Robert E. Brannan

Robert E. Brannan
	Brannan in 1919
Biographical details
Born	November 12, 1891; Timken, Kansas, U.S.
Died	August 6, 1958 (aged 66); New York, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	Ottawa University (1915)
Playing career
Football
1912–1913	Ottawa (KS)
Basketball
1912–1915	Ottawa (KS)
Baseball
1910–1915	Ottawa (KS)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1915–1916	Sioux Falls
1918	Millikin
1919	Decatur Staleys
1920–1922	Ottawa (KS)
Basketball
1918–1919	Millikin
1920–1922	Ottawa (KS)
Baseball
1919	Millikin
Head coaching record
Overall	37–12 (college basketball); 3–2 (college baseball)

Robert E. Brannan (November 12, 1891 – August 6, 1958) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. He was the first coach in Chicago Bears franchise history, running the team when they were known as the Decatur Staleys in 1919.

Brannan was hired as athletic coach at Sioux Falls College—now known as the University of Sioux Falls in 1915.^[1]

In 1920, Brannan became the head football coach at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas, a position he held for three seasons until 1922. His coaching record at Ottawa was 4–19–1.^[2] According to football legend Walter Camp, the only bright spot for the team in the 1922 season was a guard named Swineheart who "played consistently" for the season.^[3] Brannan graduated from the Ottawa academy in 1911. He later graduated from Ottawa University in 1915, having earned fourteen letters in all university sports. Prior to coaching at Ottawa, he had coached at Sioux Falls, James Millikin University, and high schools near Decatur, Illinois.^[4]

After coaching, Brannan worked for what later became Union Carbide, Co. until he retired in 1956. He died at a hospital at New York City in 1958.^[5]

Head coaching record

College football


Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing
Millikin Big Blue (Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1918)
1918	Millikin	4–1
Millikin:		4–1
Ottawa Braves (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1920–1922)
1920	Ottawa	1–6	1–6	12th
1921	Ottawa	3–5–1	2–5–1	T–11th
1922	Ottawa	0–8	0–7	16th
Ottawa:		4–19–1	3–18–1
Total:

Other

Team	Year	Regular season
Team	Year	Won	Lost	Ties	Win %	Finish
Decatur Staleys	1919	6	1	0	.857	Named Central Illinois Champions
Total		6	1	0	.857

References

^ "Returns To Fold—Husted To Sioux Falls and Dr. Harland—Brennan Will Coach Athletics There". The Ottawa Campus. Ottawa, Kansas. September 1, 1915. p. 1. Retrieved April 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "2012 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Ottawa Braves. p. 7. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
^ The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association football guide "The official rules book and record book of college football" (edited by Walter Camp) Can Sports Publishing Company, 1922
^ "Robert Brannan O.U. '18 Is New Coach". The Ottawa Campus. Ottawa, Kansas. September 22, 1920. p. 1. Retrieved April 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Robert E. Brannan". Ottawa Herald. Ottawa, Kansas. August 7, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved April 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .

[1] "Returns To Fold—Husted To Sioux Falls and Dr. Harland—Brennan Will Coach Athletics There". The Ottawa Campus. Ottawa, Kansas. September 1, 1915. p. 1. Retrieved April 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .

[2] "2012 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Ottawa Braves. p. 7. Retrieved February 26, 2013.

[3] The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association football guide "The official rules book and record book of college football" (edited by Walter Camp) Can Sports Publishing Company, 1922

[4] "Robert Brannan O.U. '18 Is New Coach". The Ottawa Campus. Ottawa, Kansas. September 22, 1920. p. 1. Retrieved April 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .

[5] "Robert E. Brannan". Ottawa Herald. Ottawa, Kansas. August 7, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved April 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .

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