The winningest coach in Punahou School football history, Dave Eldredge, died yesterday.

He was 77.

Eldredge was en route to Honolulu from Arizona, where he helped his son Duane Eldredge coach two Hawai'i teams that participated in the Arizona Senior Fall Classic showcase in Peoria over the weekend. It happened about 90 minutes into the flight, Duane Eldredge said. A doctor on the flight worked on the elder Eldredge for about 20 to 25 minutes, but could not revive him. The flight continued on to O'ahu.

Upon landing in Honolulu, Duane Eldredge spoke to the players about his father.

"I said, 'I mentioned to you guys earlier that how much character in who you are carries you much further in life,'" Duane Eldredge said. " 'I just lost a person, who taught me all that.' I said, 'I hope you guys can take that with you in life.'

"To me, it's about what dad taught (that) I try and teach. That's who I am today. I think I'm very much like my dad."

Dave Eldredge III, a 1949 graduate of Punahou, where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball, went on to play football at Stanford for four seasons. He played on Stanford's 1952 Rose Bowl team.

He joined Punahou's faculty in 1956 and retired in 1996, teaching science and math.

Eldredge coached Punahou football on two separate occasions from 1959 to 1962 and 1965 to 1976, compiling a 103-41-2 record, the best record in the number of wins of all football coaches at Punahou. He led the Buffanblu to Interscholastic League of Honolulu titles in 1959, 1961, 1964, 1970 and 1971. He coached such stars as Charlie Wedemeyer and Mosi Tatupu.

He also coached the baseball team from 1965 to 1970, compiling a 78-24-1 record, winning four ILH titles and state championships in 1966 and 1968.

He also was a varsity assistant coach in basketball, as well as intermediate head coach. He also coached JV football, baseball and basketball.

Eldredge also was president of Hawai'i Babe Ruth baseball.

Eldredge's contribution wasn't only in sports at his alma mater. He established Punahou's Hawaiian studies program and introduced the school's annual Holoku Pageant more than 30 years ago.

In recent years, Eldredge was limited in his activities in part to a brain hemorrhage he had in December 2004. Duane Eldredge said a friend offering condolences said his father is probably coaching now, "yelling at his players. 'Shape up! Do it the right way.'

"You know what? He's probably right because he hasn't been able to do that (coach) for many years. So there's a lot of good in what happened. But by all means, we will miss him."

Duane Eldredge said the family will hold services at Punahou School at a date to be determined.