Earl Abell
American football player and coach, basketball coach
About Earl Abell
Lived 1892 – 1956 (aged 63). Earl Abell was an American basketball coach and american football player.
Earl Clark "Tuffy" Abell (May 29, 1892 – May 26, 1956) was an American college football player and coach. He played football as a tackle at Colgate University. He later returned to Colgate as an assistant coach in 1925, and took over the head coaching job in 1928. He spent the 1929 and 1930 football seasons as head football coach at the University of Virginia. Abell was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as player in 1973.
Early life Abell attended Portage High School in Portage, Wisconsin.
Coaching career VMI Abell was the 13th head football coach at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, Virginia, serving for two seasons, from 1917 to 1918, and compiling a record of 7–7–1.
Colgate Abell was the 22nd head football coach at Colgate University in the Hamilton New York, serving for the 1928 season, and compiling a record of 6–3.
Personal life Born in Portage, Wisconsin, Abell attended Colgate University, where he became a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Abell was married and had three children. He worked for the American Can Company upon retiring from coaching. He died of a heart attack on May 26, 1956.
Head coaching record Football
Note: In the 1918 season, Abell served as a co-coach alongside Mose Goodman.
Basketball
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Important facts
People in Earl Abell's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Earl Abell's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Earl Abell?
American football player and coach, basketball coach (1892-1956)
When was Earl Abell born?
Earl Abell was born on 29 May 1892 in Portage.
When did Earl Abell die?
Earl Abell died on 26 May 1956 in Pardeeville.
What was Earl Abell's occupation?
Earl Abell was a basketball coach and american football player.
What nationality was Earl Abell?
Earl Abell was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Earl Abell. https://biography.guide/earl-abell/
MLA: "Earl Abell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/earl-abell/.
Chicago: "Earl Abell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/earl-abell/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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