Harold Hunt (coach)

Harold Seymore Hunt (December 12, 1907 – November 1, 1992) was an American football and basketball coach. He stood out and gained nationwide exposure[1][2][3][4] as an example of sportsmanship when he rejected a touchdown that would have won a game for his team.[5]

Harold Hunt
Biographical details
Born(1907-12-12)December 12, 1907
Milford, Kansas
DiedNovember 1, 1992(1992-11-01) (aged 84)
Oakland, California
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1949–1951Southwestern (KS)
Basketball
1940–1943Quincy HS (IL)
1949–1952Southwestern (KS)
Head coaching record
Overall6–18–3 (college football)
31–37 (college basketball)
49–25 (high school basketball)

Football

Hunt was the 13th head football coach for the Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, serving for three seasons, from 1949 to 1951, and compiling a record of 6–18–3[6]

The rejected touchdown
See 1951 Central Missouri State vs. Southwestern football game

The opening game of the 1951 season against Central Missouri State produced an event that opposing coach Tate Page called "the finest act of sportsmanship" that he ever saw. In the third quarter, Southwestern halfback Arthur Johnson completed a long run down the sidelines nearest Southwestern's bench. The referee signaled a touchdown and the crowd of 2,000 went wild with enthusiasm.

Coach Hunt ran out on the field and stated, "Southwestern rejects the touchdown!" and stated that Johnson had stepped out of bounds, nullifying the touchdown. Not a single one of the referees had been in a position to see him do so, but they agreed to nullify the touchdown, and returned the ball to the point where Coach Hunt said Johnson had stepped out. A photo of the run later confirmed Coach Hunt's observation. [7]

Basketball

From 1940 through 1943 Hunt coached basketball at Quincy Senior High School in Quincy, Illinois. His Quincy teams had 12–13 in the 1940–41 season, 23–4 in the 1941–42 season, and 14–8 in 1942–43. In 1942 and 1943, his teams won district and regional titles and qualified for the state finals.[8] In 1943, he left Quincy to serve as a U.S. Navy officer in the V5 Pre-Flight Aviation Program.

Hunt also was the head basketball coach at Southwestern for three seasons, from 1949 to 1952, tallying a mark of 31–37.[9][10]

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References
  1. St. Petersburg Times "Privde Things Honist in Sight of all Mankind" by James A. Bond, July 8, 1956
  2. Charleston Gazette "1951 Was a Year of Scandals, Heroisim, Turn-Abouts, T.V, Big Moments, Heartbreaks, Name-Calling & Prayer in Sports" December 30, 1951
  3. Walla Walla Union-Bulletin "Honest Mentor Resigns" March 22, 1952
  4. Reader's Digest "They Won by a Tie", November 1952, page 93
  5. This Week, "THIS WEEK NOMINATES: FOOTBALL'S MAN OF THE YEAR" December 9, 1951
  6. Southwestern College - Winfield, KS Football coaching records
  7. www.opentheword.org - Man of the Year Archived December 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  8. Illinois High School Association Quincy Senior High School Boys Basketball
  9. Southwestern College Basketball coaching records
  10. Hovpen Sports Archived July 12, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Southwestern College Basketball
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