It would be unimaginable to induct an inaugural into the Chester County Sports Hall of Fame that did not include Dr. W. Glenn Killinger. His name is synonymous with West Chester University, where in 36 years of teaching, coaching and administration, he achieved a level of success that vaulted him into the national spotlight.

A native of Harrisburg, Killinger was a graduate of the Harrisburg Technical School. Upon learning he was too young to enlist in the military, he enrolled in Penn State in 1917 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering in 1922. He later received his master’s degree in health and physical education in 1933 from Colombia University.

As an undergraduate of Penn State, Killinger earned nine varsity letters in football, baseball, and basketball. He served as captain of both football and baseball teams.

In 1921, the triple-threat quarterback became Penn State’s first All-American football player. That same year he was honored as “Back of the Year” by no less an icon than Walter Camp.

Following his graduation from Penn State, Killinger had a brief stint at Dickinson College as head football coach before returning to Penn State as the Nittany Lions backfield coach from 1923-26. He was the lone assistant coach under Hugo Bezdek, who coached Killinger during his playing days. Following the ’26 season, he was named head football coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he remained until 1932. He spent the following season at Moravian College, where he coached football, basketball and baseball.

Killinger played professional baseball with Jersey City of the International League in 1922, and with Atlantic of the Southern Association in 1923. He then played and managed at Harrisburg, Shamokin and Williamsport of the New York-Penn League and with Allentown of the Eastern League.

From 1942-45, he served in the U.S. Navy where he earned the rank of Commander, USNR, before being honorably discharged. While in North Carolina Flight School in 1944, Killinger coached the football team to a stunning 21-14 win over the U.S. Naval Academy, which was ranked No.1 in the nation. Under his tutelage, future hall of famer Otto Graham was converted into a T-formation quarterback.

But it was in 1934 when “Killy”, as he was called by his many friends, landed at West Chester State Teachers College to begin a remarkable 36-year career, which began as a teacher in the health and physical education department. He was also the head coach for football, baseball and basketball.

Incredibly, Killinger never experienced a losing football season at West Chester. His 23-year record as Golden Rams head coach is 146-39-12, including four unbeaten teams (1945, ’47, ’52 and ’57) and six Pennsylvania State Teachers College Conference championships. Even more remarkable is that in 37 years of coaching, Killinger had but one losing season, a 1-7 record in RPI in 1927. The following season, however, his team went 7-1.

He was equally impressive as a baseball coach at West Chester, where he won 340 games in 32 years and had but one losing season.

Among his many honors, Killinger was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1964, the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1966, and the Coaches Hall of Fame by the American Association of College Baseball Coaches in 1970.

He was once quoted as saying, “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing. But you must do it within the rules; otherwise, you haven’t really won.”

Killinger died July 25, 1988 at the age of 89.

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