| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 15, 1910 Wellington, Kansas |
| Died | March 11, 1981 (aged 70) Lawrence, Kansas |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1946–1962 | Baker |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 87–61–4 (football) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 2 KCAC (1949, 1958) | |
Karl E. Spear (December 15, 1910 – March 11, 1981) was an American football coach and college athletic administrator. He served as the head football coach at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas for 17 seasons, from 1946 to 1962, compiling a record of 87–61–4.[1][2]
After working as head coach, Spear resigned to become the athletic director of the school.[3] He also coached other sports at Baker, including many years of success as the head golf coach.[4]
Spear died of cancer in 1981.[5]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Wildcats (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1946–1962) | |||||||||
| 1946 | Baker | 5–3–1 | 4–1–1 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1947 | Baker | 5–3–1 | 4–1–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1948 | Baker | 4–5 | 3–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1949 | Baker | 7–2 | 5–1 | 1st | |||||
| 1950 | Baker | 6–3 | 5–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1951 | Baker | 2–7 | 1–5 | 6th | |||||
| 1952 | Baker | 2–5–1 | 2–3–1 | T–4th | |||||
| 1953 | Baker | 4–5 | 3–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1954 | Baker | 3–6 | 2–5 | 6th | |||||
| 1955 | Baker | 4–5 | 4–3 | T–4th | |||||
| 1956 | Baker | 4–5 | 3–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1957 | Baker | 6–2–1 | 5–1–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1958 | Baker | 8–1 | 7–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1959 | Baker | 5–4 | 5–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1960 | Baker | 8–1 | 8–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1961 | Baker | 6–3 | 6–3 | 4th | |||||
| 1962 | Baker | 8–1 | 8–1 | 2nd | |||||
| Baker: | 87–61–4 | 75–39–4 | |||||||
| Total: | 87–61–4 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||