Red Rutherford

Red Rutherford

Rutherford from The Beaver, 1922
Biographical details
Born	(1891-04-11)April 11, 1891 Beatrice, Nebraska, U.S.
Died	February 16, 1976(1976-02-16) (aged 84) Paradise, California, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Nebraska (1916)
Playing career
Football
1913–1915	Nebraska
Basketball
1913–1916	Nebraska
Wrestling
1915–1916	Nebraska
Position(s)	Halfback (football)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1917–1919	Washington University
1920–1923	Oregon Agricultural
Basketball
1917–1920	Washington University
1920–1922	Oregon Agricultural
Head coaching record
Overall	28–19–6 (football) 58–41 (basketball)

Richard Burr "Red" Rutherford (April 11, 1891 – February 16, 1976) was an American college football and college basketball coach. He served as the head football coach at Washington University in St. Louis from 1917 to 1919 and at Oregon Agricultural College, now Oregon State University, from 1920 to 1923, compiling a career football coaching record of 28–19–6. Rutherford was also the head basketball coach at Washington University from 1917 to 1920 and at Oregon Agricultural from 1920 to 1922, tallying a career basketball coaching mark of 58–41.

Coaching career

Football

Rutherford was the head coach of the Oregon State Beavers football team from 1920 to 1923. During his tenure there, he compiled a 13–14–6 record.

1923 Civil War

This Civil War was played at Hayward Field before 12,000 fans on November 25, 1923. It had been 15 years since Oregon State had beaten the University of Oregon in Eugene. In fact, in the 29 years the rivalry had been contested, Oregon Agricultural College had only beaten Oregon on the road on two other occasions, making this an era when most Beaver fans took it as a given that a trip "south to Lane County" was as good as a loss. OAC coach R.B. Rutherford and team captain Percy Locey felt otherwise. So did quarterback Roy Price. In the second quarter, Price took a Webfoot punt on his own 23-yard line and didn't stop until he had reached the Oregon end zone for the game's only score. Rutherford and the Beavers team won, 6–0. This game is still known as one of the greatest "Civil War" games.

Coach Rutherford with the 1921–22 OAC men's basketball team.

Basketball

From 1920 to 1922, Rutherford also coached the Oregon State Beavers basketball team. In his two seasons as the head basketball coach, he posted a 27–19 record. He is one of three people to have coached both teams.

Later life and death

Rutherford moved to Stirling City, California in 1959 and then to Paradise, California in 1969. He died on February 16, 1976, at a hospital in Paradise.

Head coaching record

Football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Washington University Pikers (Missouri Valley Conference) (1917–1919)
1917	Washington University	4–3	1–2	6th
1918	Washington University	6–0
1919	Washington University	5–2	2–2	T–4th
Washington University:		15–5	3–4
Oregon Agricultural Aggies (Pacific Coast Conference) (1920–1923)
1920	Oregon Agricultural	2–2–2	1–2–1	5th
1921	Oregon Agricultural	4–3–2	1–2–1	4th
1922	Oregon Agricultural	3–4	1–3	T–5th
1923	Oregon Agricultural	4–5–2	1–3–1	T–6th
Oregon Agricultural:		13–14–6	4–10–3
Total:		28–19–6