Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-13
PIONEER TRAINER HONORED
Jack Best is to Be Sent to Old Home
in England on Vacation.
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS SERVICE
Friend of All Athletes who Have
Played ON Any Team at the
University of Nebraska
During that Time.

LINCOLN, Feb. 12.--(special )-''Old
Jack" Best is going on a vacation trip
back to his home in England. and the
alumni and undergraduates of the Uni
versity Of Nebraska are going to send him.
This is the news that was waited around
the campus at the university this morning.
thrilling the patriotic cords Of all students
and tingling their blood with an ineffable
feeling of pride for the ~gray-haired trainer
whose services for Cornhusker athletes
during the last twenty-five years have
made MIN a Nebraska character, inspiring
reepect and honor as the embodiment Of
the true Nebraska spirit Of tradition and
custom.
The Daily Nebraskan, the student pub
LEGATION of the university, started the
movement to give "Jack' a trip to his
old home, and announced in its editorial
columns this morning that its subscrip-
ton list, which win be opened Monday,
will be headed by a donation of $40 from
G. f. Holmes of this city. The Nebraskan
will conduct it's Best subscription cam
paign for one week, receiving contributions
from ali alumni Of the university and
friends of the old trainer during that
period.
Jack Best was born in Somerset, Eng
land, sixty-four years ago this spring. In
the summer of 1887 he came to this country
and drifted west to Nebraska, locating at
Crete. After a years residence in that
town he jo~urneyed to Lincoln, and a few
weeks after his arrival in this city he was
engaged to look after the Nebraska gym
nasium and the handful of Cornhusker
athletes.
Long Service Rewarded.
For twenty-five years faithful Jack
has been the American lord of the Me-
braska gymnasium. There has been his
manor; there his word has been law; there
he has had hundreds OF tenants. From his
stool near a. window on the south side of
the locker room he has seen many a green
athlete make his first entrance into the
gymnasium and from that same seat he
has watched that same athlete leave the
gymnasium for the last time, after serving
the Scarlet and Cream for four years.
Every important athlete that ever came
to Nebraska has been given personal at
tention by Jack" Best. Every athlete and
every student have been Jacks" friend.
He Is the one character and the one ira
dition thai all alumni recall In connection
with their four years at Nebraska. Nc
athlete ever returns to visit his alma mater
that he does not drop around" to see the
Cornhusker trainer.
The station Nebraska men attain in af-
fairs after graduation, even if it be a
very high one, does not dim their memory
to faithful Jack" This was demonstrated
at the Cornhusker banquet of 1905, Gov
ernor Sheldon was and his
ffreN vpnrag ,rpDn oVfsInR ~ qan tha enact
to order were put into a short sentence
asking for a toast to the health Of Jack
Best.
Pioneer at the school.
When Trainer Best came to Nebraska In
1888 the Cornhusker students did not know
much about foot ball Their athletic &C.
tivities were devoted to base bali. Soor
after his arrival here, though. foot bal
attracted SO much attention that a hired
coach was secured and Cornhusker foot
ball was started IN its way.
Since tina time there have been sever
coaches for Nebraska foot ball ant
Jack remembers all of them and tn,
elevens they turned out
According TO Best, Frank Crawford wal
the pioneer coach. Crawford coached To-
two years. but in the last year was beater
by Doane, coached by Charles L. ThomaI
Of the University Of Michigan and now OF
the editorial department OF The Bee. Thi
created a demand for Thomas to coach Ne
braska and his services were secured
Thomas was followed by Fielding H., Yost
now famous coach OF the University o
Michigan team.
Yost remained only a year and then cam
Coach Robinson. In 1900 BUNNY" Booth
tha man who made Nebraska famous Il