Hall of Fame
Jimmie Phelan was the quarterback on the last three teams
coached by Jesse Harper at Notre Dame 1915-17. Phelan
joined the Army Air Corps and was a pilot in France in World
War I. He was head coach at Missouri 1920-21 where his
teams posted a combined 13-3 record. His next stop was
Purdue 1922-29. The 1929 team was unbeaten and won the
Big 10. He was at Washington 1930-41 and won the Pacific
Coast Conference in 1936. Phelan coached St. Mary's
College in Moraga, California 1942-47; his 1945 team was in
the Sugar Bowl and his 1946 team in the Oil Bowl. Phelan
then went to the pros, coaching the New York Titans, New
York Yankees, and Baltimore Colts. After his coaching days
he served three terms on the board of commissioners of
Sacramento County, California. Phelan died November 14,
1974 at age 81. His overall record for 28 years of college
coaching was 137-87-14. Among the great players he
coached were Ralph "Pest" Welch at Purdue, Herman
Wedemeyer at St. Mary's, and Vic Markov and Paul
Schwegler at Washington.
