Claude Simons Jr.

Claude M. "Little Monk" Simons Jr. (January 16, 1914 – January 6, 1975) was an American football player, coach of football, basketball, and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He played college football at Tulane University, where he starred for the Tulane Green Wave as a halfback. Simons served as the head football coach at Transylvania University from 1935 to 1937 and his alma mater, Tulane, from 1942 to 1945, compiling career college football coaching record of 24–30–2.[1] He was the basketball coach at Tulane from 1938 to 1942, tallying a mark of 19–44. He also had two stints the school's baseball coach, from 1938 to 1941 and 1943 to 1949, amassing a record of 91–69. Monk was the athletic director at Tulane from 1946 to 1947. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as player in 1963.

Claude Simons Jr.
Simons as a football player at Tulane
Biographical details
Born(1914-01-16)January 16, 1914
New Orleans, Louisiana
DiedJanuary 6, 1975(1975-01-06) (aged 60)
Washington, D.C.
Playing career
Football
1932–1934Tulane
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1935–1937Transylvania
1942–1945Tulane
Basketball
1938–1942Tulane
Baseball
1938–1941Tulane
1943–1949Tulane
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1946–1947Tulane
Head coaching record
Overall24–30–2 (football)
19–44 (basketball)
91–69 (baseball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Baseball
1 SEC (1948)
Awards
All-SEC (1934)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1963 (profile)

Early life

Simons was born on January 16, 1914 in New Orleans and later attended the Isidore Newman School.[2] Simons' father, Claude "Monk" Simons Sr., served as the head coach for the Tulane baseball, basketball, track, and boxing teams, and as the Tulane football team trainer from 1926 until his death in 1943.[3][4]

Simons attended Tulane University, where he played football as the team's "star kicking and passing halfback,"[5] and earned varsity letters from 1932 to 1934.[6] During the 1934 season, Simons scored a touchdown in the final three minutes to defeat rival LSU by a single point, causing his mother to faint.[7] Simons helped lead Tulane to a comeback win over Pop Warner's Temple in the inaugural Sugar Bowl, 20–14.[8] Simons scored touchdowns on 75- and 83-yard rushes.[2][9] Tulane finished with a 10–1 record, and won a share of the Southeastern Conference co-championship.[10] The Associated Press selected Simons to its All-America third team.[11] For the season, Simons led the team in rushing, passing, and scoring.[12]

Coaching career

Simons served as the head basketball coach for Tulane from 1938 to 1942, during which period his teams amassed a 19–44 record.[13]

In 1938, he was also an assistant coach on the Tulane football team.[14] Simons took over as head coach for the 1942 season, during World War II when many college age men were leaving for military service.[12] Tulane finished with a 4–5 record, which was the school's first losing season since 1927.[12] After posting a 3–3 record in 1943, Simons achieved his only winning season the following year, with a 4–3 mark.[12] In 1945, after a 2–2–1 start, Tulane suffered a four-game skid to finish 2–6–1.[12] Simons was replaced as head football coach by Henry Frnka for the 1946 season, but continued on as the university's athletic director.[15]

Simons also served as the Tulane baseball coach from 1938 to 1941 and 1943 to 1949, during which his teams amassed a 92–68 record.[16] Under Simons, the baseball team captured the 1948 Southeastern Conference championship.[16]

Administrative career

In 1956, Simons was elected to a position with the New Orleans Mid-Winter Sports Association, which sponsored the Sugar Bowl,[17] and served as the chairman of the Sugar Bowl basketball tournament committee, a position in which he continued to serve until at least 1966.[18][19] In 1958 and 1959, Simons was serving as the Association's president.[20][21] He was still working with the Sugar Bowl in 1972.[22]

Honors

Simons was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1963,[2] the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 1974,[6] and the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame in 1977.[23]

Head coaching record

Football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Transylvania Pioneers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1935–1937)
1935 Transylvania 5–3
1936 Transylvania 3–4–1
1937 Transylvania 3–4
Transylvania: 11–13–1
Tulane Green Wave (Southeastern Conference) (1942–1945)
1942 Tulane 4–51–410th
1943 Tulane 3–31–1T–2nd
1944 Tulane 4–31–28th
1942 Tulane 2–6–11–3–1T–10th
Tulane: 13–17–14–10–1
Total:24–30–2

References
  1. Claude Simons Jr., College Football Data Warehouse, retrieved June 27, 2010.
  2. Monk Simons, College Football Hall of Fame, National Football Foundation, retrieved June 29, 2010.
  3. Hall of Fame Archived April 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Southeast Athletic Trainers' Association, retrieved June 27, 2010.
  4. TULANE GRIDDERS, ARMED WITH TWO RED APPLES, POINT COLUMBIA WAY, Herald-Journal, November 17, 1939.
  5. Perfects Pass Defense, The New York Times, p. 35, December 20, 1934.
  6. Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame Archived June 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, All State Sugar Bowl, retrieved June 28, 2010.
  7. "Hittin the High Spots". The Evening Independent. December 21, 1934.
  8. Tulane Game by Game Results Archived May 22, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, College Football Data Warehouse, retrieved June 27, 2010.
  9. Sport: At Rest, Time, January 14, 1935.
  10. Tulane Championships Archived May 22, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, College Football Data Warehouse, retrieved June 27, 2010.
  11. South Places Five Players On Associated Press All-America Football Team; Pug Lund Repeats '33 Performance Alabama and Minnesota Share Honor With Two Berths--'Buzz' Borries of Navy Wins Position The Associated Press All-America Selections, The Hartford Courant, p. C2, December 2, 1934.
  12. 2009 Football Media Guide (PDF), p. 48–50, Tulane University, 2009.
  13. 2009–2010 Men's Basketball Media Guide (PDF), p. 30, Tulane University, 2009.
  14. Calling 'Em Right With BERT KEANE, Sports Editor, The Hartford Courant, p. 11, November 5, 1938.
  15. 4 SCHOOLS ENTER SEC TENNIS MEET, The Miami News, May 2, 1946.
  16. 2010 Tulane Record Book (PDF), Tulane University, 2010.
  17. Sugar Bowl Sponsors Elect Paul De Blanc, Chicago Daily Tribune, February 17, 1956.
  18. Sugar Bowl Hopes For Cage Tourney, The Pittsburgh Press, August 21, 1956.
  19. Utah, Boston College In Sugar Cage Meet, Daytona Beach Morning Journal, November 1, 1966.
  20. Sugar Bowl Tilt Is Sold Out, Daytona Beach Morning Journal, November 6, 1958.
  21. OLE MISS WINS, 42-0; GOES TO SUGAR BOWL, Chicago Daily Tribune, November 29, 1959.
  22. It's That Time, Chicago Tribune, October 15, 1972.
  23. Tulane Athletic Hall of Fame, Tulane University, retrieved June 28, 2010.
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