Campion Jesuit High School - Knight Yearbook (Prairie du Chien, WI)

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William Stanislaus Hoffman CAMPION'S COACH 1911-1952

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We proudly dedicate our 1961 Knight to Coach William S. Hoffman for unique service to Campion9 1911-1961 One of the strong lasting influences has been that of Coach U'illiam S. Hoffman. Since his coming to Campion. . . . generations of boys have experienced his kindly advice, his calm manner, his quiet manliness, his forceful strength of character. And whether it were on the field, or in the scholarly at- mosphere of his office, they have carried away with them the budding hope that they might be like him. To have thus brought the impress of his character to bear on the thousands who have known him and learned from him ... is Coach Hoffman’s contribu- tion to Campion. Thus did the 1947 CAMPION KNIGHT give high praise to Coach Hoffman. Well might the yearbook have singled out the remarkable ath- letic career of this man who was a three-sport star at St. Louis Univer- sity, who shone as pitcher for three seasons in the Cotton League and the Texas League, and who was an out- standing soccer player and track star in St. Louis; well might it have noted his authorship of two full length nov- els and various scholarly articles; and surely it could have praised his ex- ceptional coaching record in four sports both in college and high school. But the yearbook chose to stress the high quality of his Catholic manhood and the eternal influence of this great teacher on the youth to whom he dedicated his life. SO years ago in January Coach Hoffman came to Campion. For SO years his life has been Campion. Longer than any faculty member — Jesuit or lay — he has epitomized Campion and her ideals. So now, af- ter a half-century of fruitful friend- ship, Campion and the CAMPION KNIGHT, in dedicating this 1961 yearbook, wish to say thanks, well done, and God’s richest blessings to “Mr. Campion.” Coaching Record When Campion Was a College COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECORD (1913 to 1921 inclusive except for 1917) Games Played Won Lost Percentage 39 25 14 .641 COLLEGE BASKETBALL RECORD (1911 12 to 1921 22 inclusive except for 1917-18) 111 74 37 .666 COLLEGE BASEBALL RECORD (1911 to 1922 inclusive except for 1918) 111 69 42 .622 TOTAL COLLEGE RECORD 1911-1922 261 168 93 .644 Coaching Record at Campion as a High School HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RECORD (1924 to 1952 inclusive) Games Played Won Lost Percentage 217 141 76 .649 HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL RECORD (1925-26 to 1946-47 inclusive) 427 311 116 .728 HIGH SCHOOL TRACK RECORD (1926 to 1947 inclusive except for 1932 and 1943) 65 52 13 .800 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL RECORD (1948 to 1952 inclusive) 39 21 18 .538 TOTAL HIGH SCHOOL RECORD 1924-1952 748 525 223 .702 Combined College and High School Coaching Record COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RECORDS COMBINED Games Played Won Lost Percentage 256 166 90 .648 COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL RECORDS COMBINED 538 385 153 .715 COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL RECORDS COMBINED 150 90 60 .600 HIGH SCHOOL TRACK RECORDS 65 52 13 .800 TOTAL COACHING RECORD AT CAMPION IN FOUR SPORTS - 1911-1952 1009 693 316 .685 2

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Though the true beginning of the “Hoff- man Story” is June 28, 1882, in St. Louis, where the youngest son of ten was named William Stanislaus, our story begins in 1899 when “Bill” Hoffman attended St. Louis Uni- versity. A promising athlete, he played foot- ball and baseball and in track he won medals in the broad jump and high jump and tro- phies in the 100 and 220 dashes. He once ran a very close second to the world champion, Arthur Duffy, in the 100. He was also a star forward on the Sportsman’s Club soccer team. Scholastically he received a medal for honors in liberal arts studies that later led to his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees of Arts. The following year, 1900, he chose to dedicate his life to God. He attended Kenrick Diocesan Seminary in St. Louis for seven years, until, two years before ordination, he decided this was not his calling. During his summers in the seminary he avidly played his favorite sport, baseball. When he joined the Cotton States League in 1906, his seminary rector suggested he use an assumed name. So “Bill Phillips” the pitch- er came into being. His first year he led the Mobile team to the pennant with an 11-1 record. One of his most brilliant games was a 1-0 pitcher’s duel with spit-ball artist Jack Ryan, later a star with Cleveland and Boston, Hoffman the pitcher led the Cotton League in 1906 with 11-1 record, yielding 82 hits, 23 runs, 36 walks. “ Uoffmnn cotnpiled 11 i » . Wlt-IKi Hoffman the sprinter at St. Louis Univesrity in 1900. in which “Phillips” shut out Gulfport on two hits, winning the game himself in the tenth inning. The Mobile Register reported “Never before on the local diamond have two pitchers fought such a battle.” It went on: “Phillips was the hero yesterday. The Sailors just could not hit him.” As a pitcher he relied on superb control and sharp curves and a quick drop rather than great speed. He developed his pitching arm by punching the bag. After two summers with Mobile, he moved up to Waco in the Class B Texas league. Though he attracted big league scouts, he decided on a coaching-teaching career. He started at Holy Trinity College in Dallas in 1908 but contracted typhoid and malaria, was anointed, recovered, but was advised to leave the South. He then attended Regis College, worked in a St. Louis bank for a year, and then was recommended for the coaching job at a small college in Wisconsin. Mr. Hoffman came to Campion as head coach in January, 1911. Little did he realize the long friendship that was beginning. But an immediate challenge faced him. He had never seen a basketball game, let alone play the sport. Yet that first winter he led his col- 4