Warren Giese
A football strategist who traded the playbook for the law book, leading the South Carolina Gamecocks and then serving in the state senate.
1924–2013 (age 89)·American football player and coach, state legislator·Birthday: July 14·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Warren Giese lived a life of disciplined leadership, first on the gridiron and then in the political arena. A former Marine and college football player, he brought a no-nonsense, ground-oriented philosophy to his role as head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks from 1956 to 1960. His tenure, marked by a focus on strong defense and a punishing running game, produced the program's first-ever bowl victory in the 1958 Gator Bowl. After leaving coaching, Giese channeled his organizational skills and public profile into politics, winning a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives and later the State Senate. As a legislator, he was known for his fiscal conservatism and support for education, demonstrating that the strategic thinking honed in football could be applied to civic governance.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Warren was born in 1924, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Warren Was Born
The biggest hits of 1924
#1 Movie
The Sea Hawk
Warren's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1924Born
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1929Started school
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1937Became a teenager
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1940Could drive
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1942Could vote
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1945Turned 21
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1954Turned 30
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 40
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 50
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 60
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 70
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 80
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Died at 89
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Coached the University of South Carolina Gamecocks to their first bowl game victory in the 1958 Gator Bowl.
- Served as a Republican in the South Carolina State Senate from 1981 to 2004.
- Compiled a 28–21–1 record over five seasons as head football coach at the University of South Carolina.
- Previously served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1975 to 1980.
Did You Know?
He was a Marine Corps officer during World War II.
He earned a doctorate in physical education from the University of Iowa.
Before coaching at South Carolina, he was an assistant coach at the University of Maryland.
“Football is about blocking and tackling. Everything else is conversation.”
