Guy L. Rathbun

Guy L. Rathbun

Rathbun pictured in Wallulah 1925, Willamette University yearbook
Biographical details
Died	(1954-01-22)January 22, 1954 Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1908	Beloit Academy (WI)
1910–1916	Beatrice HS (NE)
1917–1919	Indiana (assistant)
1920–1922	Oregon Agricultural (line)
1923–1925	Willamette
1927–1928	Sheridan HS (WY)
1929–1930	Billings Polytechnic
1932–1933	Intermountain Union
1934–1936	Spokane Junior College
Basketball
1923–1926	Willamette
1934–1937	Spokane Junior College
Baseball
1918	Indiana
1922	Oregon Agricultural
Track and field
c. 1908	Beloit
Wrestling
1918–1919	Indiana
1921–1923	Oregon Agricultural
Swimming
c. 1921–1923	Oregon Agricultural
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1927–1929	Sheridan HS (WY)
1929–1931	Billings Polytechnic
1932–1934	Intermountain Union
1934–1937	Spokane Junior College

Guy L. Rathbun (? – January 22, 1954) was an American football, basketball, baseball, track and field, swimming, and wrestling coach, and athletics administrator. Rathbun began his career a YMCA physical director in Wisconsin and Nebraska. He held coaching positions at Indiana University (now known as Indiana University Bloomington), Oregon Agricultural College (now known as Oregon State University), Willamette University, Billings Polytechnic Institute, Intermountain Union College, and Spokane Junior College.

Coaching career

A native of Marinette, Wisconsin, Rathbun was physical director and assistant secretary of the YMCA in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, in 1907, when he was offered a position to take charge of government YMCA work in the Panama Canal Zone. He turned down the offer in Panama and accepted a job as physical director of the YMCA in Beloit, Wisconsin. In 1908, Rathbun coached the football team at Beloit Academy. Around this time, he also coached the track team at Beloit College. In 1909, he moved to Beatrice, Nebraska, to become physical director of the YMCA there. In Beatrice, Rathbun also coached at Beatrice High School, where he mentored Red Rutherford in football. He left Beatrice in 1917 to become an assistant coach at Indiana University—now known as Indiana University Bloomington—under Ewald O. Stiehm.

At Indiana, Rathbun coached the Indiana Hoosiers baseball team in the spring of 1918, leading the team to an overall record of 9–7 with a mark of 0–5 in conference play, placing eighth in the Big Ten Conference. He left Indiana in 1920, and reunited with Rutherford at Oregon Agricultural College (OAC)—now known as Oregon State University. Rathbun assisted Rutherford in coaching the Oregon Agricultural Aggies football team. He served as line coach for the football team at (OAC), and coached swimming, wrestling, and baseball.

In 1923, Rathbun succeeded Roy Bohler as physical director at Willamette University. He led the Willamette Bearcats football team to a record of 5–17–2 in three seasons, from 1923 to 1925. Rathbun resigned from his post at Willamette in 1926. A year later, Rathbun was appointed athletic director at Sheridan High School in Sheridan, Wyoming.

In 1929, Rathbun went to Billings Polytechnic Institute in Billings Montana as director of physical education and athletics. His football teams lost only one game in two seasons. Rathbun resigned from his position at Billings Polytechnic in 1931. The following year, he was hired as athletic director at Intermountain Union College in Helena, Montana. There he also coached the football team. In 1934, Rathbun was appointed director of physical education and athletics at Spokane Valley Junior College—later known as Spokane Junior College—in Spokane, Washington. He coached football and basketball at the school before resigning in 1937.

Later life and death

Rathbun later booked appearances in the Pacific Northwest for the House of David baseball team and the Harlem Globetrotters. He also served the Spokane's men's employment bureau. He died on January 22, 1954, at his home in Spokane.

Head coaching record

College football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Willamette Bearcats (Northwest Conference) (1923–1925)
1923	Willamette	2–5–1	0–3	9th
1924	Willamette	1–5–1	0–3–1	10th
1925	Willamette	2–7	0–4	10th
Willamette:		5–17–2	0–10–1
Total: