Norman Gillespie "Happy" Wann (July 8, 1882 – July 23, 1957) was an American college football player, track athlete, coach of multiple sports, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas (1908–1909), Millikin College (1915–1917, 1919–1922), Earlham College (1923–1924), Ball Teachers College, Eastern Division, Indiana State Normal School—now Ball State University (1926–1927), and the College of the City of Detroit—now Wayne State University (1929–1931), compiling a career college football head coaching record of 74–40–10. Wann was also the head basketball coach at Ottawa (1908–1910), Millikin (1915–1918, 1919–1923), and Earlham (1923–1925), amassing a career college basketball record of 128–79. In addition, he was the head baseball coach at Ottawa (1909–1910), Millikin (1916–1918, 1920–1921), Ball Teachers College (1927), tallying a career college baseball mark of 43–39.

Norman G. Wann
Wann pictured in Orient 1928, Ball State yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1882-07-08)July 8, 1882
Silverwood, Indiana, U.S.
DiedJuly 23, 1957(1957-07-23) (aged 75)
Eagle Harbor Township, Michigan, U.S.
Playing career
Football
c. 1905Earlham
Position(s)Lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1908–1909Ottawa
1915–1917Millikin
1919–1922Millikin
1923–1924Earlham
1925Muncie Normal (assistant)
1926–1927Muncie Normal / Ball Teachers
1929–1931Detroit City College
Basketball
1908–1910Ottawa
1915–1918Millikin
1919–1923Millikin
1923–1925Earlham
Baseball
1909–1910Ottawa
1916–1918Millikin
1920–1921Millikin
1927Ball Teachers
Tennis
1932–1953Detroit City College / Wayne
Head coaching record
Overall74–40–10 (football)
128–79 (basketball)
43–39 (baseball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
3 IIAC (1916, 1919, 1920)
1 MWC (1922)

Wann attended Earlham College, where he played football as a lineman and ran track. He left campus in 1908 one credit short of his BBS degree, which he did not receive until 1922. Earlham served with the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World War I. In 1929, he earned a master's degree in physical education from the University of Wisconsin. After his retirement from coaching, he moved to Eagle Harbor Township, Michigan. He died there on July 23, 1957.[1] Three years earlier, in 1954, he was inducted into Earlham's Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1986, he was inducted into the Wayne State University Athletics Hall of Fame.[2]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Ottawa Braves (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1908–1909)
1908 Ottawa 3–4
1909 Ottawa 6–1–1
Ottawa: 9–5–1
Millikin Big Blue (Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1915–1917)
1915 Millikin 5–2–1
1916 Millikin 8–0–1 1st
1917 Millikin 7–1
Millikin Big Blue (Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1919–1921)
1919 Millikin 9–0 1st
1920 Millikin 9–0 T–1st
1921 Millikin 5–2–1
Millikin Big Blue (llinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Midwest Conference) (1922)
1922 Millikin 3–4–2 2–2–1 / 1–0 T–9th / T–1st
Millikin: 47–9–5
Earlham Quakers (Independent) (1923–1924)
1923 Earlham 2–5
1924 Earlham 4–3–1
Earlham: 6–8–1
Muncie Normal / Ball Teachers Hoosieroons (Independent) (1926–1927)
1926 Muncie Normal 5–1–1
1927 Ball Teachers 5–2–1
Muncie Normal / Ball Teachers: 10–3–2
Detroit City College Tartars (Michigan Collegiate Conference) (1929–1930)
1929 Detroit City College 2–7 1–2 3rd
1930 Detroit City College 0–9 0–3 4th
Detroit City College Tartars (Independent) (1931)
1931 Detroit City College 0–6–1
Detroit City College: 2–15–1 1–5
Total: 74–40–10
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ "Former Coach Dies". Traverse City Record-Eagle. Traverse City, Michigan. United Press. July 25, 1957. p. 16. Retrieved July 23, 2017 – via Newspapers.com  .
  2. ^ "Hall of Fame: Norman G. Wann". Wayne State University Athletics. Wayne State University. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
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