Harry Hawkins
Encyclopedia
Harry Hawkins was an American athlete and engineer. He was a lineman for the University of Michigan
football
team from 1923-1925 where he was selected as a first-team All-Western player and a third-team All-American in 1925. Fielding H. Yost called him the "greatest lineman of the year." He was also the national champion in the hammer throw
in 1926. Hawkins later had a successful career as an engineer in the automotive industry.
, Hawkins attended Arthur Hill High School
. He enrolled at the University of Michigan
in 1922 and played football for the Wolverines from 1923-1925. In the three seasons that Hawkins played for the Wolverines, the team had a combined record of 21-3 and outscored opponents 532 to 69.
As a sophomore in 1923, Hawkins was 6 feet tall, weighed 185 pounds, and started four games at right guard. In 1924, he started two games at right guard and three at right tackle.
As a senior in 1925, Hawkins had bulked up to 198 pounds and became one of the best linemen in the sport. He played for a 1925 Michigan team that included College Football Hall of Fame
end Bennie Oosterbaan
and quarterback Benny Friedman
. The 1925 team finished the season with a 7-1 record, allowing only three points to be scored by opponents during the entire season. In the one game that the Wolverines gave up three points, they scored only two and lost 3-2 against Northwestern. Because of injuries to others on Michigan's line, Hawkins played five games at right tackle, three at left tackle, and also some at guard. After the 1925 season, sports writer Grantland Rice
said of Hawkins: "Hawkins has been playing some at tackle, but guard is his natural position, and there are few better." Michigan Coach Fielding H. Yost called Hawkins the best lineman in the country:
He was named a first-team All-Western tackle by sports writer Billy Evans and the Associated Press
. The University of Michigan recognizes Hawkins as one of its college football All-Americans, though the university does not indicate which source gave him the honor. He was selected as a third-team All-American by several selectors, including an Inter-Sectional Board of Football Coaches (including Tad Jones, Knute Rockne
and Glenn "Pop" Warner
), Chicago Tribune
football writer Walter Eckersall
, and Herbert Reed.
s in track in his junior and senior years. In April 1916, Hawkins placed first in the weight triathlon (consisting of the hammer throw, shot put and discus throw) at the Kansas Relays carnival in Lawrence, Kansas
. He was also the winner of the hammer throw
even at the 1926 Penn relays and the 1926 Big Ten Conference outdoor track meet. At the Big Ten meet in May 1926, Hawkins' throw of 151 feet, 32-100 inches, was 14 feet farther than the second place thrower. Hawkins concluded his college careet by winning the hammer throw at the national collegiate track and field championship in Chicago with a throw of 148 feet, and one-quarter inch—eleven feet farther than the second place finisher.
, Michigauma, Triangles, and Tau Beta Pi
.
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
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...
team from 1923-1925 where he was selected as a first-team All-Western player and a third-team All-American in 1925. Fielding H. Yost called him the "greatest lineman of the year." He was also the national champion in the hammer throw
Hammer throw
The modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object is to throw a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle. The name "hammer throw" is derived from older competitions where an actual sledge hammer was thrown...
in 1926. Hawkins later had a successful career as an engineer in the automotive industry.
Football player
A native of Saginaw, MichiganSaginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
, Hawkins attended Arthur Hill High School
Arthur Hill High School
Arthur Hill High School is located at 3115 Mackinaw in Saginaw, Michigan. The student population is approximately 1300 students. Of the three high schools in the Saginaw Public School District, Arthur Hill's student population is the greatest.-Athletics:...
. He enrolled at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1922 and played football for the Wolverines from 1923-1925. In the three seasons that Hawkins played for the Wolverines, the team had a combined record of 21-3 and outscored opponents 532 to 69.
As a sophomore in 1923, Hawkins was 6 feet tall, weighed 185 pounds, and started four games at right guard. In 1924, he started two games at right guard and three at right tackle.
As a senior in 1925, Hawkins had bulked up to 198 pounds and became one of the best linemen in the sport. He played for a 1925 Michigan team that included College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
end Bennie Oosterbaan
Bennie Oosterbaan
Benjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...
and quarterback Benny Friedman
Benny Friedman
Benjamin "Benny" Friedman was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan , Cleveland Bulldogs , Detroit Wolverines , New York Giants , and Brooklyn Dodgers .He is generally considered the first great passer in professional football...
. The 1925 team finished the season with a 7-1 record, allowing only three points to be scored by opponents during the entire season. In the one game that the Wolverines gave up three points, they scored only two and lost 3-2 against Northwestern. Because of injuries to others on Michigan's line, Hawkins played five games at right tackle, three at left tackle, and also some at guard. After the 1925 season, sports writer Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice was an early 20th century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.-Biography:...
said of Hawkins: "Hawkins has been playing some at tackle, but guard is his natural position, and there are few better." Michigan Coach Fielding H. Yost called Hawkins the best lineman in the country:
"He declared the 1925 team was the greatest team he had ever coached. He called Harry Hawkins of Saginaw the 'greatest lineman of the year' and said he would be on all the all-American teams if he had played tackle all year."
He was named a first-team All-Western tackle by sports writer Billy Evans and the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. The University of Michigan recognizes Hawkins as one of its college football All-Americans, though the university does not indicate which source gave him the honor. He was selected as a third-team All-American by several selectors, including an Inter-Sectional Board of Football Coaches (including Tad Jones, Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
and Glenn "Pop" Warner
Glenn Scobey Warner
Glenn Scobey Warner , most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American football player and coach...
), Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
football writer Walter Eckersall
Walter Eckersall
Walter "Eckie" Eckersall was an American football player, official, and sportswriter for the Chicago Tribune. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.-Early life:...
, and Herbert Reed.
National champion hammer thrower
Hawkins also won varsity letterVarsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
s in track in his junior and senior years. In April 1916, Hawkins placed first in the weight triathlon (consisting of the hammer throw, shot put and discus throw) at the Kansas Relays carnival in Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
. He was also the winner of the hammer throw
Hammer throw
The modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object is to throw a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle. The name "hammer throw" is derived from older competitions where an actual sledge hammer was thrown...
even at the 1926 Penn relays and the 1926 Big Ten Conference outdoor track meet. At the Big Ten meet in May 1926, Hawkins' throw of 151 feet, 32-100 inches, was 14 feet farther than the second place thrower. Hawkins concluded his college careet by winning the hammer throw at the national collegiate track and field championship in Chicago with a throw of 148 feet, and one-quarter inch—eleven feet farther than the second place finisher.
Organizations and student politics
While at Michigan, Hawkins was the president of the senior class and vice president of the junior class. He was also a member of Kappa SigmaKappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
, Michigauma, Triangles, and Tau Beta Pi
Tau Beta Pi
The Tau Beta Pi Association is the oldest engineering honor society in the United States and the second oldest collegiate honor society in America. It honors engineering students who have shown a history of academic achievement as well as a commitment to personal and professional integrity...
.
Later years
Hawkins graduated in 1926 with a degree in mechanical engineering and had a successful career in the automobile industry. He was honored by the University of Michigan in 1957 for his "outstanding achievements and contributions to the development of the field of engineering."See also
- 1925 College Football All-America Team1925 College Football All-America TeamThe 1925 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1925...
- Michigan Wolverines Football All-AmericansMichigan Wolverines Football All-AmericansMichigan Wolverines football All-Americans are American football players who have been named as All-Americans while playing for the University of Michigan football team.-Overview:...