Charles B. Hoyt
Encyclopedia
Champion sprinter
A native of Greenfield, IowaGreenfield, Iowa
Greenfield is a city in Greenfield Township, Adair County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,129 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Adair County. The current courthouse, which sits in the middle of the Greenfield Square, was built in 1891 and is listed on the National Register of...
, Hoyt won three straight 100 and 220 yard dashes in the Iowa state meet from 1911–1913 and won seven career gold medals. As a high school student in 1912, Hoyt was offered a place on the U.S. Olympic team but turned down the chance. He ran a nation’s best of 9.8 in 1913—the same year the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
called him "America’s best sprinter." His 9.8 time was equaled by Bill Carter of Chicago in 1914 but was not bettered until 1932 when Foy Draper
Foy Draper
Foy Draper was an American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x100 m relay at the 1936 Summer Olympics...
of California ran 9.6. After graduating early from high school, Hoyt enrolled at Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
where he set a world record in the 220-yard dash on a curved track at the 1916 Drake Relays
Drake Relays
The Drake Relays is an annual outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University...
. He won intercollegiate championships in both the 100-yard and 220-yard runs, but lost the opportunity to compete in the Olympics when the 1916 Summer Olympics
1916 Summer Olympics
The anticipated 1916 Summer Olympics, which were to be officially known as the Games of the VI Olympiad, were to have been held in Berlin, Germany. However, due to the outbreak of World War I, the games were cancelled.-History:...
was cancelled due to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He graduated from Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
in 1917 and served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Grinnell College and Sioux City High School
After his service in the Navy, Hoyt coached track at Grinnell CollegeGrinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
where he trained Morgan Taylor
Morgan Taylor
Frederick Morgan Taylor was an American hurdler, winner of three Olympic medals. Morgan Taylor, from Sioux City, Iowa, competed in both track and field and football at Grinnell College...
, the first Olympic champion from Iowa. He next became the athletic director at Sioux City (Central) High School.
University of Michigan
He was hired by the University of Michigan in 1923 as the assistant track coach and trainer of the football team. In 1930, he became Michigan's head track coach. In his ten years as Michigan's head coach (1930–1939), Hoyt's Michigan track teams won 14 of a possible 20 Big Ten Conference indoor and outdoor titles, including six straight indoor championships from 1934-1939. With Hoyt as head coach, Michigan was 40-6-0 in dual meets. His Michigan athletes also won five individual NCAA championships and 63 individual Big Ten championships (27 indoor and 33 outdoor). The athletes Hoyt coached at Michigan include:- Philip Northrup - a three-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American, in the javelin throwJavelin throwThe javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
and pole vaultPole vaultPole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
, (1925–27). Northrup was inducted to the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. - Eddie TolanEddie TolanThomas Edward "Eddie" Tolan , nicknamed the "Midnight Express", was an American track and field athlete who compete in the Sprints. He set world records in the 100 yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events...
- set the world record in the 100-yard dash and won Olympic gold medals at the 1932 Summer Olympics1932 Summer OlympicsThe 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
in the 100-meter and 200-meter runs. - Sam StollerSam StollerSam Stoller was an American sprinter and long jumper who tied the world record in the 60-yard dash in 1936. He is best known for his exclusion from the American 4 × 100 relay team at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, triggering widespread speculation that he and Marty Glickman,...
- one of two Jews on the American track team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics; controversy sparked when he was pulled from the 4 x 100 meter relay event - William WatsonWilliam Watson (track and field athlete)William Delouis Watson , also known as Big Bill Watson, was an American track and field athlete. Watson was the Amateur Athletic Union decathlon champion in 1940 and 1943. He was the first African-American to win the U.S...
- won 12 individual Big Ten Conference championships, including three consecutive championships (1937–1939) in the long jump, discus and shot put; first African-American to win the AAU decathlon championship in 1940 - Elmer GedeonElmer GedeonElmer John Gedeon is one of only two Major League Baseball players killed in action during World War II. He was also a multi-sport star in college at the University of Michigan...
- tied a world record in the high hurdles in 1938; shot down and killed while piloting a B-26 bomber on a mission over France in April 1944. - Willis WardWillis WardWillis F. Ward was a track and field athlete and American football player who was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1981....
- collegiate champion in the high jump, long jump, 100-yard dash, and 400-yard dash; finished second in voting for AP Big Ten Athlete of the Year in 1933; second African-American to letter in football at Michigan. - Bob OsgoodBob OsgoodRobert D. "Bob" Osgood was an American track and field athlete who set a world record in the 120-yard high hurdles in May 1937 with a time of 14 seconds flat. He also won the Big Ten Conference championship in the event in both 1936 and 1937...
- set a world record in the 120-yard high hurdles in May 1937; won Big Ten Conference championship in the event in both 1936 and 1937.
Yale University
In 1939, he was hired by Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
as the school's track coach and trainer of its football team. He remained track coach at Yale until 1946 when he was replaced by Robert Giegengack.
Later life and honors
After leaving Yale, Hoyt lived in Woolstock, IowaWoolstock, Iowa
Woolstock is a city in Wright County, Iowa, United States. The population was 204 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Woolstock is located at just north of Eagle Creek's confluence with the Boone River....
where he operated large farm holdings. In 1948, Hoyt was selected as the referee for the 48th annual Western Conference track and field meet. He was inducted into the Helms Foundation Track Hall of Fame in 1949 and the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame in 1955.