseball |
---|---|
Biographical details | |
Born |
Hartley, Iowa |
December 10, 1902
Died | November 11, 1970 La Mesa, California |
(aged 67)
Playing career | |
Football | |
1923–1925 | Iowa |
1926–1927 | New York Yankees |
Position(s) | Fullback |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
Football | |
1928–1932 | Classen HS (OK) |
1933 | Oklahoma City |
1934 | Kansas State (assistant) |
1935–1939 | Kansas State |
1940–1946 | Northwestern (assistant) |
1947–1956 | California (assistant) |
Baseball | |
1935–1938 | Kansas State |
1944–1946 | Northwestern |
Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
1960–1963 | Oakland Raiders (GM) |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 26–22–6 (college football) 44–9–1 (high school football) 53–53–2 (college baseball) |
Wesley Leonard "Cowboy" Fry (December 10, 1902 – November 11, 1970) was an American football player, coach of football and baseball, and professional football executive. He served as the head football coach at Oklahoma City University in 1933 and at Kansas State University from 1935 to 1939, tallying a career college football coach mark of 26–22–6. Fry was also the head baseball coach at Kansas State from 1935 to 1938 and at Northwestern University from 1944 to 1946, compiling a career college baseball record of 53–53–2. He later served as director of player personnel and then as general manager with the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) from 1960 to 1963.
Fry played college football at the University of Iowa under legendary coach Howard Jones, excelling as a fullback. He was named to play in the first East–West Shrine Game following his senior season in 1925. Fry then spent the 1926 and 1927 seasons playing professional football with Red Grange for the New York Yankees of the National Football League (NFL). At the same time, Fry attended law school.
After earning his law degree, Fry quit playing professional football and sought to practice law in Oklahoma, but he was quickly diverted onto the path of a football coach. He began his career coaching football at Classen High School in Oklahoma City. In his five seasons at Classen, from 1928 to 1932, his football teams compiled a record of 44–9–1. At Classen, Fry also coached the track team. In 1933, Fry served at the head football coach at Oklahoma City University, leading his squad to an 8–1 record. The following year, when future Hall of Fame coach Pappy Waldorf moved north from Oklahoma A&M to Kansas State University, he hired Fry to be his lone assistant coach. Waldorf left Kansas State after one season, and Fry was hired as the new head coach in 1935.