Joseph Pipal

Joseph Amos Pipal (January 18, 1874 – August 10, 1955) was an American football, basketball, and track and field coach and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Doane College in 1902, Bellevue College from 1903 to 1904, Huron College (later known as Huron University) in 1905, Dickinson College in 1907, the University of South Dakota in 1910, Occidental College from 1911 to 1915 and 1921 to 1923, and Oregon Agricultural College (now known as Oregon State University) from 1916 to 1917. Pipal was credited with devising lateral pass and mud cleats for football shoes. In 1934, he wrote a book titled The Lateral Pass: Technique and Strategy.

Early life and playing career

Born in Zachotín, Austria-Hungary, Pipal attended Newark Academy in New Jersey before going to Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin, where competed in football and track and field.

Coaching career

Pipal began his coaching career in 1902 as the football coach at Doane College—now known as Doane University—in Crete, Nebraska. In 1903, he went to Bellevue College in Bellevue, Nebraska as physical director, and coach of football, baseball, and track. Two years later, in 1905, he was appointed professor of physical culture at Huron College—later known as Huron University—in Huron, South Dakota.

After attending the University of Chicago, where he studied athletics under Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pipal was hired as the physical director at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Oregon Agricultural

In 1916, Pipal took over as the head coach of Oregon State Beavers football, known then as Oregon Agricultural College.