J. Orlean Christian

Joseph Orlean Christian (May 10, 1898 – October 21, 1979) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the University of Connecticut from 1934 to 1949 and as the head baseball coach there from 1936 to 1961. Christian was also the school's athletic director from 1950 to 1966 and filled in as interim head basketball coach during the 1935–36 season. He served as the first commissioner of the Yankee Conference, from 1966 to 1971. Christian died on October 21, 1979, at the age of 81 in a convalescent home in Willimantic, Connecticut.^[1] The University of Connecticut's home baseball field, J. O. Christian Field, is named in his honor. Christian's 66 wins as head football coach at Connecticut were the most in program history until Randy Edsall surpassed him in 2010.^{[citation needed]}

J. Orlean Christian

Biographical details
Born	May 10, 1898 Roland, Iowa, U.S.
Died	October 21, 1979 (aged 81) Willimantic, Connecticut, U.S.
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1934–1949	Connecticut State / Connecticut
Basketball
1935–1936	Connecticut State (interim HC)
Baseball
1936–1961	Connecticut State / Connecticut
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1950–1966	Connecticut
1966–1971	Yankee Conf. (commissioner)
Head coaching record
Overall	66–51–4 (football) 3–10 (basketball) 254–170–7 (baseball)

Head coaching record

Football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Connecticut State / Connecticut Huskies (New England Conference) (1934–1946)
1934	Connecticut State	1–7	0–1	4th
1935	Connecticut State	2–4–1	0–1	T–3rd
1936	Connecticut State	7–2	2–0	1st
1937	Connecticut State	6–2–1	1–0	T–1st
1938	Connecticut State	4–3	0–3	5th
1939	Connecticut	5–3	1–1	T–2nd
1940	Connecticut	4–4	1–2	T–3rd
1941	Connecticut	2–6	0–2	5th
1942	Connecticut	6–2	2–0	T–1st
1943	No team—World War II
1944	Connecticut	7–1	0–0	3rd
1945	Connecticut	7–1	2–0	T–1st
1946	Connecticut	4–3–1	2–0–1	T–1st
Connecticut Huskies (Yankee Conference) (1947–1949)
1947	Connecticut	4–4	1–2	3rd
1948	Connecticut	3–5	2–1	2nd
1949	Connecticut	4–4–1	2–0–1	T–1st
Connecticut:		66–51–4	16–13–2
Total:		66–51–4
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Basketball

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Connecticut State Huskies (New England Conference) (1935–1936)
1935–36	Connecticut State	3–10	0–3
Connecticut State:		3–10 (.231)	0–3 (.000)
Total:		3–10 (.231)

Baseball

The following table depicts Christian's record as head baseball coach at Connecticut.^[2]

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Connecticut State / Connecticut Huskies (1936–1961)
1936	Connecticut State	7–5
1937	Connecticut State	7–8
1938	Connecticut State	8–6
1939	Connecticut	7–7
1940	Connecticut	8–8–1
1941	Connecticut	4–10
1942	Connecticut	4–8
1943	Connecticut	8–6
1944	Connecticut	4–4–1
1945	Connecticut	6–2
1946	Connecticut	6–10–1
1947	Connecticut	12–5
1948	Connecticut	13–2
1949	Connecticut	14–5
1950	Connecticut	7–8
1951	Connecticut	9–9–1
1952	Connecticut	9–5–1
1953	Connecticut	9–6–1
1954	Connecticut	9–9
1955	Connecticut	11–6
1956	Connecticut	9–8–2
1957	Connecticut	14–10	5–5		College World Series
1958	Connecticut	11–5			NCAA tournament
1959	Connecticut	20–3	10–0	1st	College World Series
1960	Connecticut	13–3			NCAA tournament
1961	Connecticut	24–19–2			NCAA tournament
Connecticut:		257–171–7
Total:		257–171–7

References

1. "J.Orlean Christian, Ex-Head of Athletics At U. of Connecticut" (PDF). The New York Times. United Press International. October 23, 1979. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
2. 2012 Baseball Media Guide. uconnhuskies.com. pp. 63–64. Retrieved January 6, 2013.

External links

• J. Orlean Christian at Find a Grave