Francis "Fran" Angeline was born in the Village of Endicott in the Town of Union, New York. His parents were second generation Italian and part of the heritage of Italian-American immigrants who came to craft footwear for George F. Johnson and the Endicott-Johnson shoe enterprises. Young Fran played football for Union-Endicott High School and became an "All-Star" and the captain of the Tiger team. He took his many skills up the road to Hamilton, New York and became captain for the daunting Colgate University Red Raiders of the mid-fifties. He came back to the Southern Tier, and to his Endicott, to become the winningest coach in the history of a region steeped in legendary football teams.