Hugo Francis Bezdek (April 1, 1884 in Prague, Czechoslovakia – September 19, 1952 in Atlantic City, New Jersey) was a Czech-American sports figure in the first half of the 20th century.
After playing as a fullback at the University of Chicago, Bezdek began his football coaching career at the University of Oregon in 1906 but left after a year to become head coach at the University of Arkansas. Arkansas athletic teams carried the name of Cardinals ...
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Hugo Francis Bezdek (April 1, 1884 in Prague, Czechoslovakia – September 19, 1952 in Atlantic City, New Jersey) was a Czech-American sports figure in the first half of the 20th century.
After playing as a fullback at the University of Chicago, Bezdek began his football coaching career at the University of Oregon in 1906 but left after a year to become head coach at the University of Arkansas. Arkansas athletic teams carried the name of Cardinals until the close of 1909 season. Coach Bezdek referred to his team as “a wild band of Razorbacks” at a post-season rally following an unbeaten season. This nickname has been applied to Arkansas teams since that time. After five seasons at Arkansas, he returned to Oregon for six seasons.
While coaching in Oregon he also served as a scout for Major League Baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates, who hired him as their manager in the middle of the 1917 season. He managed the Pirates through 1919, achieving a 166-187 record.
While managing the Pirates he...
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