Ike Armstrong (1895-1983) was born in Seymour, Iowa where he played high school and college football. Armstrong is best known for his success as the coach of the University of Utah's football team. Armstrong became the coach of the Utah Utes and appointed the athletic director in 1925 and remained in that position until he decided to take the position of athletic director for the University of Minnesota in 1950.
Ike Armstrong was often called the "Rockne of the Rockies," relating his coaching success to that of Knute Rockne. Under Armstrong, the Utah Utes won several Rocky Mountain Conference titles and went undefeated in the years 1926, 1928, 1929, 1930, and 1941. Armstrong was elected to the National Football Foundation Collegiate Football Hall of Fame in 1957 and served as the supervisor of football officials for the Big Ten division before a forced retirement in 1963.
Documents in this collection include correspondence, newspaper clippings, and awards relating to Armstrong's success as the University of Utah Athletic Director. Additionally contained are some tribute items following Armstrong's passing.
The Ike Armstrong Collection is arranged beginning with documents profiling Armstrong and are followed by tribute documents to Armstrong as well as small awards and memorabilia. Final documents in the collection are oversized awards and scrapbooks.
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Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Donated by James Michael Armstrong in 2006.
Processed by Esabelle Khaosanga in 2016.
Related material are the Pearl Armstrong oral history (ACCN 0814, interview number 6-2) and
Forms part of the S.J. Quinney Outdoor Recreation Archives.
Contained in this folder is the original telegram informing Ike Armstrong of his appointment as the University of Utah athletic director.
Documents in this collection include letters to Armstrong and periodicals that refer to Armstrong's transition into the position of Athletic Director to the University of Minnesota