Luther Leonard

Luther Leonard

Biographical details
Born	(1884-02-28)February 28, 1884 Springhills, Ohio, U.S.
Died	December 10, 1959(1959-12-10) (aged 75) Bucyrus, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater	Yale University
Playing career
Football
1903–1906	Ohio Wesleyan
Position(s)	Center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1907–1908	Hendrix
1909	Birmingham
Basketball
1907–1909	Hendrix
1909–1910	Birmingham
Baseball
1910	Hendrix
Track and field
1910	Birmingham
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1909–1910	Birmingham
Head coaching record
Overall	4–9 (football)

Joy Luther Leonard (February 28, 1884 – December 10, 1959) was an American economist and college football, college basketball, college baseball, and track and field coach.

Leonard was born on February 28, 1884, to Joseph Leonard and Ella Carlo in Springhills, Ohio. He attended Bucyrus High School.[1] He played college football for Ohio Wesleyan under Victor M. Place and Branch Rickey as a center.[2][3] After his graduation he was hired as the head football, basketball, and baseball coach for Hendrix College.[4][5] After two years he joined Birmingham College as the head of athletics.[6]

After Leonard's coaching career ended he became a professor of economics at Wabash College.[7][8] While at Wabash, he was the leader of a $2,000,000 fund backed by alumni.[9] In 1928, he took a sabbatical from Wabash to work on his Doctor of Philosophy at Yale University.[10] While at Yale he taught at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.[11] After completing his PhD he was hired as the head of the economics department for the University of Southern California.[11] He held the position until his retirement.

In June 1916, Leonard married Vera Price, a librarian, in Columbus, Ohio.[12] A year later, in 1917, they had their only son together.[13] Leonard died on December 10, 1959, in Bucyrus, Ohio.

Head coaching record

Football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Hendrix Bulldogs (Independent) (1907–1908)
1907	Hendrix	2–4
1908	Hendrix	2–3
Hendrix:		4–7
Birmingham (Independent) (1909)
1909	Birmingham	0–2
Birmingham:		0–2
Total:		4–9

References

1. "Bucyrus High Seniors Plan for Graduation". The Marion Star. January 31, 1927. p. 7. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
2. "Leonard Does Good Work for Ohio Wesleyan Team". The Bucyrus Evening Telegraphs. October 5, 1903. p. 2. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
3. "Leonard Plays A Great Game". The Bucyrus Evening Telegraph. November 7, 1905. p. 3. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
4. "Has Winning Team". The Bucyrus Evening Telegraph. May 9, 1908. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
5. "Nice Position For Leonard — Elected to Position at Hendricks [sic] College". The Bucyrus Evening Telegraph. June 14, 1907. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
6. "Luther Leonard — Takes Position in College at Birmingham, Alabama". Telegraph-Forum. August 17, 1909. p. 3. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
7. "Left for Wabash — Luther J. Leonard to Teach at Crawfordsville, Ind". The Bucyrus Evening Telegraph. September 10, 1913. p. 8. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
8. "Luther Leonard — Appointed Permanent Professor of Economics". The Bucyrus Evening Telegraph. December 23, 1914. p. 5. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
9. "Wabash Starts $2,000,000 Fund". Journal and Courier. June 16, 1920. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
10. "Luther Leonard to Enter Yale". Telegraph-Forum. February 8, 1928. p. 8. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
11. "Wabash Faculty Member Will Direct Department at California University". The Indianapolis Star. July 26, 1929. p. 10. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
12. "Miss Price and Mr. Leonard United". Telegraph-Forum. June 27, 1916. p. 5. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
13. "Prof. Leonard and Wife are Parents". Bucyrus Journal. April 20, 1917. p. 5. Retrieved January 18, 2025.

External links

• Luther Leonard at Find a Grave