Abe Poffenroth | |
Birth Date: | 26 November 1917 |
Death Place: | Spokane, Washington, U.S. |
Player Sport1: | Football |
Player Years2: | 1936–1939 |
Player Team2: | Eastern Washington |
Player Years3: | 1942 |
Player Team3: | Second Air Force |
Player Years4: | 1943 |
Player Team4: | Pocatello AAB |
Player Positions: | Halfback |
Coach Sport1: | Football |
Coach Years2: | 1943 |
Coach Team2: | Pocatello AAB |
Coach Years3: | 1946 |
Coach Team3: | Eastern Washington (backfield) |
Coach Years4: | 1947–1952 |
Coach Team4: | Eastern Washington |
Coach Years5: | 1955–1960 |
Coach Team5: | Central Washington |
Coach Sport6: | Baseball |
Coach Years7: | 1950–1953 |
Coach Team7: | Eastern Washington |
Overall Record: | 58–43–3 (football) 41–54 (baseball) |
Championships: | Football 6 WIC/Evergreen (1947–1950, 1957–1958) |
Albert Harold "Abe" Poffenroth (November 26, 1917 – May 1, 1997)[1] was an American football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at Eastern Washington College of Education—now known as Eastern Washington University from 1947 to 1952 and Central Washington College of Education—now known as Central Washington University—from 1955 to 1960.[2] Poffenroth was also the head baseball coach at Eastern Washington from 1950 to 1953, tallying a mark of 41–54.
Poffenroth attended John R. Rogers High School in Spokane, Washington. He was a four-year letter winner in football as a running back at Eastern Washington, from 1936 to 1939. After graduating from Eastern Washington in 1940, Poffenroth was a teacher and assistant football coach in Vancouver, Washington. In 1942, he joined the United States Army Air Forces and was assigned to the Second Air Force. He played on the 1942 Second Air Force Bombers football team. After completing Officer Candidate School, Poffenroth was assigned to Pocatello Army Air Base. He was the head coach and a player for the 1943 Pocatello Army Air Base Bombardiers football team.[3]
Poffenroth return to his alma mater, Eastern Washington, in 1946, when he was hired as head baseball coach, backfield coach for the football team, and junior varsity basketball coach.[4] The following year, he succeeded Red Reese as head football coach.[5]
Poffenroth died on May 1, 1997, at his home in Spokane.[6]