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Making The List: Chic Harley
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Who was the first star for the Buckeyes? I am talking back – back – back in the day! It is a legitimate question …. We’d have to go back to 1916 ….
Charles William Harley was born on September 15, 1894 in Chicago. Thus, his nickname “Chic”. His family moved to Columbus when he was 12 years old where he’d eventually become a huge star with East High School. Schools such as Notre Dame, TTUN, NYU, and WVA would come knocking – offering scholarships. But it would be The Ohio State University that he would accept.
Chic Harley joined the Buckeyes in 1916. This team would march on to a 7-0 record while winning their first Big Ten Conference championship. This team amassed an amazing 258 points in the course of seven games while only allowing 29 against them. Their victories against two powers in the season, Illinois, 7-6, and Wisconsin, 14-13 spoke of the dominance of this team – in this season. Seemingly, this still did not gather the troops, But, what it did do, was gave birth to the rabid love we in Buckeye Nation know today. The next year Harley would be named as a consensus first-team All-America, along with a spot on Walter Camp’s authoritative list. Now the believers began to filter in.
The Buckeyes repeated as conference champions in 1917. Their record would be 8–0–1. In 1918, just as many young men in the era did, Harley was off to war. The United States had joined in on the WWI efforts. Harley became a pilot for the US Army Air Service during this time. He would return to The Ohio State University in 1919 after “not” seeing any action. The Buckeyes finished this year 6-1. It would be Harley’s lone loss. The Buckeyes would go on and lose the conference title to Illinois on a field goal with a mere eight seconds on the clock.
It is specifically the 1919 season that is perhaps the strongest memory in Buckeyes’ lore, as it would be the first Buckeyes win against TTUN. They would win 13-3 and Harley played a major role, scoring twice and kicking one extra point. Yes, that’s right – he’d account for all 13 points – along with four interceptions. At the end of the game TTUN’s legendary coach, Fielding H. Yost, was granted a moment, certainly a rarity for a visiting coach to address the Ohio State team. It would be a splendid moment in history indeed: “You deserve your victory, you fought brilliantly,” Yost began. “You boys gave a grand exhibition of football strategy and while I am sorry, dreadfully sorry, that we lost, I want to congratulate you. And you, Mr. Harley, I believe, are one of the finest little machines I have ever seen.”
The sports writers agreed with Coach Yost. Harley, again, was named a consensus first-team All-American in 1919 and became the first three-time All-America selection at Ohio State.
Harley played both sides of the ball, quite common in the beginning era of football – halfback and safety. He would also serve as the team’s punter and kicker. In his 23 game’s while at OSU Harley scored 201 points. This record would stand for OSU until the fifties when Howard “Hopalong” Cassady journeyed onto campus.
Harley never had the opportunity to play before the massive crowds at Ohio Stadium which wasn’t ready for play until 1922; so only 20,000 or so would have the pleasure of witnessing the talents of Mr. Harley at Ohio Field. And in 1950, he’d be voted onto the All Star first-team for the first-half of the century for college football by the Associated Press. Others on that list was Jim Thorpe and Red Grange who was voted to the second team. When asked to explain his vote, one writer said, “Red Grange was a great runner, but that’s all he was. Chic Harley was a great runner, a great passer, a great kicker and a great defensive back. That’s why he’s on my first-team.” In 1951 he’d be in the first group (44) of players and coaches to be heading into enshrinement of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Chic Harley was our first “real” star. He was recognized nationwide, and honored so. The recognition that he brought to the program in Columbus is truly deserving of honor. But aside of that minor point is that he was a bona fide athletic star. He was our first star. So, and I apologize Chic, that I am only now getting around to acknowledging your greatness. Chic Harley was one of the greatest Buckeyes ever.
The post Making The List: Chic Harley appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Who was the first star for the Buckeyes? I am talking back – back – back in the day! It is a legitimate question …. We’d have to go back to 1916 ….
Charles William Harley was born on September 15, 1894 in Chicago. Thus, his nickname “Chic”. His family moved to Columbus when he was 12 years old where he’d eventually become a huge star with East High School. Schools such as Notre Dame, TTUN, NYU, and WVA would come knocking – offering scholarships. But it would be The Ohio State University that he would accept.
Chic Harley joined the Buckeyes in 1916. This team would march on to a 7-0 record while winning their first Big Ten Conference championship. This team amassed an amazing 258 points in the course of seven games while only allowing 29 against them. Their victories against two powers in the season, Illinois, 7-6, and Wisconsin, 14-13 spoke of the dominance of this team – in this season. Seemingly, this still did not gather the troops, But, what it did do, was gave birth to the rabid love we in Buckeye Nation know today. The next year Harley would be named as a consensus first-team All-America, along with a spot on Walter Camp’s authoritative list. Now the believers began to filter in.
The Buckeyes repeated as conference champions in 1917. Their record would be 8–0–1. In 1918, just as many young men in the era did, Harley was off to war. The United States had joined in on the WWI efforts. Harley became a pilot for the US Army Air Service during this time. He would return to The Ohio State University in 1919 after “not” seeing any action. The Buckeyes finished this year 6-1. It would be Harley’s lone loss. The Buckeyes would go on and lose the conference title to Illinois on a field goal with a mere eight seconds on the clock.
It is specifically the 1919 season that is perhaps the strongest memory in Buckeyes’ lore, as it would be the first Buckeyes win against TTUN. They would win 13-3 and Harley played a major role, scoring twice and kicking one extra point. Yes, that’s right – he’d account for all 13 points – along with four interceptions. At the end of the game TTUN’s legendary coach, Fielding H. Yost, was granted a moment, certainly a rarity for a visiting coach to address the Ohio State team. It would be a splendid moment in history indeed: “You deserve your victory, you fought brilliantly,” Yost began. “You boys gave a grand exhibition of football strategy and while I am sorry, dreadfully sorry, that we lost, I want to congratulate you. And you, Mr. Harley, I believe, are one of the finest little machines I have ever seen.”
The sports writers agreed with Coach Yost. Harley, again, was named a consensus first-team All-American in 1919 and became the first three-time All-America selection at Ohio State.
Harley played both sides of the ball, quite common in the beginning era of football – halfback and safety. He would also serve as the team’s punter and kicker. In his 23 game’s while at OSU Harley scored 201 points. This record would stand for OSU until the fifties when Howard “Hopalong” Cassady journeyed onto campus.
Harley never had the opportunity to play before the massive crowds at Ohio Stadium which wasn’t ready for play until 1922; so only 20,000 or so would have the pleasure of witnessing the talents of Mr. Harley at Ohio Field. And in 1950, he’d be voted onto the All Star first-team for the first-half of the century for college football by the Associated Press. Others on that list was Jim Thorpe and Red Grange who was voted to the second team. When asked to explain his vote, one writer said, “Red Grange was a great runner, but that’s all he was. Chic Harley was a great runner, a great passer, a great kicker and a great defensive back. That’s why he’s on my first-team.” In 1951 he’d be in the first group (44) of players and coaches to be heading into enshrinement of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Chic Harley was our first “real” star. He was recognized nationwide, and honored so. The recognition that he brought to the program in Columbus is truly deserving of honor. But aside of that minor point is that he was a bona fide athletic star. He was our first star. So, and I apologize Chic, that I am only now getting around to acknowledging your greatness. Chic Harley was one of the greatest Buckeyes ever.
The post Making The List: Chic Harley appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...