John McEwan explained

John McEwan
Birth Date:18 February 1893
Birth Place:Alexandria, Minnesota, U.S.
Death Place:New York, New York, U.S.
Player Years1:1913–1916
Player Team1:Army
Player Positions:Center
Coach Years1:1919–1922
Coach Team1:Army (assistant)
Coach Years2:1923–1925
Coach Team2:Army
Coach Years3:1926–1929
Coach Team3:Oregon
Coach Years4:1930–1932
Coach Team4:Holy Cross
Coach Years5:1933–1934
Coach Team5:Brooklyn Dodgers
Overall Record:59–23–6 (college)
9–11–1 (NFL)
Championships:
Awards:
Cfbhof Year:1962
Cfbhof Id:1288

John James "Cap" McEwan (February 18, 1893 – August 9, 1970) was an American football player and coach. He played and coached at the United States Military Academy and was the head coach at the University of Oregon and College of the Holy Cross after his military career ended. He then spent two seasons in the professional ranks, coaching the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National Football League from 1933 to 1934.

Early life

McEwan played from 1913 to 1916 as a center at the United States Military Academy, where he was a three-time All-American and captain of the 1916 Army Cadets football team.[1] After graduating, McEwan served with the 3rd Infantry Division. He was president of the General Courts Martial and at Fort Sam Houston. In 1917, he married Letty Peterson. They had two children, John Jr. and Janet.

Coaching career

In 1919, McEwan returned to West Point as the head line coach. In December 1922, head coach Charles Dudley Daly resigned and was succeeded by McEwan.[2] In his three seasons as head coach, McEwan led Army to an 18–5–3 record. Following the 1925, McEwan accepted the head coaching position at Oregon and resigned from the Army.[3]

From 1926 to 1929 he was the head football coach at Oregon.[4] His record there stands at 20–13–2, with his 1928 team completing a 9–2 campaign. McEwan announced his resignation as head football coach on November 22, 1929.[5] He later back tracked and on December 19, announced that his "plans for the ensuing year are to continue by duties at the University of Oregon".[6] However, following reports that McEwan had provided Army with film of the Stanford–Oregon game, the University of Oregon student executive council voted to ask for McEwan's resignation, a move which was supported by university president, Dr. Arnold Bennett Hall.[7] [8]

In 1930, McEwan became head coach at Holy Cross.[9] In 1932, he was suspended by the school following an in-game dispute with athletic trainer Bart F. Sullivan. McEwan accused Sullivan of insubordination for not substituting an injured player, while Sullivan claimed that the player was healthy and because the team had used all of its time outs, substituting a non-injured player would have resulted in a costly penalty.[10] McEwan filed a lawsuit to overturn his suspension, but withdrew it and resigned after reaching a settlement with the university on January 21, 1933.[11]

Later that year, he was hired to coach the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National Football League by the team's new owners, Red Cagle and Shipwreck Kelly.[12] McEwan complied a 9–11–1 record over two seasons.[13]

Later life

Following financially unsuccessful 1934 season, Dodgers owner Dan Topping released McEwan and a number of the team's high profile players.[14] McEwan was unable to secure another coaching position and became an investigator for the Works Progress Administration. In 1942, he returned to active military duty and was assigned to the office of the Chief of Engineers.[15] Receiving the rank of Lieutenant colonel, McEwan served as the labor relations officer for the North Atlantic Division of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.[16] From 1947 to 1963, he was the chief of labor relations for the New York City Transit Authority.

McEwan died on August 9, 1970 at the Veteran's Hospital in Manhattan.[17]

Head coaching record

NFL

Team Year Regular season Postseason
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
BKN19335 4 1 2nd in East
BKN19344 7 0 3rd in East
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/McEwCa0.htm 9 11 1

Notes and References

  1. News: McEwan Made Army Captain . 9 February 2024 . Evening Tribune . November 18, 1915.
  2. News: Major Daly Resigns As West Point Coach . 9 February 2024 . Providence News . December 22, 1922.
  3. News: Oregon Selects M'Ewan As New Coach For 1926 . 9 February 2024 . St. Petersburg Times . December 15, 1925.
  4. McCann, Michael C. (1995). Oregon Ducks Football: 100 Years of Glory. Eugene, OR: McCann Communications Corp. .
  5. News: McEwan Quits Job As Oregon Grid Mentor . 9 February 2024 . Prescott Evening Courier . November 22, 1929.
  6. News: McEwan Denies Furnishing Grid Films for Army . 9 February 2024 . St. Petersburg Times . December 20, 1929.
  7. News: Kirksey . George . Penn Names Lud Wray As Head Coach . 9 February 2024 . The Pittsburgh Press . December 21, 1929.
  8. News: Oregon Looking Around . 9 February 2024 . The Bulletin . December 21, 1929.
  9. News: The Captain at Holy Cross . 9 February 2024 . The Spokesman-Review . March 26, 1930.
  10. News: M'Ewan Sues to Keep His Coach Place . 9 February 2024 . Schenectady Gazette . November 24, 1932.
  11. News: Holy Cross Settles McEwan's Claim . 10 February 2024 . Youngstown Vindicator . January 22, 1933.
  12. News: Red Cagle And Shipwreck Kelly Buy Brooklyn Gridiron Franchise . 9 February 2024 . The Portsmouth Times . August 23, 1933.
  13. Web site: Cap McEwan . Pro Football Reference . Sports Reference LLC. . 9 February 2024.
  14. News: Brooklyn Eleven Seeks Pitt's Izzy Weinstock . 9 February 2024 . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . December 12, 1934.
  15. News: Ordered to Duty . 9 February 2024 . Youngstown Vindicator . June 30, 1942.
  16. News: Resume Strike Parley, Workers Remain Idle . 9 February 2024 . The Newburgh News . July 7, 1944.
  17. News: John M'Ewan, 77, '14 All-American . The New York Times . August 10, 1970.