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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Sep '97
John Edward Sauer No. 15964 Class of 1946
Died 4 March 1996 at Oakwood, Ohio, aged 70 years. Interment:
Woodland Cemetery, Dayton, Ohio.
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John was born 31 August 1925 in Dayton, Ohio. At
Oakwood High in Dayton, John played basketball, baseball and
track but he excelled even more in tennis, with state ranking
and football, as the state leading scorer and All State halfback.
He attended Miami of Ohio for a semester before joining the Class
of 1946 on 1 July 1943.
John was the pride of the runts, perhaps the best
athlete for his size ever to play for Army. He played tennis,
baseball, basketball and football. In the 1944 59-0 defeat of
Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium, John had one of his best games,
intercepting three passes in one quarter. He had no problems
with cadet life and graduated a second lieutenant in the Infantry.
In those days after the end of W.W.II, the services
still fielded football teams and the competition between commands
was intense. While attending the Infantry Basic Officer's Course,
as tailback of the Fort Benning Doughboys, John was the leading
service ground gainer and led the Doughboys to the Service Championship.
From Fort Benning, John was assigned to West Point were he became
Assistant and then Backfield Coach for Army. It was during this
period that John married Jeanne Rodier on 30 December 1948. In
1950, John decided to leave the Army and pursue a career in coaching.
He started as Offensive Backfield Coach at the University of
Florida and then took the same job with the Los Angeles Rams.
In 1955, he became Head Coach and Athletic Director, The Citadel.
In 1957, John decided to leave full time coaching
and join a commercial real estate firm headed by his father.
He took over the firm in 1976. In addition to that business,
John became a Director, The Ohio State Life Insurance Co.; Director,
Farmers New World Life and Director, Farmers Group, Inc.
His entrance into the business world did not end
his participation in football. This he continued on two tracks.
One, he began part time coaching and scouting. He scouted for
the Rams and Vikings and from 1959 to 1965 was Offensive Coordinator
and then Defensive Coordinator for Otto Graham coaching the College
All Stars. He was the Defensive Coordinator when the All Stars
beat Green Bay for the last All Star victory. In 1967 and 68,
John was Head Coach for the All Stars and both years lost to
Vince Lombardi and the Packers.
John began his broadcasting career in 1957, hosting
a sports radio show in Dayton. In 1963, John became a CBS-TV
Football Analyst. He broadcast one Super Bowl and most of the
college bowl games. In 1974, he teamed with Bill Hillgrove to
become a Radio Analyst for University of Pittsburgh Football.
John's ability to visualize what was going on from the press
box was legendary. Lindsay Nelson in his book wrote: "Nobody
sees more from the press box than Johnny Sauer." Hillgrove
wrote: "Sauer knew football better than anybody in or out
of the business. He didn't want to know each team's game plan
before the game. He preferred to discern the game plan by watching
several series. He got out of TV because he wouldn't listen to
the young whippersnapper producers who wanted him to describe
only what was on the monitor. His style allowed him to stay with
the big picture."
After several years of failing health, John died
at his home on 4 March 1996. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne
and his son, John, Jr.
Bill Krumholtz, wrote: "We were friends for
over 40 years. He was probably the most competitive and most
programmed person I have ever known. He lived a life most men
just dream about, playing and coaching with many of the legends
of football. Someone would bring up the name of a coach, player
or even owner of a pro team and John would be able to tell you
a story of how they met and how and when they had worked together.
Over the years, I had the pleasure of meeting some of the great
names of football; Paul Brown, George Halas, Art Rooney, Pete
Rozelle, Tom Harmon, Otto Graham, Dante Lavelli, Bear Bryant
and everyone of them knew John, respected him as a friend."
Richard G. Lindsley (USNA '44) was newly elected
CEO of the Farmers Group in 1979 and John was a member of the
Board of Directors of a subsidiary and later was on the Board
of Farmers Group. They became good friends through these contacts.
Dick wrote: "As a Director, John was extremely conscientious
and from a business experience, very knowledgeable in financial
matters. He was never hesitant to express a valued opinion and
was an important contributor serving as Chairman of the Compensation
Committee on two Boards. It is very difficult to accept the fact
that Johnny is gone but Betty Lee and I will forever treasure
the memories of his superb personality, his golden voice and
and dear friendship."
John Sauer led a great life and was able to continue
being active in his true love, football, for most of that life.
He always looked back at his cadet days as some of his fondest
memories. He was proud to be a West Pointer. A loving husband
and father, he will always be remembered by family and friends
who feel privileged to have known him. The Class of 1946 joins
them in saying: "Well Done, John; Be Thou At Peace!"
'46 Memorial Article Project and his family
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