Beaman-Conrad 1973
Dale was born in 1913 in Oskaloosa, Iowa and graduated from high school in 1931. He participated in track and football while in high school and was the first member of the Oskaloosa track team to break 2:00 in the half mile. Dale did not begin college until he was twenty five years old. He played football while at William Penn.
During World War II Dale was a Master Sergeant and flew fifty two B17 bomber missions. He was wounded by a Japanese fighter plane while serving as a turret gunner and for this was awarded a Purple Heart.
After the war Dale coached at Eldora and then moved to Conrad in the late fifties. The track programs at Eldora and Beaman-Conrad were always highly successful including state cross country championships. Dale’s strength was in being able to have large numbers of boys being involved in his programs and have those boys participate at the highest level. “Papa Bear” was a true leader and is fondly remembered by his boys. They would try to run through a wall if Dale asked them to.