Stuhldreher was born in Massillon, Ohio of German stock, home of the Massillon Tigers professional football team.[1] There is a story, likely apocryphal, that as a boy Stuhldreher carried gear for future University of Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne when the latter was a Tigers star.
After graduating, Stuhldreher joined fellow member of the Four HorsemenElmer Layden on the roster of the Brooklyn Horsemen of the first American Football League. After playing only six games of the 1926 season, the Horsemen merged with the National Football League's Brooklyn Lions franchise, which then was renamed the Horsemen. The AFL, the Brooklyn NFL franchise, and Stuhldreher's major league football career all ended with the last game of the season.
Coaching career
Stuhldreher turned to college coaching, initially also moonlighting for independent pro teams on weekends. He served for 11 years (1925–1935) as head coach at Villanova University, compiling a 65–25–9 record, and 13 years (1936–1948) as head coach and athletic director at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. During his tenure at Wisconsin, he compiled a 45–62–6 (.425) record, and the Badgers were twice the Big Ten Conference runner-up under his guidance.
Stuhldreher wrote two books, "Quarterback Play" and "Knute Rockne, Man Builder." The latter was a source for the movie Knute Rockne, All American, starring Ronald Reagan as George Gipp. Former Notre Dame star Nick Lukats played the part of Stuhldreher in this movie. Stuhldreher's wife Mary was also a writer. The couple had four sons.
Hogrogian, John (1982). "The Hartford Blues Part I"(PDF). Coffin Corner. 4 (8). Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–5. Archived from the original(PDF) on November 27, 2010.