Harold Hunt (football coach)
Encyclopedia
Harold S. Hunt was a sports figure in the United States
, working as a coach in American football
and basketball
. He stood out and gained nationwide exposure as an example of sportsmanship when he rejected a touchdown that would have won a game for his team.
in Winfield, Kansas
and held that position 3 seasons, from 1949 to 1951. His overall coaching record at Southwestern was 6 wins, 18 losses, and 3 ties. This ranks him 20th at Southwestern in terms of total wins and 24th at Southwestern in terms of total winning percentage (as of completion of the 2007 season).
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 signalled 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.
Coach Hunt also was the basketball coach at Southwestern for three seasons, from 1949 until 1952. His teams accumulated a record of 31 wins and 37 losses.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, working as a coach in American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. He stood out and gained nationwide exposure as an example of sportsmanship when he rejected a touchdown that would have won a game for his team.
Football
Hunt was named the 13th football coach for the Southwestern College MoundbuildersSouthwestern College Moundbuilders
Southwestern College athletic teams are known as the Moundbuilders . They participate in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.Men's Sports* Basketball...
in Winfield, Kansas
Winfield, Kansas
Winfield is a city situated along the Walnut River in the west-central part of Cowley County, located in South Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,301...
and held that position 3 seasons, from 1949 to 1951. His overall coaching record at Southwestern was 6 wins, 18 losses, and 3 ties. This ranks him 20th at Southwestern in terms of total wins and 24th at Southwestern in terms of total winning percentage (as of completion of the 2007 season).
The Rejected Touchdown
The opening game of the 1951 season against Central Missouri State CollegeCentral Missouri Mules and Jennies
The sports teams at the University of Central Missouri are known as the Mules and Jennies . They participate in the NCAA's Division II and in the MIAA Conference.Men's sports*Baseball*Basketball*Cross country*Football*Golf...
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 signalled 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.
Basketball
From 1940 through 1943 Harold Hunt coached basketball at Quincy Senior High School in Quincy, Illinois. His Quincy teams had 12 wins and 13 losses in the 1940/41 season, 23 wins and 4 losses in the 1941-42 season, and 14 wins and 8 losses in 1942/43. In 1942 and 1943, his teams won district and regional titles and qualified for the state finals. In 1943, he left Quincy to serve as a U.S. Navy officer in the V5 Pre-Flight Aviation Program.Coach Hunt also was the basketball coach at Southwestern for three seasons, from 1949 until 1952. His teams accumulated a record of 31 wins and 37 losses.
External links
- Southwestern College official football team site