Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-08-21
|Yost's Death Recalls
|Great GridIon Era
He Helped Create
By the Associated Press

ANN ARBOR, Mich, Aug. al
Fielding Harris Yost, 75-year- old
University of Michigan athletic di-
rector emeritus. today joined in
death the ranks of generation that
made football big time enterprise
in the Midwest.
Victim of an acute gall bladder
attack at his home here yesterday
afternoon 1.-The coach" died not far
from college campus on which he
wrought his own memorials and
wrote his own testaments of victory
The elder statesman OF Michigan
football, Yost had been a semi
invalid for the last few years fol-
lowing his retirement in 1910 as
athletic director, living quietly with
his wife and retelling the exploits
Gof the Wolverine teams he piloted
to scores of triumphs.
He came to Michigan in 1901 after
turning out championship teams at
Ohio Wesleyan. the Universities OF
Nebraska and Kansas and Leland
Stanford
His mark on the sports record OF
the times already was we'll re-
spected. but at Ann Arbor he
fashioned 40-year career that made
him famous not only in the Western
Conference but also throughout the
Nation.
Had Elite Contemporaries.
The gridiron greats of his genera =
ton included such coaches as the
late Howard Jones of Southern Cali.
fornia, Tad Jones of Yale, DR.. Henry
L. Williams of Minnesota, Percy
Houghton of Harvard, Knute Rockne
of Notre Dame and such veterans
as Bob Zuppke Of Illinois, now re-
tired, and Amos A. Stagg, who at "a
coaches at the College of the Pacific
Their era began shortly after the
turn of the century. They built up
rivalries and attracted sports fol-
lowings that produced a golden
age" OF athletics at the ticket of
fees. they also moved footballs
center of power from the East
where it had been tenaciously
guarded by the ivy League" col
leges.
From 1901 to 1904 Yost turned
loose a series of point-a- minute
elevens that ran up a record Of s.
victories, one tie and one defeat
The defeat. incidentally, was admin
istered by Stages 1905 Chicago team
when a Michigan player was downeo
behind his own goal line for a &c
score.
Built Own Memorial.
Yost, whose constant urge fol
speed and more speed earned him
the nickname of Hurry Up" con-
sidered the 1928 Wolverine outfit
the best he ever turned out. 1t was
quarterbacked by All America
Benny Friedman and included the
three-time All-America end, Bonnie
Oosterbaan, the present Michigan
backf1eld coach.
Yost's ability to adapt his style
of play to the times made him q
pioneer in football His system wa:
known as "a punt, a pass and 8
prayer" with emphasis on a strong
rugged defense. 1t differed from
the modern wide-open style OF
game, but it produced rich dividends
in victory.
Although he took obvious pride
in his boys" on the gridiron. 1.-The
coach" equally was proud of the
record he compiled as a fnancier
and builder of the university
campus.
Yosts ability to draw crowds tc
the football stands developed Mich.
igan's 10-acre athletic field int
one OF the largest sports plants IL
the country. All of it was financed
out Of gate receipts, none of it came
from university grants or State ap.
preparations. And today it stand.
as a memorial which he had the
pleasure of seeing within his life
time