Dan Rose remembered as great athlete, educator

One of the first great athletes ever to come out of Rogers City, and the city?s first college All-American, Danny Rose, died April 23 in Mt. Pleasant at the age of 95. Rose was a professor, athletic director, and coach at Central Michigan University for more than 36 years. The 1925 graduate of RCHS had a reputation as a scrappy basketball player, one sought after by major colleges. He enrolled at the University of Michigan and made All-American in 1928.

Though standing only 5?7?, Rose became one of the big men in Michigan basketball history.

THE STORY is told about how a recruiter from Notre Dame told Rose he was too small for major college basketball. Notre Dame coach George Keogan arrived at the Rose farm and asked to speak to Danny. Rose, standing there, answered, ?I?m Danny Rose.?

Keogan looked at Danny and exclaimed, ?You?re too small to play basketball at Notre Dame, but I?ll offer you a scholarship for your fine grades.? Dan looked up, smiled, and said, ?I think I?m good enough to play for you or any other school.?

Three years later, Danny racked up 12 points for U of M against Northwestern, which in those days was like scoring 40 points today. Keogan, who was there scouting, caught Rose in the Michigan dressing room after the game. ?Son, I guess you were right. You could play at Notre Dame.?

AT MICHIGAN, Rose took lightly-regarded teams into basketball games and engineered stunning upsets. After graduation, he taught at South Grand Rapids High School and coached football and basketball. His basketball teams won two city championships and went on to the state semifinals in 1932. One of the boys Rose coached was President Gerald Ford, who played for Rose in 1930. Rose moved on to CMU as a teacher and a coach. He became athletic director

in 1942, coaching freshman football, varsity basketball, and varsity baseball. His educational career was interrupted by the war, when he served a four-year hitch in the Navy. He returned to CMU and coached basketball until the 1954 season. His best year came in the 1948-49 season when CMU went 15-1.

He retired from CMU in 1972 following an illustrious career in education and athletics. IN 1973, the Daniel P. Rose Arena on the campus of CMU was named in his honor. In 1993, he was honored by the university with the CMU Centennial Award, given in recognition of great achievements in promoting the university.

His funeral service took place April 25 in Mt. Pleasant.