Loras College Athletics

• A coach for all-seasons, Dowd headed the Duhawks baseball, football and basketball squads from 1940-59.
• The all-time winningest basketball coach in school history, Dowd lead the Duhawks to a 284-168 record, including three Iowa Conference Championships and a third place finish at the National Catholic Invitational Tournament.
• On the diamond, Dowd revamped the stagnant sport on the Loras campus after a 10-year absence and guided the Duhawks to a 99-46 record and an Iowa Conference championship in 11 years as head coach.
• On the gridiron, Dowd had a 14-18 record in four seasons as head coach.
• Listed among the winningest coaches in the United States when he retired in 1959.

Stories

We were in a tight game; I was fouled just as the final horn was about to go off. I was given two free throws, one to tie and one to win. I made both free throws and we won the game. My memory is no so much that I was lucky enough to make two free throws and win the game, but what happened after the game in the locker room. I was just out of the shower and starting to get dressed when Bishop Lane came up to me and blessed me right in there in the middle of the locker room. I choose to think he blessed me for my “good character” and not for making two free throws. Whatever his reason, I appreciated being blessed by a Bishop. 

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I played J.V. games and suited for the Varsity in my freshman year. After one J.V. game I was sitting on the bench thinking I had played my game for the night. Out of the noisy gym I hear my name. I leaned forward and there was coach Dowd asking me to come by him. He said to me, “Go in there and break that press!” Holy S#$%! St. Ambrose utilized a 3-2-zone press. Three tall players had their hands up under our basket and two very quick guards patrolled behind them halfway between the half court line and the top of the free throw circle.  When I entered the game, I did break the press using all my dribbling skills I learned as a youngster at the Boys & Girls Club. That was the first time in a college game that I used all dribbling skills that I had practiced for hours and hours. I do remember that first very loud ovation as I dribbled behind my back to beat a defender and pass to a teammate. 

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We were playing a scrimmage game on Keane field. I was playing shortstop and Dick Wright (teammate), was playing leftfield. If you recall there was a steep bank in left field, which led down to the football field. One of the opposing team’s batters hit a fly ball that I swear landed on the football field. Dick ran over the bank out of sight and returned immediately and threw a perfect strike to me at second base. The runner was in his homerun trot and I will never forget the look on his face when he saw me at second base holding the ball. He was dumbfounded. I could hear Coach Dowd, “Holy Cow! What’s going on!?!” Dick Wright wasn’t the speediest on the team, but he was the smartest. He had a baseball in his back pocket for just such an occasion. I can still hear Vince to this day, “Holy Cow! What is going on!?!”