Frederic A. Fitch

Fitch was educated at the Bulkley School in New London, Connecticut from 1916 to 1920, going from there to the School of Forestry at Syracuse University where he was awarded his Bachelor of Science degree in 1924.

At Syracuse, Fred played on the lacrosse team from 1921-24. He had the unique experience of playing on two championship teams - 1922 and 1924. In 1923, he played on a touring Syracuse team that travelled to England where they won 6-3. Fred was awarded first team All-America honors in 1924. After college, Fred played with the Syracuse Crescents, the Brooklyn Cresents, and also for the Montclair Athletic Club. He organized teams to play the Onondaga Indians for several years at Cortland, New York.

At one time, Fred played on a team that beat the University of Toronto in Syracuse in the evening, took a train to Montreal and won another game the next morning - thus beating two teams from a foreign country in less than 24 hours.

Fred's coaching career dated from 1926 to 1950 where he developed many fine teams at Rutgers University. Not only were these teams known for their hard play but their extreme sportsmanship as well. Fred has coached two North All Star Teams in the annual North-South teams.

Fred was extremely active on the All-American committees, being the chairman from 1945 to 1951, and a member from 1960-1962. He was president of the Coaches Committee of the USILA in 1946. He published several reports on All-American selections and other important writings. When Fred left coaching at Rutgers, he was presented with a trophy in memory of his 24 years of service. The engraving on it truly expresses the integrity and lifelong dedication of this man. Fred started out in the business world in 1926 as a sporting goods salesman. After that, he began teaching at the Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey.

After six years of government work, he became the assistant superintendent of the New Jersey State Home for Boys at Jamesburg. He then moved to several different schools, but lacrosse was his favorite line of work.

Fred Fitch passed away in 1989.