35 Facts About Bernie Bierman

Bernard W Bierman was an American college football coach best known for his years as head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football program.

Bernie Bierman was born and raised in Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota where he played football, basketball, and track, and was captain of the undefeated 1915 football team.

Bernie Bierman was born in 1894 to German immigrants on a farm near Springfield, Minnesota.

Bernie Bierman's family moved to Oklahoma when he was a baby, but returned to Minnesota, living in Waseca, Paynesville, Litchfield, and Minneapolis.

The family returned to Litchfield in 1908, and it was there that Bernie Bierman attended high school and played football, baseball, and track, before graduating in 1912.

Bernie Bierman enrolled at the University of Minnesota in the fall of 1912.

Bernie Bierman played for the freshman football team in 1912 and for the varsity team in 1913, though a charley horse sidelined him early in the season.

Bernie Bierman became a starter in 1914, and as a senior, he was captain of the undefeated 1915 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team.

Bernie Bierman won a total of seven varsity letters at Minnesota, three in football, three in track, and one in basketball.

Bernie Bierman was the second of four Bernie Bierman brothers to compete in athletics at the University of Minnesota.

Older brother Al Bernie Bierman played halfback for the football team in 1912 and 1913.

Harlow Bernie Bierman was the youngest brother joined the football team in 1917.

Bernie Bierman served in the Marines from May 1917 until April 1919.

Bernie Bierman was promoted to second lieutenant on July 1,1918, and to captain on July 2,1918.

Bernie Bierman served as head football coach at Montana from 1919 to 1921.

In 1922, Bernie Bierman returned to Minnesota working as a municipal bond trader for Wells Dickey.

Bernie Bierman coached the football team at Pillsbury Academy in Owatonna, Minnesota.

Bernie Bierman later recalled that he "couldn't shake my natural love" for football, and in the summer of 1923, he accepted an offer to become a part-time assistant coach at Tulane University under his Minnesota teammate Clark Shaughnessy.

Bernie Bierman was an assistant coach for the football, basketball, and track teams at Tulane in 1923 and 1924.

Bernie Bierman continued to work part-time in the bond business while at Tulane.

In January 1932, Bernie Bierman was hired to replace Fritz Crisler as Minnesota's head football coach.

Bernie Bierman cited the 1934 victory over Pittsburgh as the "high spot" of the season in which the Golden Gophers "blossomed" into a great team.

Bernie Bierman published his book, "Winning Football: Strategy, Psychology and Technique", in 1937.

Bernie Bierman continued to serve in the Marine Corps reserves while coaching at Minnesota.

In May 1943, the Navy announced that Bernie Bierman had been assigned to sea duty and would not be available to coach Iowa Pre-Flight in 1943.

Bernie Bierman was released by the Navy in October 1944.

Bernie Bierman resumed his role as Minnesota's head football coach in 1945 and held that post through the 1950 season.

Bernie Bierman was known for his quiet approach, a coach who "did not believe in whipping his players into an emotional state" before they took the field.

Bernie Bierman's teams ran a single-wing formation behind an unbalanced line, emphasizing a conservative running game with little use of the forward pass.

Bernie Bierman was an aloof, intense head coach, whose practices were long and difficult, during which Bernie Bierman would talk to the players only to criticize their play.

Bernie Bierman remained employed by the University of Minnesota's athletic department until his retirement in the summer of 1959.

Bernie Bierman was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.

Bernie Bierman was inducted into the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame in 1958, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1967, the New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 1971, and the University of Minnesota "M" Club Hall of Fame in 1991.

Bernie Bierman died on March 7,1977, at Saddle Community Hospital in Laguna Hills, California, after a long illness.

Bernie Bierman was survived by his wife Clara and two sons, William A Bierman and James Bierman.