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Grover Klemmer

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Grover Klemmer
Klemmer, c. 1943
Biographical details
Born(1921-03-16)March 16, 1921
San Francisco, California, U.S.
DiedAugust 23, 2015(2015-08-23) (aged 94)
Oakland, California, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1942California
1945Great Lakes Navy
Basketball
1942–1943California
Track and field
c. 1941California
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1946–1961CC of San Francisco
Head coaching record
Bowls1–0
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 junior college national (1946, 1948)
2 NCJCC (1946, 1948)
2 Big Seven/Eight (CA) (1951, 1957)

Grover Haines Klemmer Jr. (March 16, 1921 – August 23, 2015) was an American sprinter, college football player and coach, and National Football League (NFL) official. At the University of California, he lettered in football, basketball and track. He was called the "golden boy" for the Golden Bears.[1]

In 1941, Klemmer set the world record for the 400 metres, running 46.0 around a single turn[2] at the University of Pennsylvania Franklin Field on June 29, 1941.[3] Two weeks earlier, he anchored the Bears mile relay team to a world record in 3:09.4, edging out the University of Southern California team anchored by Hubie Kerns (who also was second in Philadelphia) by reportedly 4 inches (10 cm). Five minutes later, he was informed of the death of his father, Grover Klemmer, Sr. earlier that day.[1] Klemmer was the USA National Champion at 440 yards in 1940 at age 19 and again in 1941, representing the San Francisco Olympic Club.[4]

Klemmer played for the 1945 Great Lakes Navy Bluejackets football team as a halfback under head coach Paul Brown.[5] He served as the head football coach at City College of San Francisco (CCSF) from 1946 to 1961.[6] He was an official in the NFL from 1963 to 1981, working mainly as a back judge and side judge, wearing uniform number 8.

Klemmer was born and raised in San Francisco, where he graduated from Galileo High School in 1939. He died on August 23, 2015, in Oakland, California.[7]

Head coaching record

[edit]

Junior college

[edit]
Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
San Francisco Junior College / City College of San Francisco Rams (Northern California Junior College Conference) (1946–1950)
1946 San Francisco Junior College 8–1 7–0 1st
1947 San Francisco Junior College
1948 City College of San Francisco 12–0 8–0 1st (A Division) W Gold Dust Bowl
1949 City College of San Francisco 4–4–1 3–2–1 3rd (Southern)
1950 City College of San Francisco 2–6 1–4 6th (Southern)
City College of San Francisco Rams (Big Seven/Eight Conference) (1951–1961)
1951 City College of San Francisco 7–2 6–0 1st
1952 City College of San Francisco 3–6 2–4 5th
1953 City College of San Francisco 4–3–2 4–1–1 2nd
1954 City College of San Francisco 6–1–1 4–1–1 3rd
1955 City College of San Francisco 9–1 6–1 2nd
1956 City College of San Francisco 6–2 6–1 2nd
1957 City College of San Francisco 6–3 5–2 T–1st
1958 City College of San Francisco 4–5 3–4 T–5th
1959 City College of San Francisco 3–4 3–4 T–5th
1960 City College of San Francisco 6–2–1 4–2–1 3rd
1961 City College of San Francisco 7–3 5–2 T–2nd
City College of San Francisco:
Total:
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "1.html". Trackandfieldnews.com. February 27, 1954. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  2. ^ "Stock Footage - Track and Field events at Franklin Field in Philadelphia". Criticalpast.com. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  3. ^ "Track and Field Statistics". Trackfield.brinkster.net. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  4. ^ [1] Archived September 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Grover Klemmer Stars On Grid". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. Associated Press. October 24, 1945. p. 10, part I. Retrieved May 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  6. ^ "New Coach For CCSF". Stockton Record. Stockton, California. June 5, 1962. p. 23. Retrieved May 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  7. ^ Lerseth, Michael (August 26, 2015). "Grover Klemmer, Cal track star and longtime CCSF coach, dies at 94". SFGate. San Francisco, California. Retrieved May 15, 2024.