# Dim Batterson

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American football player and coach (1881–1935)

Dim Batterson Biographical details Born (1881-10-03)October 3, 1881 Buffalo, New York, U.S. Died December 3, 1935(1935-12-03) (aged 54) Buffalo, New York, U.S. Playing career 1899–1901 Oakdales Position Fullback Coaching career (HC unless noted) 1899–1901 Oakdales c. 1920 Fosdick-Masten Park HS (NY) 1922 Buffalo 1925–1926 Buffalo Bisons/Rangers (assistant) 1927 Buffalo Bisons Head coaching record Overall 1–5 (college) 0–5 (NFL)

**George Wilder** "**Dim**" **Batterson**[n 1] (October 3, 1881 – December 3, 1935) was American [football](/source/American_football) coach for high school, college and professional teams. Batterson's ability to turn out players of All-American ability and knack of moulding Harvard Cup championship eleven at Masten Park high school in Buffalo, New York earned him the distinction of being one of the most astute scholastic coach in western New York state history.

## Playing days

At the turn of the century, in 1899, 1900 and 1901, Batterson coached and played [fullback](/source/Fullback_(American_and_Canadian_football)) for the Oakdales, a semi-pro football club from South Buffalo, New York. During that time, he was considered one of the greatest backfield men in upstate New York. Besides the Oakdales, he played with the Elmwoods, Manhattan Athletic club, Erie Athletic club, and the Pittsburgh, Detroit and Toledo professional teams.[1] Around 1905, Batterson played for the [Buffalo All-Stars](/source/Buffalo_(NFL)), an early semi-pro football team, who would later evolve into the [Buffalo All-Americans-Rangers-Bisons](/source/Buffalo_(NFL)) franchise.

## Coaching career

Batterson started his coaching career at the high school level. He won four Buffalo City High School Championships (called Harvard Cups) while coaching at [Masten Park High School](/source/Fosdick-Masten_Park_High_School) including three consecutive in 1918, 1919 and 1920.

Batterson left the high school ranks in 1922 to become the football coach at the [University at Buffalo](/source/University_at_Buffalo).[2] He lasted one year at the University winning only one game.[3]

Batterson then coached with the [Buffalo Bisons and Rangers](/source/Buffalo_(NFL)) of the early [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League). Batterson was first brought onto the team as an assistant coach by his former student at Masten Park High, [Walter Koppisch](/source/Walter_Koppisch), in 1925, and he stayed in that position in 1926. He was named the team's head coach at the start of the [1927 NFL season](/source/1927_NFL_season) and was the first head coach in the team's history not to be a [player-coach](/source/Player-coach).[4] Unfortunately, the 1927 season was a disaster. Financial woes plagued the team from the start. The team lost 5 consecutive starts, bowing to Pottsville, 22 to 0; Providence, 5 to 0; New York Yankees, 19 to 8 and Frankford Yellowjackets twice, 54 to 0 and 23 to 0. After the 5th straight humiliating defeat, Batterson resigned and the team disbanded.[5] Batterson never coached in the NFL again leaving his career coaching record at 0 won, five lost (0–5).

## Later years and honors

After retiring from coaching, Batterson was in the real estate business in the Buffalo suburb of [Tonawanda, New York](/source/Tonawanda_(city)%2C_New_York). He died at the age of 51 on December 5, 1935, in [Buffalo General Hospital](/source/Buffalo_General_Hospital) due to complications from a hernia surgery.[6]

He was elected to Harvard Cup Hall of Fame in 2002.[7]

## Head coaching record

### College

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Buffalo Bisons (Independent) (1922) 1922 Buffalo 1–5 Buffalo: 1–5 Total: 1–5

### Professional

Team Year Regular season Postseason Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result BUF 1927 0 5 0 .000 12th in NFL – – – – BUF Total 0 5 0 .000 – – – – NFL Total[8] 0 5 0 .000 – – – – Total 0 5 0 .000 – – – –

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** A few sources have Batterson's name spelled as "Dim Patterson" with a P; this is a mistake. The mistake likely stems from confusion with Warren D. Patterson, a Buffalo area shoe salesman who, at the time, was part-owner, general manager, and president of the [Buffalo Bisons](/source/Buffalo_team_(NFL)). Other sources list his name as "Jim Batterson" with a J; this is also a mistake. This most likely stems from confusion over his "Dim" nickname.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** "'Dim' Batterson Takes Post on Central 'Y' Physical Staff.," *Buffalo Evening News,* Buffalo, NY - December 17, 1925.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** "George W. Batterson To Coach 1922 U. of B. Football Team.," *Buffalo Evening News,* Buffalo, NY - August 4, 1922.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** "[1922 Buffalo Football](http://library.buffalo.edu/ub-sports/mens-sports/football/1922-buffalo-football/)," *University at Buffalo Sports History Collection* - September 7, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** "'Dim' Batterson Will Direct 1927 Bison Pro Grid Eleven.," *Buffalo Evening News,* Buffalo, NY - August 3, 1927.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** "Buffalo Pro Eleven Disbands; All Players Given Release.," *Buffalo Evening News,* Buffalo, NY - October 18, 1927.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** "George Batterson Dies.," *Union-Sun & Journal,* Lockport, NY - December 4, 1935.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** "Harvard Cup Hall Names First Class.," *Buffalo News,* Buffalo, NY - August 23, 2002.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Dim Batterson Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks - Pro-Football-Reference.com"](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/BattDi0.htm). *Pro-Football-Reference.com*.

v t e Buffalo All-Americans / Bisons / Rangers head coaches Tommy Hughitt (1920–1924) Walter Koppisch (1925) Jim Kendrick (1926) Dim Batterson (1927) Suspended operations (1928) Al Jolley (1929)

v t e Buffalo Bulls head football coaches No coach (1894–1896) C. W. Dibble (1897) No coach (1898) Bemus Pierce (1899) No coach (1900–1902) Ray Turnbull (1903) No team (1904–1914) Frank Mount Pleasant (1915) Art Powell (1916–1921) Dim Batterson (1922) James Bond (1923) Russ Carrick (1924–1928) Jay L. Lee (1929–1930) William Pritchard (1931) James B. Wilson (1932–1933) George Van Bibber (1934–1935) Jim Peele (1936–1942) No team (1943–1945) Jim Peele (1946–1947) Frank Clair (1948–1949) James B. Wilson (1950–1951) Fritz Febel (1952–1954) Dick Offenhamer (1955–1965) Doc Urich (1966–1968) Bob Deming (1969–1970) No team (1971–1976) Bill Dando (1977–1989) Sam Sanders (1990–1991) Jim Ward (1992–1994) Craig Cirbus (1995–2000) Jim Hofher (2001–2005) Turner Gill (2006–2009) Jeff Quinn (2010–2014) Alex Wood # (2014) Lance Leipold (2015–2020) Maurice Linguist (2021–2023) Pete Lembo (2024– ) # denotes interim head coach

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