Herb McCracken, our head coach (1900-1995).(Obituary)

Spring crept in cruelly for Scholastic Coach this year. On the first Monday in March, our phone rang and an unhappy voice informed us that our head coach, Herb, had passed away peacefully in his own bed at age 95.

G. Herbert McCracken - "Herb" to everyone who knew him for more than five minutes - was our history. He had founded the magazine in 1931, served at one time or another - sometimes simultaneously - as publisher, advertising director, president, and chairman of the board.

Since his retirement 20 years ago, he had appeared in our masthead as "Founder." But he never stopped being a vital life force, an advisor, and a friend. His is the only name that has appeared in every masthead in the 640-month history of the magazine.

We were awed when we met him on October 19, 1936, our first day at Scholastic Coach. This wasn't the business tycoon or magazine publisher we expected. He was Herb McCracken, the famous football coach at Lafayette College!

It took us a day to sort it out. Herb was a football coach in the fall and a magazine man the rest of the year. Maurice Robinson ("Robbie"), the founder of our parent company, Scholastic Magazines, had brought Herb into the company. He needed a strong right arm to run the sales force and serve as vice-president; and Herb, a sports hero in Pittsburgh, was the perfect fit.

As a phys ed major, an athlete, and a sports historian, we knew a lot about Herb. He had been a star athlete at the U. of Pittsburgh, playing for Pop Warner on the same team that had Jock Sutherland at tackle.

Herb was basically a back/end, whom Pop moved around ...