Don Shula

Who they were

Donald Francis Shula was an American football defensive back and coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1963 to 1995. The head coach of the Miami Dolphins for most of his career, Shula is the NFL's winningest head coach at 347 career victories and 328 regular season victories. He is regarded as one of the greatest head coaches of all time.

Early life

Educated at: Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, and Harvey High School.

Early life Shula was born on January 4, 1930, in Grand River, Ohio , a small town along the Lake Erie shore in the northeastern part of the state. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] His parents, Dan and Mary Shula (Dénes Süle and Mary Miller), [ 3 ] [ 4 ] were of Hungarian origin, having immigrated when they were children. [ 5 ] Shula's father Dan worked for $9 a week at a rose nursery and saved up to buy the small house where Shula spent his early childhood.

Path and career

Awards / honours: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year, and honorary doctor of the University of Miami.

Why this date

Don Shula appears on our May 4 calendar for 2020 as a death entry.