Mal Pearson
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 23, 1923 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | August 11, 2009 (aged 86) Manistee, Michigan, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1946–1949 | Western Michigan |
| Position | Tackle |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1950–1961 | Manistee HS (MI) |
| 1962–1965 | Lakeview HS (MI) |
| 1966–1968 | Wheaton (IL) (line) |
| 1969–1970 | Wheaton (IL) |
| Basketball | |
| 1966–? | Wheaton (IL) (freshmen) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 4–13–1 (college) |
Malcolm Paul Pearson (February 23, 1923 – August 11, 2009) was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois for two seasons, from 1969 to 1970, compiling a record of 4–13–1.
Pearson played high school football at Senn High School in Chicago before graduating in 1941. He earned all-city and all-state honors, and was named the most outstanding player in the Chicago public school league.[1] Pearson served in the United States Navy during World War II on the USS Kasaan Bay.[2] After the war, he played college football at Western Michigan College of Education—now known as Western Michigan University as a tackle before graduating in 1950.[1]
Pearson began his coaching career in 1950 when was named football coach at Manistee High School in Manistee, Michigan.[3] In 12 years at Manistee, he led his teams to a record of 61–37–5, and won one Class B state championship. In 1962, Pearson moved to Lakeview High School in Battle Creek, Michigan. He was head football coach there until 1966, when he was hired by Wheaton College as varsity football line coach, freshman basketball coach, and physical education instructor.[1] In 1969, Pearson was promoted to head football coach at Wheaton, succeeding Jack Swartz.[4] After winning only four games in two seasons, he was fired as Wheaton's head football coach, but remained an assistant professor of physical education at the school.[5]
Head coaching record
College
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheaton Crusaders (NCAA College Division independent) (1969) | |||||||||
| 1969 | Wheaton | 3–6 | |||||||
| Wheaton Crusaders (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) (1970) | |||||||||
| 1970 | Wheaton | 1–7–1 | 1–6–1 | 8th | |||||
| Wheaton: | 4–13–1 | 1–6–1 | |||||||
| Total: | 4–13–1 | ||||||||
References
- ^ a b c "Coach Mal Pearson Leaving Lakeview For College Job". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, Michigan. May 13, 1966. p. 17. Retrieved January 16, 2026 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Obituary". Manistee News Advocate. Manistee, Michigan. August 18, 2009.
- ^ "Prep Coach Named". The Flint Journal. Flint, Michigan. United Press. May 16, 1950. p. 5. Retrieved January 16, 2026 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Mal Pearson Named Wheaton Top Coach". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, Michigan. January 14, 1969. p. B2. Retrieved January 16, 2026 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Mal Pearson Out At Wheaton Boss". The Grand Rapids Press. Grand Rapids, Michigan. United Press International. February 5, 1971. p. 1D. Retrieved January 16, 2026 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "NCAA Statistics; Coach; Mal Pearson". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
- ^ "Wheaton Football Year-By-Year Records". Wheaton College. Retrieved January 12, 2026.