Joseph Orlean Christian (May 10, 1898 – October 21, 1979) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the University of Connecticut from 1934 to 1949 and as the head baseball coach there from 1936 to 1961. Christian was also the school's athletic director from 1950 to 1966 and filled in as interim head basketball coach during the 1935–36 season. He served as the first commissioner of the Yankee Conference, from 1966 to 1971. Christian died on October 21, 1979 at the age of 81 in a convalescent home in Willimantic, Connecticut. The University of Connecticut's home baseball field, J. O. Christian Field, is named in his honor. Christian's 66 wins as head football coach at Connecticut were the most in program history until Randy Edsall surpassed him in 2010. Head coaching record Football Basketball Baseball The following table depicts Christian's record as head baseball coach at Connecticut. References External links 1898 births 1979 deaths UConn Huskies athletic directors UConn Huskies baseball coaches UConn Huskies football coaches UConn Huskies men's basketball coaches Yankee Conference commissioners Junior college football coaches in the United States