Leo Calland

Leo B. Calland (February 24 1901 - March 17 1984) was an American college football and basketball coach who became a San Diego city parks administrator.

Playing career

Calland was born in Ohio, and moved with his family as a child to the Seattle, Washington area, where he attended school in a log cabin on Lopez Island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca; all of the other students were Native Americans. He attended Seattle's Broadway High School, where he played football under coach Gus Henderson; when Henderson became football coach at the University of Southern California in 1919, Calland also enrolled. He lettered as a guard on the 1920 through 1922 teams, and in 1922 was named both team captain and most inspirational player on USC's first Rose Bowl team; he was named Player of the Game in the Trojans' 14-3 victory over Penn State. He also played basketball at USC. After graduating, Calland became an assistant football coach in 1924 and 1927-1928, and also coached freshman squads in basketball and baseball; he also coached at Whittier College.

Coaching career

Calland became head basketball coach at USC in 1928-1929, posting a 38-10 record over two seasons and winning the Pacific Coast Conference title in his first year with a 22-4 mark; his .792 career winning percentage remains the highest by a USC coach. He then became football coach at the University of Idaho (1929-1934) and San Diego State University (1935-1941). He compiled a 21-30 record at Idaho, and a 34-22-4 record at San Diego State. His SDSU teams won Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships in 1936 and 1937, with players including John D. Butler, who became mayor of San Diego from 1951 to 1955.

Military career

Calland entered the Navy during World War II, and served as a recreation officer at the 11th Naval District in San Diego. In 1945 he became director of San Diego's Department of Parks and Recreation; during his 15 years in the post, he oversaw the development of Mission Bay Park and the Torrey Pines Golf Course. In 1960 he became managing director of the San Diego Hall of Champions; he remained in that position until retiring in 1977, and was himself inducted into the Hall in 1974.

Calland died at age 83 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in La Jolla, California. He was survived by his wife Sarah, two daughters and a son, and was buried in Fairhaven Cemetery in Santa Ana, California.

ee also

References

*Laurence, Robert P. "Leo Calland dies; grid star, coach." "The San Diego Union", March 19, 1984, pp. B1-2.

External links

* [http://www.sdhoc.com/main/athletes/football/leocalland/ San Diego Hall of Champions]