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Len Winter
Biographical details
Born(1902-02-26)February 26, 1902
Hinton, Iowa, U.S.
DiedMay 19, 1952(1952-05-19) (aged 50)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1921–1924Grinnell
Basketball
1921–1924Grinnell
Track and field
1921–1924Grinnell
Position(s)End (football)
Guard (basketball)
440-yard dash, long jump (track and field)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1926–1927Wilton Junction HS (IA)
1928–1937Central (IA)
1938–1940Columbia (IA) / Loras
Basketball
1926–1927Wilton Junction HS (IA)
1928–1937Central (IA)
Track and field
1926–1927Wilton Junction HS (IA)
1928–1937Central (IA)
1938–1940Columbia (IA) / Loras
Head coaching record
Overall46–57–8 (college football)
83–59 (college basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Basketball
4 Iowa Conference (1929–1931, 1935)

Leonard Alvern Winter (February 26, 1902 – May 19, 1952) was an American college football, basketball, and track and field coach. He was the head football, basketball, and track and field coach for Wilton Junction High School from 1926 to 1927 and for Central College from 1928 to 1937. He was the head football coach and head of track and field for Loras College from 1938 to 1940.

Early life and playing career[edit]

Winter was born on February 26, 1902,[1] to Dietrich Philip Winter and Estella May Hancer in Hinton, Iowa. He was one of seven children. His father was born in Meyenburg, Germany, and immigrated to the United States in 1883 when he was 32 years old.[2] Dietrich worked as the postmaster for Hinton, Iowa, and was a member of the board of education for the Hinton school system.[3] Len's mother was from Iowa, where she lived her entire life.[4][5] His maternal grandfather, Frederick George Hancer, was born in Suffolk, England, and migrated to New York City in 1866.

Winter attended Central High School in Sioux City, Iowa.[6]

Winter participated in football, basketball, and track while attending Grinnell College.[6] For the Pioneers football team he served as an end. For the basketball team he served as a guard. In track, he participated in both the 440-yard dash and the long jump.

Coaching career[edit]

Winter began his coaching career as the head football, basketball, and track coach for Wilton Junction High School in Wilton, Iowa.[6] He served in those roles for two years before moving to the collegiate level.

In 1928, Winter was hired as the head football, basketball, and track coach for Central College in Pella, Iowa. In ten years as the Dutch football coach he led the team to a 34–44–6 record. His best seasons came from 1930 to 1932 when the team went 17–5–2 and finished as high as third in the Iowa Conference. As basketball coach, he led the team to an overall record of 83–59 and four Iowa Conference championships: 1929 through 1931 and 1935. He was best known for his "point-a-minute" championship teams which three-peated from 1929 to 1931 and culminated a 45–3 record, including a 39-game win streak,[6] in a three-year span.[7] He resigned from all coaching positions following the 1937 season to enter a private business in Kentucky.[7][8]

In 1938, not long after leaving coaching, Winter returned as he was hired as the head football and track coach for Columbia College—which was renamed Loras College in 1939—as the successor to John Niemiec.[9][10][11] In three seasons as head football coach, he led the team to a 12–13–2 record. His 6–2–2 record in his last season was the best record since Eddie Anderson coached the team in the 1920s.[12] He resigned following the 1940 season.[12][13]

In 1940, Winter was among the top candidates for the head football coach position for St. Ambrose, but ultimately was not hired.[14]

Personal life and later career[edit]

Winter met his wife, Ruth Eleanor Somers, while they attended Grinnell College. They married in Grinnell, Iowa, in 1927. They had two daughters who were born in 1929 and 1936, respectively.

While coaching with Loras, Winter served as the director of physical education.[9]

In 1940, Winter was arrested for speeding and driving without a license.[15]

After Winter's coaching career ended he worked as an auditor for the Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago.[16][17]

Winter died of pneumonia on May 19, 1952, in Chicago.[1][16][17] He was buried in his home state in Sioux City, Iowa.[17]

Head coaching record[edit]

College football[edit]

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Central Dutch (Iowa Conference) (1928–1937)
1928 Central 0–8 0–8 14th
1929 Central 3–4–1 2–4 8th
1930 Central 6–2 3–2 8th
1931 Central 5–1–2 3–1–2 4th
1932 Central 6–2 5–2 3rd
1933 Central 2–6–1 1–5–1 13th
1934 Central 1–6–1 1–6–1 14th
1935 Central 4–5 3–3 9th
1936 Central 4–5 4–3 6th
1937 Central 3–5–1 3–2–1 T–6th
Central: 34–44–6 25–36–5
Columbia / Loras Duhawks (Iowa Conference) (1938–1940)
1938 Columbia 2–6 2–4 T–10th
1939 Loras 4–5 4–3 7th
1940 Loras 6–2–2 4–1–1 3rd
Columbia / Loras: 12–13–2 10–8–1
Total: 46–57–8

College basketball[edit]

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Central Dutch (Iowa Conferece) (1928–1937)
1928–29 Central 7–9 10th
1929–30 Central 14–1 1st
1930–31 Central 16–0 1st
1931–32 Central 15–2 1st
1932–33 Central 2–10 12th
1933–34 Central 3–11 13th
1934–35 Central 9–9 5th
1935–36 Central 12–5 1st
1936–37 Central 5–12 5–12 11th
Central: 83–59
Total: 83–59

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[18]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Winter, Leonard 1902-1952". Hinton Newspaper. May 22, 1952. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  2. ^ "Dietrich Philip Winter". FamilySearch. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  3. ^ "Dietrich Winter". The Sioux City Journal. June 8, 1935. p. 9. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  4. ^ "Estella May Hancer". FamilySearch. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  5. ^ "Death Takes Mrs. Winter". The Sioux City Journal. p. 2. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d "Len Winter New Coach At Columbia". Des Moines Tribune. April 6, 1938. p. 10. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Len Winter Plans To Resign Central Position This Fall". The Daily Times. February 22, 1938. p. 15. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  8. ^ "Len Winter To Quit Job With Central". Quad-City Times. February 22, 1938. p. 11. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Len Winter New Mentor At Columbia". Quad-City Times. April 6, 1938. p. 18. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  10. ^ "Len Winter Is Named Coach at Columbia". Chicago Tribune. April 7, 1938. p. 18. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  11. ^ "Len Winter Named Football Coach at Columbia College". The Daily Times. April 6, 1938. p. 18. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Len Winters Resigns at Loras College (Continued from Page 5. this Sect.)". The Gazette. April 6, 1941. p. 14. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  13. ^ "Len Winter Resigns at Loras". The Daily Nonpareil. April 6, 1941. p. 18. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  14. ^ "Len Winter Among Candidates Linked With St. Ambrose". The Gazette. February 2, 1940. p. 9. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  15. ^ "Oh, Unhappy Day". The Des Moines Register. November 12, 1940. p. 9. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Jurgens, Jerry (May 27, 1952). "Ex-Wilton coach dies". The Daily Times. p. 23. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  17. ^ a b c Taylor, Sec (May 25, 1952). "Winter, Ex-Coach, Dies at Chicago". The Des Moines Register. p. 25. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  18. ^ "Year-by-year records". Central College Athletics. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
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