J. Philip Bower Explained

J. Philip Bower

Birth Date:

22 October 1894

Birth Place:

Richmond, Virginia, USA

Death Place:

Middlebury, Vermont, USA

Alma Mater:

Middlebury College
Dartmouth College

Player Years1:

1918–1920

Player Team1:

Dartmouth football

Player Years2:

1918–1921

Player Team2:

Dartmouth ice hockey

Player Years3:

1919–1920

Player Team3:

Dartmouth baseball

Player Positions:

Quarterback/Defenseman

Coach Years1:

1924–1926

Coach Team1:

Williams

Coach Years2:

1926–1933

Coach Team2:

Dartmouth

Overall Record:

58–50–6

Coaching Records:

Embed:	yes

Placeofburial:	Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Allegiance:	United States
Branch:	United States Army
Serviceyears:	1917–1918

James Philip Bower was an American baseball, football and ice hockey player and ice hockey coach. He led his alma mater Dartmouth through a difficult period at the beginning of the Great Depression.^[1]

Career

Originally from Virginia, Bower attended Worcester Academy for his secondary education where he was a letterman in baseball, football and ice hockey.^[2] He later attended Middlebury College but suspended his studies after two years to enlist in the Army during World War I. After the war, Bower returned to college but this time did so at Dartmouth College. During his time in Hanover, Bower was a multi-sport star for the Greens, serving as the quarterback for the football team and a defenseman on the ice hockey team.

After graduating from Dartmouth in 1921,^[3] Bower remained an active player on the ice in and around the Boston area. In 1924, he was hired as the third head coach for Williams and guided the team for two seasons. After a stellar sophomore campaign that saw the Ephs finish 12–5–1, Bower returned to his alma mater as the head coach for the Dartmouth hockey team. In his first year behind the Indians' bench he nearly led the program to its first championship, finishing in second only to Harvard. In 1929, he was also hired as an assistant professor by the university. A few solid but underwhelming seasons followed before the great depression hit and severely impacted the team. In the early 30's, Dartmouth was a shell of its former self and posted losing seasons every year. After going winless against Harvard and Yale for four consecutive seasons, Bower resigned from his post in 1933.^[4]

Bower died in 1975 at the age of 80.

Notes and References

Web site: Dartmouth Men's Hockey Team History . USCHO . June 28, 2023.
Web site: J. P. Bower is Selected to Coach Hockey Team . The Williams Record . December 13, 1924 . June 28, 2023.
Web site: Dartmouth 2009–10 Men's Hockey Media Guide . Dartmouth Big Green . June 28, 2023.
Web site: BOWER RESIGNS AS COACH.; Dartmouth Hockey Mentor Not to Return Next Year. . The New York Times . March 11, 1933 . June 28, 2023.