Gus Tebell

Gus Tebell
Tebell, c. 1927
Biographical details
Born(1897-09-06)September 6, 1897
St. Charles, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMay 28, 1969(1969-05-28) (aged 71)
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1920–1922Wisconsin
1923–1924Columbus Tigers
Basketball
1920–1923Wisconsin
Position(s)End (football)
Guard (basketball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1923Columbus Tigers
1924NC State (assistant)
1925–1929NC State
1930–1933Virginia (assistant)
1934–1936Virginia
Basketball
1924–1929NC State
1930–1951Virginia
Baseball
1931–1942Virginia
1944–1955Virginia
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1951–1962Virginia
Head coaching record
Overall2–0–1 (NFL)
27–43–6 (college football)
319–226 (college basketball)
266–189–9 (college baseball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 SoCon (1927)
Awards

Gustave Kenneth Tebell (September 6, 1897 – May 28, 1969) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and college athletics administrator. From 1925 to 1929, he coached football at North Carolina State University, where he compiled a 21–25–2 record. From 1934 to 1936, he coached at the University of Virginia, where he compiled a 6–18–4 record. From 1930 to 1951, he served as the head men's basketball coach at Virginia, achieving his first championship in just his second year. During that tenure, he compiled a 240–190 record, including a NIT berth in 1941. His 240 wins rank fourth in school history. In 1951 he became athletic director. Tebell also coached baseball at Virginia from 1941 to 1942 and from 1944 to 1955, missing the 1943 season due to military service.[1]

Tebell played football and basketball at the University of Wisconsin. As an end on the football team, he was selected a second-team All-American by the New York Times.[2] After graduating, he played for the Columbus Tigers of the National Football League (NFL) in 1923 and 1924 and coached three of the team's games in 1923.

Tebell employed the “Meanwell System” on offense, named for its creator, Tebell's coach at Wisconsin. It featured a double-post alignment with constant cuts, pivots and short passes, and also pioneered the screen.[3]

The University of Virginia honors Tebell by giving an annual award in his name, the Gus Tebell Memorial Award, which is granted each year to the graduating male student-athlete with the highest grade point average through his four years at the university.

Tebell in 1922
  1. ^ "Bunny Corcoran New Va. Baseball Coach". Prescott Evening Courier. April 2, 1943. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  2. ^ "M'Carthy Picks Them In Pairs". The Newark Advocate. December 6, 1922.
  3. ^ Cramer, Gary “Cavaliers! A Pictorial History of UVA Basketball”, Spring House Publ., 1983.