Saxe, Michael

Michael A. Saxe

Saxe played basketball at the University of Pennsylvania during the first decade of the 20th century and later became the first basketball coach for Villanova University. He also coached LaSalle College in Philadelphia. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School (1910), Saxe served in the U.S. Army during World War I.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. unknown - d. May 26, 1955

Career Highlights:
As a schoolboy in Philadelphia, Saxe played forward for Central High School and captained the basketball team in 1906. That year, Central played Clinton High School of New York in one of the earliest high school inter-city competitions in basketball history. The game, won by Clinton, was noted in the New York Times because during the first half, Saxe was knocked unconscious when he "came in violent conflict with a piece of gymnasium apparatus on the side lines." (New York Times, February 23, 1906). Michael scored five points in the game before his injury. One of his opponents on the Clinton team was future NYU star Joe Girsdansky.

After leading Penn to the Ivy League title in 1908 (23-4 record, 8-0 in conference) as a player, Saxe became Villanova University's first basketball coach, compiling a 64-30 record from 1921-1926. He never had a losing season for the Wildcats, and his best season was 1925, when his team posted a near-perfect record of 10-1.

Origin:
unknown

Career Dates:
Saxe played at the University of Pennsylvania from 1908-1910. He later coached at Villanova from 1921-1926.

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