A native of Martinsburg, P.A., Bridenbaugh graduated from F&M with a teaching degree in 1912. Bridenbaugh served as the football team's captain during the 1911 season.
He coached the Geneva College football team to a 23-12-5 record before turning to high school teaching and coaching. "Bridie" coached football at New Castle (P.A.) High School from 1922 to 1955, retiring with a record of 265 wins, 65 losses, and 25 ties. He was undefeated his first year at New Castle and followed with 10 more undefeated seasons during his career. He scored victories over most of the powerhouse schools of his day, including an unforgettable 1937 triumph over Massillon, Ohio, coached by the legendary Paul Brown.
His unique coaching and training system, which created a spirit of "toughness to survive" among his players, is still used today. He led the New Castle football team to seven WPIAL championships, making it the fourth winningest team in the United States and first in Pennsylvania with 593 victories. Bridenbaugh was inducted into the Lawrence County Historical Society Sports Hall of Fame's first class in 1984 and the Pennsylvania High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1989.
Nicknamed "the Fox," he also coached the New Castle basketball and track teams, leading the basketball team to a 319-159 record and two WPIAL titles, and the track and field team to numerous titles. Following his retirement from high school coaching, Bridenbaugh spent the next nine years as an assistant football coach at Grove City College, before his retirement from active coaching at age 74 in 1964. Bridenbaugh passed away on June 15, 1990 at the age of 100.
