Eddie Kimball

Edwin “Eddie” Roberts Kimball was an American coach of football and basketball, and was a college athletics administrator.

Kimball was born on October 25, 1903, in Logan, Utah. He was raised on ranches in St. David, Arizona, and Widtsoe, Utah. He attended high school in Sandy, Utah, after his family moved to Draper, Utah, in 1918. He then attended Brigham Young University where he obtained a degree in accounting. He later earned a master’s degree from the University of Southern California and a doctorate in education from the University of Oregon.

He taught school and coached sports in Fillmore, Utah (1926–27), in Moab (1927–30), and at Jordan High School (1930–35). He joined the BYU faculty in 1935 as a freshman coach and also taught accounting.

Kimball was heavily involved with BYU athletics for nearly 50 years and was sometimes referred to as “Mr. BYU.” He served as BYU's head football coach twice. The first time was from 1937 to 1941 and then again from 1946 to 1948, taking time off to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. He served as Director of Recreation, Survival and General Welfare for the United States Pacific Fleet. His air/sea rescue programs are credited with saving the lives of 9,000 Navy pilots and returning them to fly again. He received two Navy commendation ribbons and was an Honorary Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy.[1]

He was also the BYU head basketball coach from 1935 to 1936 and from 1938 to 1941. Kimball was named Mountain States Conference Coach of the Year in 1938 and 1941. He was also BYU’s athletic director from 1937 to 1963. He was the president of the Western State Coaches Association in 1939–1940 and was physical fitness advisor to President Dwight Eisenhower.

Kimball was inducted into four halls of fame: the National Football Hall of Fame, the Utah Sports Hall of Fame (1971), the BYU Hall of Fame (1975), and the Athletic Directors Hall of Fame.

He passed away in December 26, 1990. He and his wife Althea Ashby Kimball had two sons and three daughters. After her death in 1973, he married Farel Chamberlain in 1977. He is a great-grandson of Heber C. Kimball and was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.