Frederick A. Speik

Frederick Adolph Speik (January 26, 1882 – June 30, 1940) was an American college football player and coach. He played for the University of Chicago from 1901 to 1904 and was selected as a first-team All-American in 1904. He was the head football coach at Purdue University from 1908 to 1909, compiling a record of 6–8.

Biography Early years Speik was born in Stockton, California in 1882. He was the son of a manufacturer and grocer. The Chicago Daily Tribune called him "one of the best ends ever developed at Chicago."

In 2017 he was inducted into the University of Chicago Athletics Hall of Fame.

Football coach and medical student After graduating from Chicago in 1905, Speik served as an assistant football coach under head coach Stagg. Speik attended Rush Medical College while working as an assistant football coach. He graduated from medical school in 1907.

In 1908, Speik accepted the job as the head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers football team and served there in the 1908 and 1909 college football seasons. He compiled a 6–8 record in two years at Purdue and resigned his position as head coach on October 23, 1909. At the time of his resignation, the Chicago Daily Tribune reported: "Since Speik has been in charge at the Boilermaker institution Purdue has not won a game of note, and his ability as an instructor did not meet the expectations of members of the association, who assert that Speik had splendid material from which to pick an eleven." The couple had four children, Robert Lawton Speik, Madeleine Lawton (Speik) Lynden, Charlotte Ann Speik and Elizabeth Jane Speik. The family lived on Fair Oaks Avenue in South Pasadena, California. He was active in South Pasadena civic and political affairs.

Death In June 1940, Speik's body was discovered hanging by a heavy cord attached to one of the machines at a surgical supply factory in South Pasadena.

Head coaching record