George P. Dahlberg, best known as Jiggs Dahlberg, was born April 21, 1900, in Butte, Montana. He was educated at the State University at Missoula (now The University of Montana-Missoula), where he played both football and basketball and earned six varsity letters. Dahlberg graduated in 1925. He went on to coach Grizzly basketball for 18 years (1937-1942 and 1944-1955), leading the team to 222 wins. He achieved more wins and coached for more years than anyone in the history of Grizzly basketball. Dahlberg then served as the Grizzly athletic director for 16 years (1955-70).
Dahlberg started the athletic department’s fundraising arm in 1955 with the UM Century Club, which became the Grizzly Athletic Association (now the Grizzly Scholarship Association). Dahlberg was also an avid Grizzly sports historian. He created the Red Book, a handwritten compilation of statistics, rosters, and pertinent information for each season of Grizzly athletics from 1897 to 1980.
Dahlberg received the title of professor emeritus from UM's Department of Health and Human Performance, the Grizzly Sports Hall of Fame inducted Dahlberg in 1993, and the arena in UM's Adams Center is named in his honor. He died September 18, 1993.
While George P. Dahlberg is best known in Missoula, Montana, as a University basketball coach, this collection holds his handwritten reminiscence of his early years in Butte, his stories about family members, a Dahlberg genealogy page, family photographs and photo album, and a 1977 program for "Jiggs Dahlberg Night" at a University basketball game.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transfered to The University of Montana-Missoula.
[Name of document or photograph number], Jiggs Dahlberg Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
Chain of ownership of this collection is unknown.
Donor and date of donation of this collection to the Archives is unknown.
Papers related to the Detroit police service of James McDonnell, originally filed with the Dahlberg papers, were deaccessioned to the Detroit City Public Libarry.
This archives also holds OH 191, oral history interviews with Jiggs Dahlberg done by Dave Guffey in 1987. The University of Montana Athletic Department holds Dahlberg's Red Book, a handwritten compilation of statistics, rosters, and pertinent information for Grizzly athletics from 1897 to 1980.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.