Herb Joesting

American football player and coach (1905–1963)

Herbert Walter Joesting (April 17, 1905 – October 1, 1963) was an American football player and coach. He was a consensus All American fullback while playing for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in both 1926 and 1927. He also played three seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.

Joesting was born in Little Falls, Minnesota, He became known as the "Owatonna Thunderbolt".

Joesting enrolled at the University of Minnesota in 1924 and played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team from 1925 to 1927. As a junior in 1926, he rushed for 962 yards in eight games and led the Big Ten Conference in scoring with 13 touchdowns and 78 points. His 13 touchdowns also tied Red Grange's single season record. After the 1926 season, he was voted by his teammates to be the captain of the 1927 Minnesota team. Potsy Clark called Joesting the best fullback he ever saw. Joesting won numerous honors during his time at Minnesota. He was selected as a consensus fullback on the 1926 and 1927 College Football All America Teams. He also won first team All Big Ten Conference honors for three consecutive years in 1925, 1926, and 1927. He was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954, the Helms Foundation Football Hall of Fame in 1961, and the University of Minnesota Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.

After leaving the University of Minnesota, Joesting played professional basketball in 1928 with the field artillery basketball team of Minneapolis. In 1929, he joined the Minneapolis Red Jackets as player coach, leading the team to a 1–9 record. In 1930, he was traded to the Frankford Yellow Jackets. He played for Frankford and the Chicago Bears in 1931 and finished his career with the Bears in 1932.

In 1930, Joesting began a career, interrupted by leaves to play professional football, with the Minnesota Department of Motor Vehicles, becoming supervisor of deputy registrars in 1952.