Johnny Armstrong
American football player and coach (1897–1960)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Allen Armstrong Jr. (August 10, 1897 – April 30, 1960)[1][2] was an American football player and coach.
Hutchinson, Kansas, U.S.
Dubuque, Iowa, U.S.
| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | August 10, 1897 Hutchinson, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | April 30, 1960 (aged 62) Dubuque, Iowa, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| College | University of Dubuque |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| |
Coaching | |
| |
| Head coaching record | |
| Career | 7–8–3 |
| Coaching profile at Pro Football Reference | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Armstrong was born in Hutchinson, Kansas.[3] From 1918 to 1922, he attended the University of Dubuque in Dubuque, Iowa, where he was a four-sport athlete. A quarterback in college, Armstrong helped the school's football team win conference titles in 1919 and 1920. In addition, he received varsity letters in baseball, basketball, and track.[4] Professionally, he played on the Rock Island Independents of the National Football League (NFL), and later the first American Football League, from 1923 to 1926 as an end, halfback, and quarterback.[5] The Green Bay Press-Gazette named Armstrong a third-team All-Pro in 1923.[6] That season, Armstrong was the NFL leader in passing yards and passes intercepted, according to unofficial statistics.[2] In 1924, Armstrong coached the Independents to a 5–2–2 record, and a fifth-place finish.[7] For his last professional football season, 1926, he also served as coach for Rock Island in the AFL; the Independents were 2–6–1 that year.[2]
Armstrong also played minor league baseball for the Watertown Cubs, Dubuque Climbers/Dubs/Ironmen, Oklahoma City Indians, and Davenport Blue Sox from 1921 to 1929.[1] He was the head football and basketball coach at Columbia College—now known as Loras College—in Dubuque, in addition to managing a recreation hall.[2][8][9] In 1960, Armstrong died in Dubuque.[3]
