George Munger

 George Munger was born in Elkins Park (Philadelphia suburb), Pennsylvania in 1909.  In 1928 and 1929, he was captain of his Episcopal Academy (Overbrook section of Philadelphia) football team.  

Munger played halfback for the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) American football team from 1930 to 1932.  After graduating from Penn in 1933, he taught mathematics and religion at Episcopal Academy.  

In 1936, Munger was hired as the freshman football coach at Penn.  In 1938, he was promoted to be Penn's head football coach.  Munger remained the head coach for 16 years before stepping down after the 1953 season.

Munger's record was 82 wins, 42 losses and 10 ties, a winning percentage of 65%.  "His Penn teams finished ranked among the top ten college football teams in the United States on three occasions, including a No. 7 ranking in 1947 and a No. 8 ranking in 1945."  

"Munger's 1947 team finished with an undefeated 7–0–1 record and outscored opponents 219 to 35. The 1947 team shut out both Navy and Cornell by identical scores of 21–0, and its only setback was a 7–7 tie with Army."

"During the Munger era, Penn regularly drew crowds of 75,000 to home games at Franklin Field. Munger's teams led the nation in attendance between 1938 and 1942 with 1.78 million fans." 

"After resigning as the football coach, Munger served as the director of physical education at Penn from 1954 to 1974."

When I matriculated at Penn in 1963, I discovered there was a swimming requirement for a student to graduate.  One had to swim the length of an Olympic size pool.  I didn't even try.  I postponed the inevitable.

Three years later as a senior at Penn, I again faced the swimming requirement.  I went to the office of the director of physical education, George Munger.

When I entered his office, I recognized the man who was a legend in Penn football.  Unabashed, I asked for an exemption to the swimming requirement as I had signed up to take private swimming classes over the summer in Oswego.

A kind, understanding man, Munger quickly granted me a waiver to the swimming requirement.  As a result, I graduated on time in May 1967.  

I quit my swimming classes after the very first class.  It was in an unheated outdoor pool.  

I am forever grateful to George Munger.  He died of heart failure in 1994.