Urban M. Bowman Jr. (November 16, 1937 – February 25, 2018) was an American-Canadian
player and coach who served as the interim head coach of the
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West division. They play their home games at IG Fiel ...
and
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Tim Hortons Fiel ...
.
Early life
Bowman was born on November 16, 1937 in
Westminster, Maryland
Westminster is a city in northern Maryland, United States. It is the seat of Carroll County. The city's population was 18,590 at the 2010 census. Westminster is an outlying community within the Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA, which is part of a greate ...
. Bowman was an all-state tackle at
Westminster High School. He attended the
University of Delaware
The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 mas ...
and played for their
football team
A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-st ...
.
After graduating in 1959, Bowman joined the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
, where he won the
Army Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...
for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service.
During his youth, Bowman served as a waiter in the
Baltimore Colts
The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team that played in Baltimore from its founding in 1953 to 1984. The team now plays in Indianapolis, as the Indianapolis Colts. The team was named for Baltimore's history of horse breed ...
' dining room during training camp, which was held in his hometown of
Westminster, Maryland
Westminster is a city in northern Maryland, United States. It is the seat of Carroll County. The city's population was 18,590 at the 2010 census. Westminster is an outlying community within the Baltimore-Towson, MD MSA, which is part of a greate ...
.
Coaching career
Bowman began his coaching career in 1961 as a volunteer assistant for the Delaware freshman football team. A year later he received his first paid coaching position at the
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton (UD) is a private, Catholic research university in Dayton, Ohio. Founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary, it is one of three Marianist universities in the nation and the second-largest private university in Ohio. The univ ...
.
After serving as an assistant at
Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College (LVC, Lebanon Valley, or The Valley) is a private college in Annville, Pennsylvania.
History
Lebanon Valley was founded on February 23, 1866, with classes beginning May 7 of that year and its first class graduating in 1870 ...
and
Colorado State
Colorado State University (Colorado State or CSU) is a public land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. Colorado State University is classified among "R1: ...
, Bowman left coaching to become Colorado State's assistant
Athletic director
An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and ...
. He decided to return to coaching the following year and contacted
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Tim Hortons Fiel ...
head
Al Dorow
Albert Richard Dorow (November 15, 1929 – December 7, 2009) was an American gridiron football quarterback. He played college football at Michigan State University and professionally in the National Football League (NFL), the American Footb ...
to inquire about any possible coaching vacancies. Due to an ongoing dispute with Team President
Ralph Sazio
Ralph Joseph Sazio (July 22, 1922 – September 25, 2008) was a football player, assistant coach, head coach general manager and team president for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He also served as president of the Toronto Argonauts. He is a member of ...
over the hiring and firing of assistant coaches, Dorow decided to hire whomever the next applicant for the coaching position and Bowman was hired on the spot.
He was let go after one season and joined the coaching staff of the
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at the Brick Field at Commo ...
as a Defensive Line coach.
Bowman left coaching again in 1974, but later returned as an assistant at
Bemidji State. He returned to the CFL in 1985 as the Defensive Line and Special Teams Coach of the
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West division. They play their home games at IG Fiel ...
. He left the Bombers in 1989 to become the
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. Formerly one of the oldest and longest-lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine ...
' Offensive Line Coach, but returned to Winnipeg in 1991.
In 1992, Bowman was named the Blue Bombers' interim head coach after head coach
Cal Murphy
Cal Murphy (March 12, 1932 – February 18, 2012) was a Canadian football coach, general manager and scout, most notably for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. In his career as a coach and/or general manager, he led ...
had to undergo
Heart transplant surgery. He would lead the Winnipeg to an 11-7 record and a first-place finish in the
Eastern Division. The Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 59-11 in the Division Final, but lost to the
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-old ...
24-10 in the
80th Grey Cup
The 80th Grey Cup was the 1992 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Calgary Stampeders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Toronto's SkyDome. The Stampeders had little trouble defeating the Blue Bombers, 24–10.
Game sum ...
.
Murphy returned in 1993 and Bowman moved to his prior position as Defensive Line and Special Teams Coach. In 1995, he joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as Assistant Head Coach. In 1997, he was promoted to interim head coach after
Don Sutherin
Don Paul "Suds" Sutherin (February 29, 1936 – January 11, 2022) was a Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL) defensive back and placekicker. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (1992).
Playing care ...
was fired. The Tiger-Cats would win only one of their remaining eleven games and Bowman was let go at the end of season.
Bowman spent the 1998 season as the defensive line coach at
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania is a campus of Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania and it is located it in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. Part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the campus' total enrollment is 1,6 ...
. After a battle with
prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that sur ...
, Bowman returned to Mansfield the following year as offensive line coach. In 2000, Bowman joined the
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), based in Toronto, Ontario ...
as special teams coach for the final seven games of the season.
During the 2004 season, Bowman joined the Blue Bombers as special teams coach.
He rejoined the Winnipeg coaching staff midway through the following season when linebackers coach
Rod Rust
Rod, Ror, Ród, Rőd, Rød, Röd, ROD, or R.O.D. may refer to:
Devices
* Birch rod, made out of twigs from birch or other trees for corporal punishment
* Ceremonial rod, used to indicate a position of authority
* Connecting rod, main, couplin ...
left the team to attend to personal matters.
Coaching record
Personal life
Bowman's first wife died in 1973. He remarried, to second wife Cindy.
Bowman became a citizen of Canada in 1995.
In 2009, Bowman was inducted into the
Carroll County Sports Hall of Fame.
Death
On February 25, 2018, the Blue Bombers announced that Bowman had died earlier that day, from
prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that sur ...
. He was 80.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowman, Urban
1937 births
2018 deaths
Naturalized citizens of Canada
Bemidji State Beavers football coaches
Colorado State Rams football coaches
Dayton Flyers football coaches
Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football coaches
Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football players
Hamilton Tiger-Cats coaches
Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen football coaches
Mansfield Mounties football coaches
Military personnel from Maryland
Ottawa Rough Riders coaches
People from Westminster, Maryland
Players of American football from Maryland
Purdue Boilermakers football coaches
Toronto Argonauts coaches
Winnipeg Blue Bombers coaches