1905–1906 Albion Name W. Chadwick | ||
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Sport(s) Football, baseball, basketball Overall 37–18–3 (football)120-72-9 (baseball)2–4 (basketball) Died June 5, 1934, Starkville, Mississippi, United States | ||
William Dean "Billy" Chadwick was an American football, baseball, and basketball coach, as well as an Athletics Director. Chadwick served as head football coach at Albion College, and the head football, basketball, baseball coach and Athletic Director at Mississippi A&M College (now known as Mississippi State University).
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Albion College
Chadwick served as head football coach at Albion College for the 1905 and 1906 seasons. During his two-season tenure, he compiled an overall record of 8 wins, 6 losses and 1 tie (8–6–1).
Football
After leaving Albion, Chadwick served as the head football coach at Mississippi A&M from 1909 until 1913 compiling an overall record of 29 wins, 12 losses and 2 ties (29–12–2). His most notable accomplishment during that time was leading the Aggies to their first ever bowl appearance and win in the 1912 Bacardi Bowl. Chadwick did not actually coach the game, but instead opted to stay home and attend the funeral of A&M end Levi Gaston Bass who had died from meningitis that he developed as a result of an injury he suffered during a game against Birmingham College. Chadwick put assistant coach and future A&M and Indiana head coach Earle C. "Billy" Hayes in charge of the squad for the trip to Cuba. The Aggies defeated Club Atletico de Cuba by a score of 12-0. Along with being the first postseason game for A&M it was also the last college football game to be played in which touchdowns were worth 5 points (they were increased to 6 before the following season) making the Aggies the last college football team to score a 5-point TD.
Baseball
His longest stint as a head coach with one program came when he coached the Mississippi A&M baseball team from 1910-1918. During his nine seasons as Aggie skipper he compiled an overall record of 120-72-9 and led the Aggies to Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships in 1911 and 1918.
Basketball
Chadwick was the second basketball coach in A&M history. He served one season in that capacity leading the Aggies to a 2-4 record during the 1910-1911 season. Following that season he turned the reins over to Earle C. "Billy" Hayes but continued to coach football and baseball.
Athletic director
In addition to coaching three different programs at A&M, Chadwick also served as athletic director from 1909 to 1930. During his time as AD he worked on improving athletic facilities such as building baseball and football fields, tennis courts, and constructing the school’s first gymnasium. Chadwick also taught physical education. He was relieved of his duties as athletic director during the so-called "Bilbo Purge" of 1930 during which time Governor Theodore Bilbo, along with the boards of trustees of the schools, made several sweeping staff and administration changes at Mississippi's institutions of higher learning. Chadwick was retained as "Professor unassigned, outside of athletics, at the same salary."
Honor and awards
Chadwick was inducted into the Mississippi State Universality Sports Hall of Fame in 1974. Chadwick Lake, located on the Mississippi State campus near the Bryan Athletic Administration Building, is named in his honor.