Lenny Sachs

Leonard David Sachs


Born:
August 7, 1897
Chicago, IL

Died:
October 27, 1942
Chicago, IL



Career
1911-12 Carl Schurz High School - Chicago (High School)
1912-13 Carl Schurz High School - Chicago (High School)
1913-14 Carl Schurz High School - Chicago (High School)
1919-20 Chicago's American College of Physical Education (College)
1919-20 Wendell Phillips High School - Chicago (High School) Head coach
1920-21 Chicago's American College of Physical Education (College)
1920-21 Wendell Phillips High School - Chicago (High School) Head coach
1921-22 Chicago's American College of Physical Education (College)
1921-22 Marshall High School - Chicago (High School) Head coach
1922-23 Chicago's American College of Physical Education (College)
1922-23 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1923-24 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1924-25 Waukegan (Independent)
1924-25 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1925-26 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
1925-26 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1926-27 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1927-28 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1928-29 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1929-30 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach 
1930-31 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1931-32 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1932-33 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach 
1933-34 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach 
1934-35 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1935-36 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1936-37 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1937-38 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1938-39 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1939-40 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1940-41 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach
1941-42 Loyola University (Independent) Head coach

NATIONAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME, 1961

Sachs, a football and basketball player in high school, entered the U.S. Navy after graduating, and when World War 1 finally dragged the U.S. in, Sachs served in the war as well. After the war, he attended Chicago's PE College. He would then go on to sign with the Chicago Cardinals in the NFL, playing for seven seasons. He could play one season of basketball with the Chicago Bruins in the ABL, but he was to remain focused on coaching. As head coach for the basketball team for Loyola University, Sachs was at the helm for some of the country's better basketball teams with Loyola. He would go 224-129 in his time at Loyola. He would also coach high school football during this stretch, including Wendell Phillips High School.
On October 25, 1942, Sachs was officiating a game when he felt a pain in his chest. He shrugged it off and returned to school on Monday to continue working with his basketball team. On the morning of the 27th, he complained again of chest pains, and the chairman of the Phys Ed department, Bernard Liby, insisted on taking him to the hospital. They would never make it. Sachs collapsed while they were leaving the school, and died with minutes. He was only 45.

Sachs was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1961. He was an early proponent on allowing black athletes to compete in college athletics.

Lenny and his wife, Vera, had one daughter.

Source:
Chicago Tribune, October 28, 1942

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/Lenny-Sachs/