{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox college coach | name = J. Wilder Tasker | image = J. Wilder Tasker.jpg | alt = | caption = Tasker pictured in ''The Colonial Echo 1924'', William & Mary yearbook | birth_date = {{Birth date|1887|6|25}} | birth_place = Richmond, Maine, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|1974|3|14|1887|6|25}} | death_place = Kilmarnock, Virginia, U.S. | alma_mater = | player_sport1 = Football | player_years2 = 1907–1911 | player_team2 = Syracuse | player_years3 = 1912–1913 | player_team3 = Union (NY) | player_positions = | coach_sport1 = Football | coach_years2 = 1921–1922 | coach_team2 = Connecticut | coach_years3 = 1924–1927 | coach_team3 = William & Mary | coach_years4 = 1931–1937 | coach_team4 = Rutgers | coach_sport5 = Basketball | coach_years6 = 1921–1923 | coach_team6 = Connecticut | coach_years7 = 1923–1928 | coach_team7 = William & Mary | coach_sport8 = Baseball | coach_years9 = 1922–1923 | coach_team9 = Connecticut | coach_years10 = 1924–1928 | coach_team10 = William & Mary | coach_years11 = 1932–1937 | coach_team11 = Rutgers | admin_years1 = 1923–1928 | admin_team1 = William & Mary | overall_record = 67–52–11 (football)<br>66–49 (basketball)<br>88–108–4 (baseball) | bowl_record = | tournament_record = | championships = Football<br>1 Virginia Conference (1927)<br>4 Middle Three (1932–1935)<br><br>Basketball<br>1 Virginia Conference (1928) | awards = | coaching_records = }} '''Joshua Wilder Tasker''' (June 25, 1887 – March 14, 1974) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at Connecticut Agricultural College—now known as the University of Connecticut—from 1921 to 1922, the College of William & Mary from 1923 to 1927, and Rutgers University from 1931 to 1937, compiling a career college football record of 67–52–11. Wilder was also the head basketball coach at Connecticut from 1921 to 1923 and William & Mary from 1923 to 1928, tallying a career college basketball mark of 66–49. In addition he served as the head baseball coach at Connecticut (1922–1923), William & Mary (1924–1928), and Rutgers (1932–1937), amassing a career college baseball record of 88–108–4.
==Coaching career== Tasker became athletic coach at Connecticut Agricultural College—now known as the University of Connecticut—in 1921.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=New Coach At Connecticut Aggie Is Now In Charge |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107988492/hartford-courant/ |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |date=September 22, 1921 |page=17 |access-date=August 20, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}</ref> He resigned as coach at Connecticut in January 1923.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Tasker Quits as Athletic Coach at Storrs, "Spud" Drew Considered as Likely Successor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107986263/hartford-courant/ |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |date=January 6, 1923 |page=10 |access-date=August 20, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}</ref> Connecticut's athletic director, Roy J. Guyer, took over coaching of the Connecticut Aggies men's basketball team.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Tasker Resigns; Hunt Is after His Berth |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107986137/the-bridgeport-telegram/ |newspaper=The Bridgeport Telegram |location=Bridgeport, Connecticut |date=January 14, 1923 |page=6 |access-date=August 20, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}</ref>
In March 1923, Tasker was hired at athletic director and coach at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Noted Syracuse Star Signs As Indian Athletic Director |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107988712/the-times-dispatch/ |newspaper=Richmond Times-Dispatch |location=Richmond, Virginia |date=March 29, 1923 |page=10 |access-date=August 20, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}</ref>
==Later life and death== After leaving from coaching, Tasker ran an insurance business in Orange, New Jersey. He retired in the 1960s and moved to Kilmarnock, Virginia, where he died at his home on March 14, 1974.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=J. Wilder Tasker, 88, Ex-Rutgers grid coach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99734011/obituary-for-j-wilder-tasker-aged-71/ |newspaper=The Home News |location=New Brunswick, New Jersey |date=March 15, 1974 |page=38 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}</ref>
==Head coaching record== ===Football=== {{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Connecticut Aggies | conf = Athletic League of New England State Colleges | startyear = 1921 | endyear = 1922 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1921 | name = Connecticut | overall = 3–2–3 | conference = 0–2 | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1922 | name = Connecticut | overall = 2–6–1 | conference = 0–3 | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Connecticut | overall = 5–8–4 | confrecord = 0–5 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = William & Mary Indians | conf = Independent | startyear = 1923 | endyear = 1926 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = Independent | year = 1923 | name = William & Mary | overall = 7–3 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1924 | name = William & Mary | overall = 5–2–1 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1925 | name = William & Mary | overall = 7–4 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1926 | name = William & Mary | overall = 7–3 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = William & Mary Indians | conf = Virginia Conference | startyear = 1927 | endyear = single }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1927 | name = William & Mary | overall = 4–5–1 | conference = 2–0–1 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = William and Mary | overall = 30–17–2 | confrecord = 2–0–1 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Rutgers Queensmen | conf = Middle Three Conference | startyear = 1931 | endyear = 1937 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1931 | name = Rutgers | overall = 4–3–1 | conference = 1–1 | confstanding = 2nd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1932 | name = Rutgers | overall = 6–3–1 | conference = 2–0 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1933 | name = Rutgers | overall = 6–3–1 | conference = 2–0 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1934 | name = Rutgers | overall = 5–3–1 | conference = 2–0 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1935 | name = Rutgers | overall = 4–5 | conference = 2–0 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1936 | name = Rutgers | overall = 1–6–1 | conference = 0–1 | confstanding = T–2nd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1937 | name = Rutgers | overall = 5–4 | conference = 1–1 | confstanding = 2nd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Rutgers | overall = 31–27–5 | confrecord = 10–3 }} {{CFB Yearly Record End | overall = 66–52–11 | bowls = no | poll = no | polltype = }}
===Basketball=== {{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | conference = | postseason = | poll = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Connecticut Aggies | conference = Athletic League of New England State Colleges |startyear = 1921 | endyear = 1923 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1921–22 | name = Connecticut | overall = 15–4 | conference = 6–1 | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 1922–23 | name = Connecticut | overall = 0–1{{#tag:ref|Tasker resigned in January 1923 after the first game of the season, before the start of conference play. Roy J. Guyer coached the remainder of the season. Connecticut finished 8–7 overall and 2–1 in conference play|group=n|name=1922–23season}} | conference = 0–0<ref name=1922–23season group=n/> | confstanding = <ref name=1922–23season group=n/> | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Connecticut | overall = 15–5 | confrecord = 6–1 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = William & Mary Indians | conference = Virginia Conference | startyear = 1923 | endyear = 1928 }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1923–24 | name = William & Mary | overall = 8–16 | conference = 3–8 | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1924–25 | name = William & Mary | overall = 13–6 | conference = 7–2 | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1925–26 | name = William & Mary | overall = 8–9 | conference = 3–3 | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1926–27 | name = William & Mary | overall = 7–8 | conference = 4–4 | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = conference | season = 1927–28 | name = William & Mary | overall = 15–5 | conference = 9–0 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = William & Mary | overall = 51–44 | confrecord = 26–17 }} {{CBB Yearly Record End | overall = 66–49 }}
===Baseball=== The following table depicts Tasker's record as head baseball coach at Connecticut.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/conn/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2017-18/misc_non_event/2018bsbmediaguide.pdf|title=2018 Baseball Media Guide|publisher=uconnhuskies.com|access-date=April 1, 2018|pages=40, 59|archive-date=April 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402101226/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/conn/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2017-18/misc_non_event/2018bsbmediaguide.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{CBB yearly record start|type=Coach}} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|name=Connecticut Aggies|conference=no|startyear=1922|endyear=1923}} {{CBB yearly record entry|championship=|season=1922|name=Connecticut|overall=8–9|conference=|confstanding=|postseason=}} {{CBB yearly record entry|championship=|season=1923|name=Connecticut|overall=4–9|conference=|confstanding=|postseason=}} {{CBB yearly record end|overall=12–18|legend=no}}
==Notes== {{Reflist|group=n}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Find a Grave}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tasker, J. Wilder}} Category:1887 births Category:1974 deaths Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights baseball coaches Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights football coaches Category:Syracuse Orangemen baseball players Category:Syracuse Orange football players Category:UConn Huskies baseball coaches Category:UConn Huskies football coaches Category:UConn Huskies men's basketball coaches Category:Union Garnet Chargers baseball players Category:Union Garnet Chargers football players Category:William & Mary Tribe athletic directors Category:William & Mary Tribe baseball coaches Category:William & Mary Tribe football coaches Category:William & Mary Tribe men's basketball coaches Category:High school baseball coaches in the United States Category:High school basketball coaches in New York (state) Category:High school football coaches in New York (state) Category:People from Richmond, Maine Category:Basketball coaches from Maine Category:20th-century American sportsmen