Don Canham

Donald Burrell Canham

Canham completed his bachelor's degree in physical education, history, and science at Michigan in 1941 and Master of Arts degree at Michigan in 1948.

Coach From 1947 to 1968, he served as the school's head track coach. His teams won 11 Big Ten Conference championships, seven indoor and four outdoor. He left the post after 21 seasons to become the school's athletic director.

Athletic director One of Canham's first priorities upon being named athletic director was to address the dwindling attendance at Michigan home football games, which by 1967 had declined to an average of 67,000 fans per game. Canham's good friend, Notre Dame athletic director Moose Krause, knew a sure-fire way to fill Michigan Stadium — by playing Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish and the Wolverines had not met on the gridiron since 1943 when Fritz Crisler, Michigan's then football coach and athletic director until 1968 when Canham succeeded him, became so incensed at the intensity of Notre Dame's Frank Leahy that he never scheduled Notre Dame again. Canham and Krause worked out an agreement to renew the series, which resumed in 1978 and ended in 2014.

Canham had Tartan Turf installed in Michigan Stadium to replace its grass playing surface in 1969. The school continued to use similar artificial fields until 1990. This accounts for Canham's mention in Michigan radio sportscaster Bob Ufer's quote for the stadium: "(It’s) the hole that Yost dug, Crisler paid for, Canham carpeted and Schembechler fills every cotton-pickin’ Saturday afternoon!"

In 1982, Canham was reported to be leading a group of investors looking to purchase the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Canham had preliminary meetings with the Norris family, although the franchise was eventually sold to Mike Ilitch.

Canham was alleged to have covered up sexual assaults by university doctor Robert Anderson. Former announcer Richard Goldman reported Anderson's repeated rapes to Canham in 1981, 1982, and 1983 and was ignored all three times and was told, "go f--- yourself"

A football signed by Canham, Bo Schembechler, and Wally Teninga that was gifted to President Gerald Ford.

Retirement and death Michigan's swimming and diving and women's water polo teams compete in the Donald B. Canham Natatorium, named for Canham upon his retirement in 1988.

Canham died May 3, 2005, at the age of 87 after rupturing his abdominal aorta.