Abe Martin (Illinois coach)
Morris Glenn Martin (January 19, 1906 – April 17, 1997), also known as Abe Martin, was an American football player, coach of football, basketball and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He was the fifth head football coach at the Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU), serving from 1939 to 1949 and compiling a record of 31–42–5. Martin was the school's head basketball coach from 1943 to 1946, tallying a mark of 43–20, head baseball coach from 1947 to 1965, amassing a record of 281–156–2. He was also the athletic director from 1945 to 1953.
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 19, 1906 Burnt Prairie, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | April 17, 1997 (aged 91) Springfield, Illinois, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1929–1931 | Southern Illinois |
| 1932 | Chicago Cardinals |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1933–1935 | Fairfield HS (IL) |
| 1936 | Pontiac HS (IL) |
| 1937 | Princeton HS (IL) |
| 1938 | Southern Illinois (assistant) |
| 1939–1949 | Southern Illinois |
| Basketball | |
| 1933–1936 | Fairfield HS (IL) |
| 1936–1937 | Pontiac HS (IL) |
| 1937–1938 | Princeton HS (IL) |
| 1943–1946 | Southern Illinois |
| Baseball | |
| 1947–1965 | Southern Illinois |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1945–1953 | Southern Illinois |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 31–42–5 (college football) 43–20 (college basketball) 281–156–2 (college baseball) |
| Tournaments | Basketball 7–1 (NAIA) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 1 IIAC (1947) Basketball 1 NAIA (1946) | |
On April 30, 1972, Southern Illinois' baseball field was dedicated in honor of Martin, who retired from the athletic department in 1971. The field was later renamed in honor of a different coach in 2014.