Frank Leahy Biography

Frank Leahy	Francis William Leahy Born: 1908-08-27 Birthplace: O'Neill, NE Died: 1973-06-21 Location of Death: Portland, OR Cause of Death: Cancer - Leukemia Race: White Religion: Roman Catholic Field: Football Famous for: Longtime Notre Dame Head Coach
Field: Football

Frank William Leahy was an American collegiate football coach, born in 1908. He was a tackle on Knute Rockne's last three teams, graduating from Notre Dame in 1931. He went to Georgetown as line coach in 1931 and went to Michigan State the following year to take a similar position. Leahy took over as line coach at Fordham in 1933 and stayed until 1938 under Jim Crowley, coaching the famed Seven Blocks of Granite from 1935-37 when the Rams lost only two combined games. In 1939, he went to Boston College as head coach, guiding the Eagles to a 20-2 record including an undefeated 1940 season capped off by a Sugar Bowl victory and a share of the national championship. Leahy went to his alma mater, Notre Dame, as head coach the next season. He entered the Navy in 1944 and was discharged as a lieutenant. He returned to Notre Dame for the 1946 season in which Notre Dame won the national championship after playing rival Earl Blaik's Army team to a scoreless tie at Yankee Stadium in New York. Leahy remained at Notre Dame until resigning for health reasons in 1954. While at Notre Dame, Leahy had six undefeated seasons, five national championship teams and an unbeaten string of 39 games in the late 1940s.

He was also the general manager for the Los Angeles Chargers during their inaugural season within the American Football League. He was selected to the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1970.