Don Peden
Time at Ohio: 1923-1949
Embedded Files
Photo by Darayus Sethna
When attending a Bobcats football game, you’ll hear many fans say that they’re “going to Peden” or “The game at Peden is this afternoon.”
But the name Peden has much more significance than just a location. There may not be anyone, alive or passed away, who is more synonymous with the green and white than Don Peden – a man who will be forever connected to Ohio University.
A photo of Peden from the 1923 Athena yearbook. Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
Who was Don Peden?
Who was Don Peden?
Don Peden was raised in Kewanee, Ill., and attended the University of Illinois in the early 1920s. He played halfback for the school’s football team while taking courses in physical education. Peden also earned letters in basketball, baseball, and track during his college career before spending a year in professional baseball with Syracuse of the International League.
He arrived in Athens in 1923 and it didn’t take long for him to continue his sporting career – this time in the coaching ranks. At 22 years old, Peden was hired as not only an assistant for the Ohio football team, but also as the school’s head baseball coach.
1924 was another year of change for Peden, who was promoted to head coach of Bobcats football.
Peden had not been in southeast Ohio for even two years, and he was already the man at the helm for two college teams.
Greatness on the Gridiron
Greatness on the Gridiron
Peden served as the main man of Ohio Football for 21 seasons, accumulating 123 total victories to only 44 losses (along with 11 ties). His teams outscored their opponents by nearly three times during that span.
Some of Peden’s finest moments came in the late '20s and early '30s when the Bobcats won three consecutive Buckeye Athletic Association (BAA) championships from 1929-1931. Ohio also finished with unblemished records in three different years – 1929, 1930, and 1935.
Peden’s final season as head coach was in 1946 – the same year the Mid-American Conference (MAC) was founded.
Diamond Dominance
Diamond Dominance
Ohio Baseball was another program that flourished under Peden’s direction. He spent 25 years as head coach and guided the Bobcats to 261 total wins, with only four losing seasons in that span.
Peden’s best year with Ohio came in 1937 when the Bobcats clinched 21 victories and outscored their opponents by 175 runs (259-74). The green and white went on to win that season’s BAA title.
Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
Fun fact:
In 1937, Ohio became the first school to win BAA titles in football, baseball, and basketball in the same season (the football team played its games in the calendar year of 1936).
Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
More Than a Coach
More Than a Coach
A headline from the Feb. 26, 1946, edition of The Post. Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
Photo of Don Peden from the Feb. 26, 1946, edition of The Post. Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
There was one more opportunity Peden took on during his tenure: Director of Athletics.
Peden accepted the role in 1938 while serving as the director of Ohio University’s physical education department. One of Peden’s most significant contributions in his administrative role was working as a secretary-treasurer when the Mid-American Conference (MAC) was established in 1946.
Ohio is the only original school that still competes in the MAC. The other four original schools were the University of Cincinnati, Butler, Wayne State, and Case Western Reserve.
In a 1946 article from The Post, Peden exclaimed he was “very happy that Ohio was given the opportunity to join this high class conference.”
Peden remained Ohio’s Athletic Director until his retirement in 1949.
The 1930 Buckeye Conference Championship
The 1930 Buckeye Conference Championship
Sunday, Nov. 30, 1930
Ohio 20, Ohio Wesleyan 0
The Bobcats secure their second straight BAA football crown
A recap of the championship game in the 1931 Athena yearbook. Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
Bottom photo on the right: Peden watches from the sideline. All three photos on the right are courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
Don Peden to the Windy City?
Don Peden to the Windy City?
Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
Peden was certainly on many schools' radar after bringing three consecutive Buckeye championships to southeast Ohio.
One of those institutions was from his home state of Illinois – the University of Chicago.
Reporter G.E. Mitchell of The Athens Messenger reported the story in December 1932 (left). According to the article, Peden was visiting Chicago for “other business” when the school offered him the football head coaching position – looking to replace the iconic Amos Alonzo Stagg.
Peden even admitted that there was traction building between the two parties to get a deal done.
But traction was all it was.
Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
A month later, Peden laid the uncertainty to rest. He also denied rumors that Michigan State had offered him a job.
Whatever the rumors were, the only important thing for the Bobcat faithful was that Peden was there to stay.
A Lasting Legacy in Athens
A Lasting Legacy in Athens
Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
Above: A photo of Peden’s daughter, Ann Peden Urbach – an alumna of Athens High School (1944) and Ohio University (1948).
Urbach was a mother of four daughters and stayed in southeast Ohio to raise her family. She worked as a supervisor for the Athens County Welfare Department until her retirement in 1988.
The Origins of Peden Stadium
The Origins of Peden Stadium
Photo by Darayus Sethna
Before it was renamed “Peden Stadium” in 1960, Ohio’s football stadium was known as “Ohio University's Athletic Plant.”
Construction of the facility began in 1929 after President E.B. Bryan and Dr. O.C. Bird, head of the Department of Education, received a $150,000 bond.
The stadium originally seated 12,000 fans. It also went through multiple renovations:
1986 = seating capacity increased to 19,000
1990 = tower constructed (now hosts the press, offices, facilities, and meeting rooms)
2001 = seating capacity increased to 21,000
The following photos capture the construction of the athletic plant in 1929.
Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
The finished product of the stadium, 1929. Courtesy of Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries.
The 2024 Ohio football team warms up at Peden Stadium before its homecoming game against Akron. Photo by Darayus Sethna.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse