New-York tribune., 1920-01-16


Unlike Fred Dawson. O'Neill will not
be an instructor in the physical educa-
tion department of Columbia. His
only connection with the university
will be as football coach. When he is
not at the university O'Neill will de-
vote his time to his law practice in
this city, which he established several
years ago and which grew to such
dimensions in the last few years that
he found it impossible to continue as
head coach at Syracuse.
Since 1918 he had acted only in an
advisory capacity at the upstate uni
vcrsity, although he was largely re-
sponsible for the general football
policy and strategy. At Columbia, be-
cause of its location in this city, he
will be able to take full charge, as
sisted by a staff of his own selection.
Student Body Pleased
The Columbia student body was
frankly elated at the announcement
last night of O'Neill's selection, which
came as climax to a long string Of
rumors that mentioned as candidates
2 for the position nearly every coach of
prominence in the East.
The new football mentors record in
his twelve years. connection with the
gridiron game is one that fits him for
the difficult post he will have to fill
next year. He was graduated from
Williams in 1902. after having played
on the varsity eleven for four years.
In his senior year he captained the
football team, and as side line was
also leader of the track team. He
played at an end on the eleven.
In the fall of 1902 he took his first
position as coach, Colgate making him
head coach. The next year he was at
Williams, but in 1904 he returned to
Colgate, where he stayed for two years.
His first year 1T Syracuse was in 1906,
and until the fall of the next year he
was in full charge of the Oranges
football destinies.
From 1908 to 1912 O'Neill retired
from all connections with the gridiron
sport and devoted all his time to his
law practice in New York City. In
1913. 1914 and 1915 he was again head
coach at Syracuse, but in 1916 he re-
tired in favor of Bill Hollenback
After one years absence O'Neill re-
turned TO Syracuse, but only as advis-
: ory coach, part of his time being spent
on the football field and the rest in his
New York City office.
From the very beginning of his
coaching career he has been unusually
SUCCESSFUL. IN MS nrSt year at Col
gate, 1902, he went through the entire
season without defeat, although Col
gate teams had been able to win only
one game in the preceding four years.
In 1905, the last year of his second
regime at Colgate, he developed the
famous eleven that conquered Dart
mouth by a 1910 score and began to
bring Colgate into prominence as a
football power.
A Championship Machine
= His first year as head coach at Syra-
--cuse was only moderately successful,
the material being mediocre and poorly
trained. His next year was more prom
ising and eliminated in the champion
ship 1915 machine that conquered Mich
igan, Colgate and Brown, tied Dart
mouth and lost to Princeton by the
narrow margin of one field goal, after
the Tiger had been held to one first
down through the whole game. In the
same year Syracuse made its trip to
the Coast, in which it defeated Oregon
and Occidental by decisive scores and
held Montana to tie.
In the last three years, with O'Neil
acting as advisory coach and shaping
the tactics Of the Orange, Syracuse has
taken a foremost position in Eastern
football affairs, especially in the 191!
season. Besides giving Pitt its first de
feat in five years, the upstate team
vanquished all of its Eastern oppo
nents, except W. & j., and was one O