John Kobs
 |
|
| Sport(s) | Baseball, basketball, ice hockey, football |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born |
August 21, 1898 Cavalier, North Dakota |
| Died | January 26, 1968 (aged 69) East Lansing, Michigan |
| Playing career | |
| 1920–1921 | Hamline |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Baseball | |
| 1922–1924 | Hamline |
| 1925–1963 | Michigan State |
| Hockey | |
| 1925–1931 | Michigan State |
| Basketball | |
| 1924–1926 | Michigan State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 574–377–16 (baseball) 9–19–1 (hockey) 11–26 (basketball) |
John H. Kobs (August 21, 1898 – January 26, 1968) was an American athlete and coach. He was the head baseball coach at Michigan State University from 1925 to 1963 where he compiled a career record of 576–377–16. He also coached men's basketball (1924–1926) and ice hockey (1925–1931) at Michigan State. He has been inducted into both the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Kobs was born in Cavalier, North Dakota in 1898. He moved to Lake City, Minnesota while in grade school and attended Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. At Hamline, he was a multi-sport athlete winning 13 varsity letters—four each in football and basketball, three in baseball, and two in track. He was also named to Minnesota's All-State college teams for three years each in football and basketball and two years in baseball. In January 1951, Kobs was selected as one of the top five all-around athletes in Minnesota during the first half of the 20th Century, as selected by a board of Minnesota sports experts.
After graduating from Hamline University, he spent two years from 1922 to 1924 as a member of the school's coaching staff.
In May 1924, Kobs was hired as the baseball and basketball coach at Michigan Agricultural College. He was the head coach of the Aggies'/Spartans' baseball team for 38 years from 1925 to 1963. During his 38 years as head baseball coach at Michigan State, Kobs compiled a record of 574 wins, 377 losses and 16 ties for a winning percentage of .602. He had only four losing seasons in 38 campaigns, and his 1954 team won the Big Ten Conference championship and the NCAA District No. 4 playoffs and finished third in the College World Series at Omaha, Nebraska.
Kobs coached numerous athletes who went on to play Major League Baseball, including Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Robin Roberts, whom Kobs switched from a first baseman to a pitcher. Other Major League players developed by Kobs include Bob Anderson, Ed Hobaugh, Jack Kralick, Hobie Landrith, Al Luplow, Ron Perranoski, Dick Radatz, and George Smith.
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