Sidelines: Irwin, a man for all ages

Don Cantrell

Albert M. Irwin, a successful, longtime harbor area sports coach,

will have the bright number of 84 flashing his way Monday for his

birthday in Newport Beach.

Born near Fresno in 1918, he was raised in Newport Beach and has spent

most of his life in the beach community.

A graduate of Newport Harbor High and College of the Pacific, he has

coached at three high schools, one community college and UC Irvine, then

served as the athletic director at UCI.

Although he was offered a scholarship to the University of Southern

California in 1936, he chose to advance to the College of the Pacific and

play football for a man who became an historical figure in football. His

name was Amos Alonzo Stagg, who was a life-long friend and lived till he

was 102.

Like many young men in the early ‘40s, Irwin entered the military to

serve in World War II. His first task was teaching swimming at 12 pools

at the Great Lakes Naval Training Training Center. Following that, he was

assigned to serve on the U.S.S. Lexington carrier as a flight deck

officer in the South Pacific.

Although he has earned an army of friends over many decades, he has

remained close to many athletes he coached over the years at Harbor High,

OCC and UC Irvine.

Irwin still rises in early morning and peddles his bike down the

oceanfront to the Newport Pier for coffee and to peruse the daily paper.

He will return home later to walk the family dogs.

One Harbor High graduate from 1948, footballer Bill Clark, often looks

for him in the early morning to wave hello from a nearby cafe.

Although the good cheer should be there Feb. 11th, his lovely wife,

Lois, indicates there is one slight setback first.

“He is scheduled for a root canal with his dentist,” she said.

When mentioned, Irwin laughs lightly and notes that life offers a lot

of problems like that.

He also knows that an even bigger event arrives June 28 and that will

be the 60th wedding anniversary for him and Lois.

One fond memory still lingers on a positive note. Irwin had a habit of

asking Lois during the late ‘30s at the college book store where she

worked if he could carry her books after she was clear.

“I used to wonder why he kept asking to carry my books,” said Lois

with a smile.

They were later married in Waukegan, Ill. in ‘42, spent their first

night in Oshkosh, Wis., and had their first child, Claudia, in Niscahuna

Township, Schenectady, N.Y.

Marcia was the second daughter.

After the war, he served as an assistant grid coach at Antioch High

and coached the great Gino Marchetti, who became a pro Hall of Famer.

Irwin recalled that Marchetti’s brother played fullback.

Irwin also coached Duane Putnam, who later starred for the Los Angeles

Rams and Jesse Cone of Stanford fame.

He faded from the grid sport in 1956 after leading Orange Coast to the

Eastern Conference championship and a visit to the Potato Bowl in

Bakersfield.

That’s where he met up with coach Stagg, who came to attend the game

since his own school was lined up against the Pirates. He was no longer

coaching, but told Irwin he would sit the first half on one side and then

the other side the second half.

Stagg was an All-American end at Yale University in his college days

and enjoyed time with some championship years in the east.

The grid strain had been too much for Irwin in ’56 and he subsequently

chose to divert his coaching years to the water sports where he would

achieve national success.

Interestingly enough, Irwin was a versatile athlete over the years. He

lettered in football, basketball, baseball and swimming.