CWRU Athletics

Frank Van Horn was a geology professor at Case Institute ofTechnology in 1900 when he was chosen to improve a poor sportsprogram, which consisted of football and basketball. He had noexperience in athletics and was given virtually no budget, butsomehow he raised $3,000 and hired his first football coach, JoeWentworth. What followed were six of the greatest seasons in CIThistory with four Ohio championships. Amongst the defeated wereOhio State, Purdue and Western Reserve. In the 1920s, Van Hornbuilt a football stadium with the finest grandstand in the Midwest,and the field was later named in his honor. He personally raised$35,000 to buy an old church near the campus and converted it intoa gymnasium complete with pool and clubhouse. It enabled Case tobegin varsity programs for basketball, swimming and wrestling.