ARMSTRONG, John

ARMSTRONG, John. (Nickerson, NE-Dubuque, IA, Apr. 29, 1960). Athlete. Armstrong, named to Iowa's Sports Hall of Fame in 1951, 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. Armstrong came to Dubuque in 1918 to attend the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE where he played baseball, basketball, and track. Armstrong, known as a "one-man team" for his incredible scoring ability, made the all-conference basketball team twice, all-state team in 1920, and later played four years of professional football with teammate Jim Thorpe. He also played with the national champion American Legion basketball team while attending Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Armstrong played baseball at the college, semi-pro and professional levels, but rejected an opportunity to try out for the major leagues because it would mean leaving Dubuque. After his football and baseball careers, he took up golf and won the city championship several times. A bowling alley he opened in 1929 later burned. 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.