caption player_team death_date death_place coach_years birth_place overall_record player_years coach_team coach_sport cfbdwid sport birth_date admin_years image article_title name admin_team
griffith drake yearbook pictured in '' the quax 1918 '' , beloit 7 december 1944 chicago , illinois 1905 1915 1909 & ndash ; 1910 1912 & ndash ; & 1914 ndash ; 1907 1908 & ndash ; mount carroll , illinois 49 -lrb- football -rrb- & ndash ; 31 & ndash ; 7 ? & ndash ; 1902 morningside drake drake drake football basketball 3026 football , baseball , basketball , track 20 august 1877 1902 1908 1908 & ndash ; 1918 1922 & ndash ; & 1944 ndash ; 1905 1905 & ndash ; john l griffith.jpg john l. griffith
 john l. griffith yankton morningside drake big ten -lrb- commissioner -rrb-
john l. griffith

john l. griffith -lrb- august 20 , 1877 -- december 7 , 1944 -rrb- was an american football , basketball , and baseball player , track athlete , coach , and college athletics administrator .
he served as the first commissioner of the big ten conference from 1922 until his death in 1944 .
his career football coaching record was 49 wins , 31 losses , and 7 ties .
