Rufus Gilbert

Rufus Gilbert
Biographical details
Born(1884-12-08)December 8, 1884
Warren, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedMay 29, 1962(1962-05-29) (aged 77)
Grand Junction, Colorado, U.S.
Playing career
Baseball
1908–1910Peoria Distillers
1912Springfield Reapers
1912Zanesville Potters
1913Denver Bears
1913Terre Haute Terre-iers
1914Toronto Maple Leafs
1914Jersey City Skeeters
1915–1916Terre Haute Highlanders
1917Richmond Quakers
1921–1922Portland Beavers
PositionsFirst baseman, outfielder, pitcher
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1905Kalamazoo
1907–1908Kalamazoo
1909–1911Bradley
1915Rose Polytechnic
1917–1920Rose Polytechnic
Basketball
1913–1921Rose Polytechnic
Baseball
1915–1916Terre Haute Highlanders
c. 1920Rose Polytechnic
Track and field
c. 1920Rose Polytechnic
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1917–1921Rose Polytechnic
Head coaching record
Overall27–53–4 (football)
39–67 (basketball)

Rufus W. "Lefty" Gilbert (December 8, 1884 – May 29, 1962)[1] was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Kalamazoo College in 1905 and from 1907 to 1908), Bradley Polytechnic Institute (now known as Bradley University) from 1909 to 1911, and at Rose Polytechnic Institute (now known as Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology) in 1915 and from 1917 to 1920). Gilbert was also the head basketball coach at Rose Polytechnic from 1913 to 1921, tallying a mark of 39–67. His son, Louis, played college football at the University of Michigan from 1925 to 1927.

Gilbert played high school baseball in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[2] He was appointed as the athletic director at Rose Polytechnic in 1917, and given charge of the football, basketball, baseball, and track teams.[3]

Gilbert was later a geologist. He moved to Grand Junction, Colorado in 1946. He died on May 29, 1962, at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction.[4]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Kalamazoo (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1905)
1905 Kalamazoo 3–6 3–3 T–3rd
Kalamazoo (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1907–1908)
1907 Kalamazoo 0–6 0–5 5th
1908 Kalamazoo 2–7–1 0–4–1 5th
Kalamazoo: 5–19–1 3–12–1
Bradley Indians (Independent) (1909–1911)
1909 Bradley 1–4–2
1910 Bradley 5–4
1911 Bradley 1–6
Bradley: 7–14–2
Rose Polytechnic (Independent) (1915)
1915 Rose Polytechnic 4–4
Rose Polytechnic (Independent) (1917–1920)
1917 Rose Polytechnic 6–4
1918 Rose Polytechnic 0–2–1
1919 Rose Polytechnic 3–4
1920 Rose Polytechnic 2–6
Kalamazoo: 15–20–1
Total: 27–53–4

[5][6][7]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Rufus Gilbert Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball Reference. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  2. ^ "To Northern League". Kalamazoo Gazette. Kalamazoo, Michigan. May 6, 1904. p. 5. Retrieved December 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .
  3. ^ ""Lefty" Gilbert Rose Poly Athletic Director". The Evansville Courier. Evansville, Indiana. January 12, 1917. p. 1. Retrieved December 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .
  4. ^ "Rufus W. Gilbert". The Daily Sentinel. Grand Junction, Colorado. June 1, 1962. p. 9. Retrieved December 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .
  5. ^ "NCAA Statistics; Coach; Rufus Gilbert; Football". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  6. ^ "Kalamazoo College Football Year-by-Year". Kalamazoo College. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  7. ^ "Football Head Coaching Year-by-Year Records". Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Athletics. Retrieved December 20, 2025.