Truman State University Athletics

Fred Schwengel attended the university from 1926 to 1930. He played football and was all-conference tackle in 1929 and 1930 and was Little All-American (for small schools) in 1930. "I think they gave me all conference honors because I had the most to learn about football. At Scheffield, Iowa I was a basketball and trackman, I had never seen a football before coming to Truman. I turned down a scholarship to Northwest because they wanted me to play football, but when I got to Truman and went to see about a job that they had offered me Coach Faurot told me I had to play football to get it. I told him I had never seen a football before and when he showed one to me I said 'That sure is a funny looking ball'. I had one day of practice before I played my first day. I then started to like football so much that I totally discarded basketball which I at first thought I would be a star in." Fred competed in track all four year at the university and was captain of the team in 1930, the first time Truman had won a conference track championship. During his senior year, competing in the shot and discus he beat Vernon Kennedy (All-American) who was a track decathlon man in the Olympics. Kennedy beat him all four years until the conference meet when he beat Kennedy. His win received a lot of media coverage at that time because Kennedy was an Olympian. Fred also ran the 440, 200 and some relays. This conference meet performance was the highlight of his track career. Fred went on to be the coach at Shelbina and Kirksville. He was congressman for the 1st district in Iowa for 16 years and was President of the U. S. Capitol Historical Society.