Jack Faber

American sports coach and microbiologist (1903–1994)

John Edgar Faber Jr. (January 13, 1903 – January 14, 1994) was an American microbiologist and college football and lacrosse coach at the University of Maryland. Faber served as the Maryland lacrosse coach from 1928 to 1963, during which time he compiled a 249–57 record and secured numerous national and conference championships. Faber was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1963. He coached the Maryland football team in 1935 and again, as a co head coach alongside Al Heagy and Al Woods, from 1940 to 1941. He compiled a 12–13–4 record in football.

Faber was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on January 13, 1903, and attended Central High School in Washington, D. C. He then went on to college at the University of Maryland, where he played on the Maryland lacrosse team, earning letters in 1926 and 1927, and the basketball team, earning letters from 1924 to 1927. The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) named Faber an honorable mention All American as an inside attackman in 1926 and a third team All American at the out home position in 1927.

From the University of Maryland, Faber earned a B. S. in 1926, a M. S. in 1928, and a Ph. D. in bacteriology in 1937. In 1945, he was appointed the head of his alma mater's Department of Microbiology, a position he held for 18 years. During World War II, Faber joined the United States Army and served from 1942 to 1946, attaining the rank of major. with the former running the offense and the latter the defense. In 1936, Faber led Maryland to capture the first Wingate Memorial Trophy, the national championship bestowed by the USILA. The following year, they shared the title with Princeton. In the inaugural North South Senior All Star Game in 1940, Faber coached the South team, which lost to the North team coached by Princeton's William F. Logan, 6–5. He also coached all star teams in 1946 and 1956. In 1959, Maryland finished with a 10–1 mark as USILA co champions alongside Army and Johns Hopkins, and Faber was named the USILA Coach of the Year. Faber also served on the football staff. He became the assistant field coach under Curly Byrd in 1933. In 1930, Faber enticed Bosey Berger, Maryland's first basketball All American, to join the football team with the promise of free late night dining hall meals. In 1935, Faber took over as head coach when Byrd was promoted to university president. Faber continued to employ his predecessor's pass oriented "Byrd system" and hired Richmond head coach Frank Dobson as an assistant. Despite facing "an almost suicidal schedule", Faber's veteran team led by back Bill Guckeyson compiled a 7–2–2 record to finish in third place in the Southern Conference. The coaching trio was subsequently replaced by Clark Shaughnessy, who two seasons prior had orchestrated a remarkable one year turnaround at Stanford using a revolutionary version of the T formation. Faber also spent time as an assistant basketball coach at Maryland, and in 1932, filled in for head coach Burton Shipley who had fallen ill. Faber served two terms as a president of the ACC. He survived his wife of 62 years, Olyure née Hammack, who died in 1992. Faber died of pneumonia two years later on January 14, 1994, and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery. In 2003, Maryland established the Faber Memorial Men's Lacrosse Scholarship Endowment Fund through the Maryland Educational Foundation, Inc. to award scholarships to men's lacrosse players.