Andy Pilney

Andy Pilney

Pilney pictured in Jambalaya 1955, Tulane yearbook
Biographical details
Born	(1913-01-19)January 19, 1913 Frontenac, Kansas, U.S.
Died	September 15, 1996(1996-09-15) (aged 83) Kenner, Louisiana, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1933–1935	Notre Dame
Baseball
1934–1936	Notre Dame
1936	Boston Bees
1936	Syracuse Chiefs
1937	Columbia Senators
1937	Scranton Miners
1938	Indianapolis Indians
1939	Erie Sailors
1939	Hartford Bees
Position(s)	Halfback (football) Outfielder (baseball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1942	Washington University (backfield)
1943	Georgia Pre-Flight (assistant)
1946–1953	Tulane (backfield)
1954–1961	Tulane
Head coaching record
Overall	25–49–6
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Third-team All-American (1935)

Antone James "Andy" Pilney (January 19, 1913 – September 15, 1996) was an American football coach and player of football and baseball. He played football and baseball at the University of Notre Dame in the mid-1930s and then professional baseball from 1936 to 1939. Pilney had a three-game stint in Major League Baseball with the Boston Bees in July 1936. He served as the head football coach at Tulane University from 1954 to 1961, compiling a record of 25–49–6.

Pilney played football as a halfback at Notre Dame. In 1935, he led the Irish to a come-from-behind win against top-ranked Ohio State in a contest considered to be a "Game of the Century". Pilney was selected by the Detroit Lions in the third round (26th overall pick) of the 1936 NFL draft.^[1]

Pilney began his professional baseball career in 1936 as an outfielder. While he spent most of the season with the minor league Syracuse Chiefs, he played three games with the Boston Bees in July. He appeared twice as a pinch hitter and once as a pinch runner, but did not play the field. He continued to play in the minors until 1939. As a member of the Indianapolis Indians American Association franchise, Pilney played outfield in 68 games, and batted .261 with eight doubles. On July 14, 1938 he appeared with the Indians in the first-ever All-Star game to be played at Perry Stadium in Indianapolis; batting for starting pitcher Vance Page, he struck out.

Pilney began his college football coaching career in 1942 when he was hired as backfield coach at Washington University in St. Louis.^[2]

His final game at Tulane on November 25, 1961 resulted in a 62–0 loss to rival LSU at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Pilney's successor, Tommy O'Boyle, also lost his final game at the helm of the Green Wave in 1965 to LSU by the same score, 62–0 in Baton Rouge.

Following his departure from Tulane, Pilney continued to live in the New Orleans area, in the Jefferson Parish suburb of Metairie. He served three terms on the Jefferson Parish Council representing District 4 from 1964 to 1976.

• Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)