Harry Dahlberg

Harry "Swede" Dahlberg Sr. (July 2, 1896 - June 1, 1971 ) was an American college football player and high school coach, teacher and athletic director. He was a high school sports coach for 45 years, 44 years at Butte High School, Butte, Montana. During his 44-year tenure his teams won 27 state championships across football, basketball, track and field and cross country.

Playing career Butte High School 1913 State Football Champions. Dahlberg is pictured seventh from the left. 1913–1915 Butte, High School Position: Tackle

1916–1920 University of Montana, Missoula Position: Team Captain, and Tackle

Coaching career

45 Years (1921–1966)

1921-22- Hamilton High School

1922-66 - Butte High School - Head Football, Head Basketball (‘23-’52), Head T&F, Cross Country (1964)

Dahlberg lost the 1928 state football championship to his younger brother, George Dahlberg, then football coach at Custer County High School at Miles City. George went on to become basketball coach of the University of Montana Grizzlies. He was at the University from 1937 to 1955 and retired as athletic director in 1961. The university's Dahlberg Arena is named after George.

Oscar Dahlberg, another younger brother, was inducted into the Greyhound Hall of Fame as a Pioneer in 1984.

Dahlberg married Effie Elizabeth Eminger in 1926. Their son, Harry William Dahlberg Jr., was born on June 4, 1928.

He died on June 1, 1971, while fishing. He was fishing at the Ruby Reservoir, near Alder, Montana, when he was struck by a heart attack.

Dahlberg was named to the Montana Standard's Butte High All Century Team in 1999.

College play Dahlberg was recruited by coach Jerry Nisson (then the Montana State University at Missoula) who offered him a scholarship and work study to finance his college education. His senior year, he was captain of the Grizzly football team that defeated the University of Washington for the only time in 1920.

He missed the 1918 season when he served in the U.S. Navy during World War I

Coaching career He coached high school sports for 45 years, 44 years at Butte High School. During his 44-year tenure his teams won 27 state championships across football, basketball, track and field and cross country. The Montana Coaches Association cited him as Montana's "winningest coach of all time." The Montana Standard quoted an unidentified man as saying "the 'Swede' is a great guy, he's done more for development of good citizens among the young boys of Butte than people will ever realize."

Record In his 44 years his teams won 27 State Championships

Football State Titles (1924, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1935, 1937, 1940 and tied in 1949 and 1950)

Going out as a champion Swede loved coaching track the most,

Awards Montana Coaches Hall of Fame - inducted 1982 National High School Sports Hall of Fame - inducted 1986 Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986, along with 17 other ‘of the most significant individuals in the history of interscholastic athletics'. Arnold D. Palmer and Jerry R. Lucas were inducted the same year. Dahlberg was named to the Montana Standard's Butte High All Century Team.

Butte's “Swede Dahlberg Invitational Track Meet” is an annual event held in Butte, Montana.

Harry "Swede" Dahlberg Outstanding Boy Athlete Award, given at the annual Butte High All-Sports Banquet.