Italo John “Babe” Caccia, who began his long involvement with sports as a boy during the harsh depression of the early 1930’s, is capping his career with appointment last March 1st as Idaho State University athletic director.
After serving as assistant athletic director for 14 years, Caccia replaced Milton “Dubby” Holt in the top Bengal athletic job.
Born in Pocatello in October 1917, the son of immigrant parents from northern Italy, Caccia’s childhood was spent on the dusty streets and vacant lots of what was then a small western railroad city only three or four decades removed from its pioneer beginnings.
“There was no television and few homes had radio in those days,” Caccia recalled. “About all there was to do was play football.”
Caccia entered Idaho State (then the Southern Branch of the University of Idaho and a two-year institution) in 1936 and played football two years, then transferred to the University of Idaho at Moscow. There, while earning his bachelors and masters degrees in education, he was an out-standing football guard, a champion Pacific Coast wrestler in the 165-lb class, and one of the university’s best baseball players.
Asked why he selected coaching as a career, Caccia gave an uncomplicated answer.” It’s something I enjoy doing,” he said. “As I grew older, I thought I’d like to coach. I started young and I’ve been doing it ever since. Like every-thing else, coaching has its ups and downs, but it’s a good field. It keeps you active Working with young people keeps you young. Every day is a new challenge.”
Asked if he believed athletic programs were really an important part of college life, Caccia responded,
“I think people who like competition as a part of life, if they weren’t active in college sports, would be competing on city league teams of various kinds. Athletics in college provides an outlet for their competitive energies For example, just look at city league softball and basketball and see how many former high school and college athletes are participating.” “Athletics,” he added, “have become a way of life for many people in all age groups.”
Caccia said he believes at ISU athletics will play an increasing important role rather than a lesser one.
“Former instance,” he said, “look at the women’s program. It’s almost doubled in the last five years. That’s tremendous growth. And it will continue.”
Asked what he thought about the surging emphasis on women’s athletics, Caccia replied, “I think expansion of the women’s program is a good thing. omen are participation in sports at all levels, in high schools and town leagues as well as in colleges. think it will make for a healthier nation.”
Known as a stickler for physical fitness, Caccia’s belief in the importance of athletics in building a strong and healthy nation no doubt can be traced at least partly to his experiences in World War II.
Soon after his graduation from the Idaho in 1941, Caccia enlisted in the Navy as a lieu-tenant, senior grade, in April 1946.
Caccia began his coaching career while still a student at Idaho. He was frosh football coach while studying for his master’s degree.
Though the war interrupted his civilian caching career, it picked up again after he returned home.
In the fall of 1946 he started at his old school, Pocatello High, as football line coach, junior varsity basketball coach and head track coach. is success in developing powerful Indian lines earned him the chance to return to ISU in 1948 as a member of the coaching staff.
Since 1948 Caccia’s career has been an important part of ISU athletic history.
Some of his career highlights include:
FOOTBALL – Caccia has a career record of 80-38-2, 67.8% for his 14 years as a head coach, from 1953-65. His 80 wins are an ISU football record. He posted unbeaten re-cords in 1952 and 1957, and his 1963 team won the Big Sky Conference in the first year of its existence.
BASEBALL – Caccia was head baseball coach for eight years ending 1974 and had a 152-116 record with one divisional title. His 1968 team was 28-5 and is generally considered the best in school history. Steve Proniewych, from his 1973 team, led the NCAA Div. 1 in batting average and stolen bases.
WRESTLING – Caccia coached the Bengal wrestlers 1977-9 and posted two seconds and a third in the Big Sky.
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL - Caccia served a number of seasons with the Canadian Football League Edmonton Eskimos, first as a guest coach then as offensive line coach. He still wears his ring from the 1975 Grey Cup championship year. Caccia met his wife, Tracy, while coaching in Canada.