Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-10
BELL Persuades
|Devoret 10 Take
Eagles Offer
New Coach Picked
Because of Ability
To HundIe Players

SSSSSS ~ S"'sy
To HondIe Players
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 10 up.
The Philadelphia Eagles end
their search for a top caliber
head coach today with the sign
ing of Hugh Devore Of Dayton
University--and they have Bert
Bell. the National Football
League commissioner, to thank
for their good fortune.
Devore, a 43-year -old veteran
college coach who was a star end
at Notre Dame in the early l930s,
told the Associated Press last
might it was the advice of Bell,
that genial gentleman in whom
I have the utmost confidence. "
that convinced him to accept
the pro offer.
Devore said he was not in
Iclined at first to take the head
coaching assignment left vacant
at the end of a disappointing
season by the dismissal Of Jim
ITrimble.
/ In fact, he entered into a
verbal agreement on Saturday
to remain at Dayton for another
three years. Nevertheless, he
was told, the offer was still open,
Gave Him Confidence
i've known Bert for a long
time and decided to ask his
advice on the matter" Devore
Explained in a telephone inter-
view last night from his West
Orange. N. j., home.
We'll, to be honest. with seven
kids and the oldest wanting to
start at Notre Dame In Septem-
Der. my primary concerns were
security and money. At first. ]
felt I'd be better off at Dayton.
but reconsidering what Bert had
said about the pro offer. ] de-
cided yesterday that ! would
accept it.
He convinced me that it was
the chance of a lifetime and
that I had had enough college
experience to take on the assign
ment. He gave me the confidence
to make the jump"
After a conversation with
Dayton at which the schools
vice president. Rev. Charles Col
Inns. gave him his release and
his best wishes, Devore received
ia call from Bell in Chicago ano
told him he had decided to take
the Eagles assignment.
Signs Contract Today
1 Bell, who was en- route to 10.
Angeles for league meeting
had telephoned to urge him u
do Just that.
| Devore will sign his contract
and attend a press conference
here later today.
He referred queries regarding
the contract to the front office.
It is expected that he probably
will receive between $4,000 and
$4,000 a year with a three year
contract.
| Another factor in the Eagles
favor, Devore said, was his desire
to take an assignment nearer
home"
! At Dayton for the past two
years. Devore posted an 8-l1-1
record.
/ In making the announcement
yesterday a club official said De-
wore was the only one to whom
the job had been offered al
though a number Of name
coaches, including Buck Shaw,
now at the Air Force Academy,
Bobby Dodd of Georgia Tech
and Jim Tatum then at Mary
land. had been sounded out re-
lgarding their interest in the posi-
ton.
The official said Devore was
sought because of his proven
ability to handle players.
Held Many Coaching Jobs.
Part of the blame for the
Eagles fourth-place tie in the
Eastern Division last season has
been attributed to dissension
among the players. The Eagles
were considered a good bet for
the championship before the
season got underway.
In the past % years, Devore
has held a number of coaching
jobs. He was graduated from
INotre Dame in 1884. He served
as freshman coach there in 1884
and went to Fordham as an as
sistant from 1885 to 1887. He
was head coach at Providence
from 1888 TO 1871 and the fol-
lowing year was an assistant at
Holy Cross. In 1943 he returned
ito his alma mater as an assist
ant and in l945 took over as
head coach while Frank Leahy
was in the service. The Irish
had a 7-2-l record that season.
He was head coach at St
Bonaventure from 1916 to l949
head coach at New York Uni
versity from 1850 to 1852 when
that school dropped footbalD
assistant coach with the Green
See DEVORE, Page CO