Gus Dorais

Gus Dorais
Dorais as a young man, c. 1913
Biographical details
Born(1891-07-02)July 2, 1891
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedJanuary 3, 1954(1954-01-03) (aged 62)
Southfield, Michigan, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1910–1913Notre Dame
1915Massillon Tigers
1916Fort Wayne Friars
1918–1919Massillon Tigers
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1914–1917Dubuque
1919Notre Dame (assistant)
1920–1924Gonzaga
1925–1942Detroit
1943–1947Detroit Lions
1952Pittsburgh Steelers (backfield)
Basketball
1914–1918Dubuque
1918–1920Notre Dame
1920–1925Gonzaga
1925–1929Detroit
Baseball
1919–1920Notre Dame
1921–1925Gonzaga
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1920–1925Gonzaga
Head coaching record
Overall150–70–12 (college football)
20–31–2 (NFL)
93–113 (college basketball)
41–31–1 (college baseball)
Bowls0–1
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1954 (profile)

Charles Emile "Gus" Dorais (July 2, 1891 – January 3, 1954) was an American football player, coach, and athletic administrator.[1][2][3]

Dorais played college football at the University of Notre Dame, where he was an All-American in 1913 at quarterback, and then played professionally with the Fort Wayne Friars and Massillon Tigers. He was the head coach at Dubuque College (1914–1917) in Dubuque, Iowa, Gonzaga University (1920–1924) in Spokane, Washington, and the University of Detroit (1925–1942), compiling a career college football coaching record of 150–70–12 (.672). He was also the head coach of the National Football League (NFL)'s Detroit Lions from 1943 to 1947, tallying a mark of 20–31–2 (.396). In addition, Dorais was the head basketball coach at Notre Dame, Gonzaga, and Detroit and the head baseball coach at Notre Dame and Gonzaga. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1954.

  1. ^ "Dorais dies; ace football player, coach". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. January 4, 1954. p. 1, sec. 4.
  2. ^ "Gus Dorais, father of forward pass, dies". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 4, 1954. p. 9.
  3. ^ "Former Gonzaga football coach taken by death". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. January 4, 1954. p. 16.