Devine, Aubrey 1897-1981

DEVINE, WILCOX

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 2/5/2018 at 08:44:36

The Des Moines Tribune
Des Moines, Iowa
Wednesday, December 16, 1981
Page 17, Columns 2 & 3

Devine, 84, dead; ex-Iowa grid great

Former University of Iowa football great Aubrey Devine, 84, died Tuesday in Escondido, Calif., where he had made his home.

Devine, an all-America halfback in 1921 who is a member of the all-time Hawkeye team, broke a hip a month or so ago and had been suffering from emphysema, said a niece, Audrey Wilcox, who lives in Des Moines.

Devine, born in Des Moines in 1897, starred at Iowa from 1919-1921, making the all-Big Ten Conference team all three seasons. He captained the unbeaten ’21 Hawks.

He then became an assistant coach to the legendary Howard Jones at Southern California when Jones left Iowa to go West.

Devine moved back to Des Moines in the late 1950s and became head of the Veterans Administration’s legal department in Iowa.

He lived in Des Mines for six or seven years, then retired to Sun City, Ariz., and lived there for two years before moving on to Escondido.

Memorial rites will be held here Saturday and the body will be cremated.

Devine’s survivors include his wife, Kathleen; three married children, Betty Jean, Aubrey Jr. and Anne, and a brother, the Rev. O.B. Devine, formerly of Des Moines.
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The Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Iowa
Thursday, December 17, 1981
Page 21, Column 4

Ex-Iowa star Devine dies at age 84

All-American led Hawks to Big Ten title in 1921

ESCONDIDO, CALIF. – Former University of Iowa football great Aubrey Devine, 84, died at his home here Tuesday.

Devine was an all-American quarterback for Iowa’s unbeaten 1921 Big Ten Conference championship team, and was also the Hawkeyes’ quarterback the previous two seasons. He rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and scored 161 points in that span.

Devine, born in Des Moines in 1897, was named to the all-Big Ten team three times, and captained the 1921 Hawkeyes.

Iowa ended Notre Dame’s 20-game winning streak in 1921 on Devine’s drop-kick for a 10-7 victory. Against Minnesota the same year, he scored 20 points, passed for two touchdowns and gained 480 yards. The next week against Indiana he scored 28 points – totaling 48 points in two consecutive games.

“I have never known any backfield man whose accomplishments in running, punting, drop-kicking and passing combined equal those of Aubrey Devine,” said his coach, the legendary Howard Jones.

Devine never was taken out of a game because of injury, and reportedly never had a pass intercepted.

A charter member of the Register’s Sports Hall of Fame, Devine was the first Iowa player ever named to a major all-American team.

In 1973, Devine was named to the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame in the pioneer player category.

After graduation, he became an assistant coach to Jones at Southern California when Jones left Iowa.

Devine moved back to Des Moines in the late 1950s and became head of the Veterans Administration’s legal department in Iowa.

He lived in Des Moines for six or seven year, then retired to Sun City, Ariz., and lived there for two years before moving to Escondido.

Devine’s survivors include his wife, Kathleen; three married children, Betty Jean, Aubrey Jr. and Anne; and a brother, the Rev. O.B. Devine, formerly of Des Moines.