John P. Sabo

John P. Sabo
Biographical details
Born1899
DiedNovember 30, 1957(1957-11-30) (aged 57–58)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1918Illinois
1920Illinois
PositionEnd
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1922Rochester (assistant)
1923–1924East Aurora HS (IL)
1925–1927Kansas (ends)
1928–1932Illinois (assistant)
1933Northwestern (assistant)
1934–1939Vermont
1941Yale (assistant)
Basketball
1922–1923Rochester
1923–1925East Aurora HS (IL)
1929–1933Illinois (freshmen)
1934–1940Vermont
Head coaching record
Overall16–28–5 (football)
55–48 (basketball)

John Philip Sabo (1899 – November 30, 1957) was an American college football and college basketball coach who was the head men's basketball coach at the University of Rochester (1922–1923) and the University of Vermont (1934–1940) and the head football coach at Vermont from 1934 to 1939.

Early life

Sabo played football at the University of Illinois in 1918 and 1920. While at Illinois he was the president of the Sigma Pi fraternity chapter and received his degree in 1922.[1][2]

Coaching

Sabo began his coaching career as an assistant football coach at the University of Rochester in 1922.[3] He also served as the school's head basketball coach from 1922 to 1923.[4] In 1923, he was named the coach of all major sports at East Aurora High School in Aurora, Illinois.[5]

In 1925, Sabo became an assistant football and freshmen baseball coach at the University of Kansas. He left the school following the 1927 Kansas Jayhawks football season when the entire coaching staff resigned en masse.[6] In 1928, he returned to his alma mater to serve as an assistant football coach. The following year, he was named freshmen basketball coach.[7] He was an assistant football coach at Northwestern University during the 1933 season.[8]

In 1934, Sabo became the head basketball coach at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont, a position he held for six seasons.[9] He also served as Vermont's head football coach from 1934 to 1939. His contract was not renewed in 1940 and he was replaced by one of his assistants – John C. Evans.[10]

In 1941, Sabo was an assistant football coach at Yale University.[11][8] Head coach Spike Nelson left after the season and all of his assistants, including Sabo, were let go.[12]

World War II

When the United States entered World War II, Sabo completed a training course at United States Naval Academy and was commissioned as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy in 1942. He was assigned to oversee the mass exercise group at the Navy's training centers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[13] In 1944, he was assigned to the Allied advanced base in New Guinea, where he assisted George Halas with recreation and morale.[14] By 1945, he had been promoted to Commander and was stationed in the Philippines.[15]

Later life

In 1945, Sabo was named director of field activities for the Illinois Alumni Association.[16] He resigned in 1947 to take a position with Owens-Illinois.[17] He later managed three glass plants in Defiance, Ohio for Libbey-Owens-Ford. He died on November 30, 1957, in Detroit.[18]

Head coaching record

Football

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Vermont Catamounts (Independent) (1934–1939)
1934 Vermont 2–4–2
1935 Vermont 4–5
1936 Vermont 1–8
1937 Vermont 2–6
1938 Vermont 4–2–1
1939 Vermont 3–3–2
Vermont: 16–28–5
Total:16–28–5

Basketball

Record table
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Rochester (N/A) (1922–1923)
1922–23 Rochester 5–14N/A
Rochester: 5–14 (.263)
Vermont (N/A) (1934–1940)
1934–35 Vermont 8–5N/A
1935–36 Vermont 7–6N/A
1936–37 Vermont 10–4N/A
1937–38 Vermont 10–4N/A
1938–39 Vermont 10–5N/A
1939–40 Vermont 5–10N/A
Vermont: 50–34 (.595)
Total:55–48 (.534)

References

  1. ↑ "Chapter Directory". The Emerald of Sigma Pi. Vol. 9, no. 2. July 1922. p. 76.
  2. ↑ Coughlin, John (July 1922). "Chapter Letters". The Emerald of Sigma Pi. Vol. 9, no. 2. pp. 104 and 105.
  3. ↑ "Football Practice At University Will Start Today". Rochester Evening Journal. September 18, 1922. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  4. ↑ "U of R Men's Basketball Career Stats" (PDF). Rochester Yellowjackets men's basketball. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  5. ↑ "John Sabo, Rochester Man, For Coach At East High". Aurora Daily Star. June 28, 1923. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Kansas Coaches Quit". The Evening Independent. November 24, 1927. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Sabo Will Direct Freshmen Cagers In Coming Season". Daily Illini. July 18, 1929. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Nelson Picks Yale Coaches: Sabo and Voights Join Gridiron Staff". The Boston Globe. February 19, 1941.
  9. ↑ "VERMONT MEN'S BASKETBALL RECORD BOOK" (PDF). Vermont Catamounts men's basketball. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Vermont Fails To Renre Contract Of Sabo As Grid Coach". The Lewiston Daily Sun. April 16, 1940. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  11. ↑ "John P. Sabo, assistant grid coach at Yale". Burlington Free Press. February 20, 1941. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Yale Drops Nelson Aids: Former Coach Root Also Slated to Go". The Boston Globe. December 27, 1941.
  13. ↑ Simerly, Leroy (June 1, 1942). "Time Out". Herald-Journal. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Halas and Sabo To Take Charge". Berkeley Daily Gazette. May 2, 1944. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  15. ↑ Berner, Quita (June 13, 1945). "Illini and the War". Daily Illini. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Johnny Sabo Takes Post With Alumni Association". Daily Illini. December 19, 1945. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Sabo Resigns From Field Activities Post In Alumni Association ; Rice Given Job". Daily Illini. February 28, 1947. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Obituary". American Glass Review. 1957.
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