| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 18, 1857 Letterkenny, Ireland |
| Died | March 10, 1938 (aged 80) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1883 | Minnesota |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 1–2 |
Thomas Peebles (March 18, 1857 – March 10, 1938) was the father of American cheerleading[1] and the first college football coach at the University of Minnesota, in 1883.[2] Peebles coached the team in three games in that early season. They lost two and won one.[3]
Peebles was born in Ireland and emigrated to the United States when he was 13. He graduated from Princeton University in 1882 and moved to Minneapolis the following year. There he taught philosophy at the University of Minnesota for five years. He was later president of a construction firm.