Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
ARMSTRONG, John
ARMSTRONG, John. (Hutchison, KS, Aug. 10, 1897--Dubuque, IA, Apr. 30, 1960). Armstrong served as an interim manager of the Dubuque Packers baseball team in 1960. He guided the team to two straight victories and then retired a "perfect" manager when the new manager arrived. (1)
Armstrong came to Dubuque from the Hutchison, Kansas high school where he had been named to the all-state team in 1918 to attend the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE. (2) He excelled in basketball, track, and baseball. (3) Armstrong, known as a "one-man team" for his incredible scoring ability, made the all-conference basketball team twice and the all-state team in 1920.
Armstrong continued his athletics outside of Dubuque. He played on the Rock Island Independents of the National Football League and later with the first American Football League, from 1923–1926, with the legendary Jim Thorpe. The Green Bay Press-Gazette named him a third-team All-Pro in 1923. (4)
In 1924, Armstrong coached the Independents to a 5–2–2 record, and a fifth-place finish. (5) He played with a national champion American Legion basketball team while attending Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. (6)
Armstrong also played minor league baseball. (7)
Year Team League
1922 Dubuque Climbers Mississippi Valley League
1923 Dubuque Climbers Mississippi Valley League
1924 Dubuque Dubs Mississippi Valley League
1925 Dubuque Ironmen Mississippi Valley League
1926 Oklahoma City Indians Western League
1927 Dubuque Dubs Mississippi Valley League
1928 Dubuque Dubs Mississippi Valley League
After his football and baseball careers, Armstrong took up golf and won the city championship several times. At billiards, he recorded a run of seventeen straight, an accomplishment expert Wille Hoppe called "remarkable. (8)
Armstrong was also a local businessman. He opened ARMSTRONG'S RECREATION PARLOR, a bowling alley, in 1929 and operated a miniature golf course along Grandview Avenue. (9) In 1930 he filed articles of incorporation for the Armstrong Amusement Corporation. Serving as president, Armstrong was associated in the business with John George CHALMERS and Edwin T. Loetscher. (10) In 1941 Armstrong was one of the delegates of the Dubuque Bowling Association to the Iowa State Bowling Tournament. (111)
In addition to success as a stock car racer, Armstrong served as the head football, basketball, and track coach at LORAS COLLEGE from 1927 to 1931.
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Source:
1. "Noted Local Athlete, John Armstrong Dies," Telegraph Herald, May 1, 1960, p. 1
2. Ibid.
3. Shaffer, James L. and Tigges, John T. Dubuque: The 20th Century Books. Online: http://books.google.com/books?id=ZvllAMUoTP8C&pg=PA23&lpg=PA23&dq=JOHN+ARMSTRONG+%28dubuque%29&source=bl&ots=SpI8EUQAuv&sig=h0xFQpzUxyZvEVdXpPrIaSY0-qU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=nNsGUtqsLITO2AXRqoGwAQ&ved=0CFAQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=JOHN%20ARMSTRONG%20%28dubuque%29&f=false
4. Wikipedia. Online: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Armstrong
5. Ibid.
6. "Noted Local Athlete..."
7. John Armstrong--http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=armstr002joh
8. "Noted Local Athlete..."
9. Hefel, Sandy. "Strikes and Splits," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 17, 1997, p. 25
10. "Corporation to Conduct Sports," Telegraph Herald and Times Journal, Oct. 3, 1930, p. 2
11. "Bowling Association Appoints Delegates," Telegraph Herald, Nov. 17, 1941, p. 9