Frank W. Cavanaugh was an American college football coach of the old school. Francis William Cavanaugh (1876-1933) was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on April 28th, 1876 to Patrick Cavanaugh and Ann O'Brien Cavanaugh, both Irish immigrants. A star football player in high school, Cavanaugh later attended Dartmouth where he continued to excel at the game. In 1898 Cavanaugh left Dartmouth to accept a job at the University of Cincinnati, the first in a series of increasingly successful coaching positions he would hold until his untimely death in 1933. After a year in Cincinnati, Cavanaugh headed west for a three-year stint with the Denver Athletic Club. Returning to Worcester, he coached at Worcester High School, Worcester Academy and at Holy Cross. Cavanaugh had left Dartmouth without graduating, but after returning to Worcester he found time to study law at Boston College. In spite of obtaining a law degree in 1903, Cavanaugh's commitment to practicing his profession apparently remained on the football field. A turning point in his career came in 1911 when Cavanaugh was hired to lead Dartmouth's Big Green. Cavanaugh served as head coach at Dartmouth until 1916. During this period he built a solid reputation, leading the Big Green to an impressive 42-9-3 record over six seasons. In spite of his accomplishments at Dartmouth, Cavanaugh was forced to resign with a year left on his contract, reportedly owing to differences with the administration regarding the future direction of football at the college. The following year would reveal as much about Cavanaugh's character as any game on any field in any season. When the United States of America entered the ongoing war in Europe, Francis William Cavanaugh, a husband and father and forty-one years of age, joined the army and marched off to France. "Cav" Cavanaugh quickly rose through the ranks. On October 23rd, 1918, while in command of the 2nd Battalion of the 102nd Field Artillery, Captain Cavanaugh was grievously wounded when an enemy artillery shell struck his command dugout. Cavanaugh would leave the war with the rank of Major. After the war Cavanaugh spent a year coaching in Omaha, Nebraska before returning to Massachusetts, where he was named head coach at Boston College. Beginning in 1919, the year which saw publication of Inside Football, Cavanaugh led the Boston College Eagles to an eight season record of 48-14-5. After his tenure at Boston College, Cavanaugh would go on to coach the Fordham Rams with a record of 34-14-4 during the years 1927-1932. Over a 24 year career in college football, Cavanaugh's record was 145-48-17, a career average of .731 percent. Toward the end of 1932, failing health and loss of vision due to shrapnel wounds suffered during the war would force Cavanaugh to retire from the field. He died at home, surrounded by his family, on August 29th, 1933, and was buried at St. John's Cemetery in Worcester. Cavanaugh's life and career were depicted in the 1943 Hollywood film, "The Iron Major," starring the popular 20th century Irish-American actor Pat O'Brien in the title role. Coach Frank W. Cavanaugh was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.