The New York Public Library earlier this year made nearly 200,000 public-domain items available online, including thousands of classic photos. Included in that trove was this nearly century-old gem of one Hugo Francis Bezdek, who spent the majority of his Hall of Fame career at Penn State. Arguably the Nittany Lions’ first great football coach, Bezdek led Penn State to a 65-30-11 record from 1918 to 1929; he also managed in Major League Baseball and the early days of the NFL. If this image is any indication, intensity was his hallmark.

—

For more on the The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

Not yet an Alumni Association member? Click here.