Frank Shaughnessy

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Frank Shaughnessy was Clemson's eighth head football coach, leading the Tigers for one year, the 1907 season.

The 2001 Clemson Football guide gives this concise biography on page 275:

Frank Shaughnessy was known for his ability as an administrator in sports as he served many positions, from a professional hockey coach to the commissioner of the International Baseball (Triple A) League.

A graduate in law at Notre Dame, he was captain of the baseball and football teams his junior and senior seasons. After his graduation in 1905, he coached baseball at Notre Dame. The summer before coming to Clemson, he played for Ottawa of the Eastern League. That summer, he played left field and had a .352 batting average. He also played with Washington and the Philadelphia A's.

At Clemson he coached the baseball teams in 1907 and 1908, and was head football mentor in 1907, posting a 4-4 record.

During his lifetime, Shaughnessy made his name in baseball, but he took part in many other sports. Besides being a sports legend at Notre Dame, he managed the Ottawa Senators of a professional hockey league and coached football teams at Clemson, Washington and Lee and McGill University. He retired as the president of the International Baseball league.

During his football playing days, in a game against Kansas, Shaughnessy raced 107 yards for the only Irish touchdown as Kansas won, 24-5. Football fields were 110 yards back then and touchdowns were five points. This is still a Notre Dame record.


In his one year at Clemson, Shaughnessy produced a 4-4 result, with wins over Gordon, Maryville, North Carolina, and John Heisman-led Georgia Tech in Atlanta, for a .500 winning percentage.


Preceded by: Bob Williams Clemson University Football Coaches Succeeded by: John Stone