John W. Breen
{{Short description|American football and basketball player, coach, and executive}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = John W. Breen
| image = John W. Breen.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1907|5|9}}
| birth_place = Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1984|2|9|1907|5|9}}
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1930–1934
| player_team1 = Carroll (WI)
| player_positions = Quarterback
| coach_years1 = 1935–1937
| coach_team1 = Carroll (WI) (assistant)
| coach_years2 = 1938–1948
| coach_team2 = Carroll (WI)
| coach_years3 = 1949–1951
| coach_team3 = Lake Forest
| admin_years1 = 1938–1949
| admin_team1 = Carroll (WI)
| admin_years2 = 1949–1957
| admin_team2 = Lake Forest
| admin_years3 = 1957–1960
| admin_team3 = Chicago Cardinals (DPP)
| admin_years4 = 1960–1971
| admin_team4 = Houston Oilers (DPP)
| admin_years5 = 1971–1973
| admin_team5 = Houston Oilers (GM)
| overall_record = 46–38–9
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record =
| championships =
| awards =
| coaching_records =
}}
John W. Breen (May 9, 1907 – February 9, 1984) was an American football and basketball player, coach, and executive.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Nb8LAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TlYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6312,2173982&dq=john-breen The Victoria Advocate] "Breen Succumbs to Cancer"
February 9, 1984 He was active in the college ranks before becoming an administrator in the American Football League for the Houston Oilers.
Playing career
Breen grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and played high school football at Milwaukee East Division High School. He then went on to Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin where he was named "most valuable player" and team captain in both football and basketball.[http://www.lakeforest.edu/foresters/jbreen.htm Lake Forest College Foresters] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511220832/http://www.lakeforest.edu/foresters/jbreen.htm |date=May 11, 2008 }} John W. Breen
Coaching career
=Carroll=
After graduation from Carroll in 1935, Breen began coaching freshman teams and teaching classes Breen was the 19th head football coach, serving held that for 11 seasons, from 1938 until 1948.
=Lake Forest=
In 1949, Breen became the head coach at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Illinois[http://www.cciw.org/fall_football/FB_08guide.pdf College Conference of Willinois & Wisconsin] 2008 Fall Football Guide and held the position for three seasons, through 1951.[http://www.lakeforest.edu/foresters/football/coachrecords.htm Lake Forest College Foresters] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517110138/http://www.lakeforest.edu/foresters/football/coachrecords.htm |date=May 17, 2008 }} Coaching Records During his tenure as head coach, he accumulated a record of 9–13–2.[http://www.lakeforest.edu/foresters/football/resultsbyyear.htm Lake Forest College Football] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517111044/http://www.lakeforest.edu/foresters/football/resultsbyyear.htm |date=May 17, 2008 }} Results by year While at Lake Forest he received nationwide publicity for defending the interests of small college athletics. In 1974, Lake Forest inducted him into their athletic "Hall of Fame" for his contribution to the football and basketball programs at the school.[http://www.lakeforest.edu/foresters/halloffame.htm Lake Forest College Foresters] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509123222/http://www.lakeforest.edu/foresters/halloffame.htm |date=May 9, 2008 }} Athletic Hall of Fame
Professional sports
After a successful college career as an educator and coach, Breen went into the professional ranks with the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) as director of player personnel in 1957.[http://www2.jsonline.com/packer/news/jul00/cheese30072900.asp Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050212165259/http://www.jsonline.com/packer/news/jul00/cheese30072900.asp |date=February 12, 2005 }} "Years ago, Wisconsin was truly the 'Big Cheese'", Cliff Christl, July 29, 2000 He was later the first person hired by the Houston Oilers in 1960 as director of player personnel and was named general manager in 1971 and he held that position until his retirement in 1973."Oilers Promote John Breen" Washington Post May 6, 1971[http://www.titansonline.com/history/1970s.php Tennessee Titans Online] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006015820/http://www.titansonline.com/history/1970s.php |date=October 6, 2008 }} History: 1970's
Breen was instrumental in the building of the Oilers[https://books.google.com/books?id=Y41NlKNgRtMC&dq=%2B%22john+breen%22+%2B%22houston+oilers%22&pg=PA38 Going Long: The first oral history of the AFL--from the men who made it happen] by Jeff Miller, Published by McGraw-Hill Professional, 2003, {{ISBN|0-07-141849-0}}, {{ISBN|978-0-07-141849-2}} and the American Football League (AFL) itself by being in charge of the league's first draft of players.[https://books.google.com/books?id=43_poPpUB4sC&dq=%2B%22john+breen%22+%2B%22chicago+cardinals%22&pg=PA31 The Making of the Super Bowl] by Don Weiss and Chuck Day, Published by McGraw-Hill Professional, 2003 {{ISBN|0-07-142949-2}}, {{ISBN|978-0-07-142949-8}} He is credited with recruiting veteran players George Blanda, John Carson, and Willard Dewveall along with first-year players Billy Cannon, Dan Lanphear, and Charley Hennigan.[http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/18-05-665.pdf Pro Football Researchers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005110946/http://profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/18-05-665.pdf |date=October 5, 2010 }} "When Houston Struck Oil" Originally published in Pro Football Digest by Stanley Grosshandler He recognized that the competing NFL teams would cut good quality players, and he recruited them to play at Houston.[https://archive.today/20121203015847/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1072038/index.htm Sports Illustrated] "Innocence in Texas" by Tex Maule, November 21, 1960
After his retirement from professional football management, Breen worked as a sports broadcaster for radio station KTRH in Houston, Texas.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A05E5D6153BF932A25751C0A962948260 New York Times] John Breen February 11, 1984
Head coaching record
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Carroll Pioneers
| conf = Independent
| startyear = 1938
| endyear = 1948
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1938
| name = Carroll
| overall = 6–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1939
| name = Carroll
| overall = 4–2–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1940
| name = Carroll
| overall = 3–3–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1940
| name = Carroll
| overall = 3–3–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1941
| name = Carroll
| overall = 2–5
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1942
| name = Carroll
| overall = 5–1–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1943
| name = No team—World War II
| overall =
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1944
| name = No team—World War II
| overall =
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1945
| name = Carroll
| overall = 1–3
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1946
| name = Carroll
| overall = 4–2–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1947
| name = Carroll
| overall = 5–1–2
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1948
| name = Carroll
| overall = 4–4
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Carroll
| overall = 37–25–7
| confrecord =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Lake Forest Foresters
| conf = College Conference of Illinois
| startyear = 1949
| endyear = 1951
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1949
| name = Lake Forest
| overall = 3–5
| conference = 3–2
| confstanding = 3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1950
| name = Lake Forest
| overall = 3–4–1
| conference = 3–2
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1951
| name = Lake Forest
| overall = 3–4–1
| conference = 3–2
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Lake Forest
| overall = 9–13–2
| confrecord = 9–6
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 46–38–9
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
| legend = no
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Carroll Pioneers football coach navbox}}
{{Lake Forest Foresters football coach navbox}}
{{Tennessee Titans general manager navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Breen, John W.}}
Category:American football quarterbacks
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball coaches from Wisconsin
Category:Basketball players from Milwaukee
Category:Carroll Pioneers athletic directors
Category:Carroll Pioneers football coaches
Category:Carroll Pioneers football players
Category:Carroll Pioneers men's basketball coaches
Category:Carroll Pioneers men's basketball players
Category:Houston Oilers executives
Category:Lake Forest Foresters athletic directors