H. Lee Prather
Encyclopedia
Henry Lee Prather was an American football
and basketball
coach in the United States
. He served as the head football coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
for one season in 1912, compiling a record of 3–4. He is best known, however, for his tenures as the head football and men's basketball coach at Northwestern State University
.
Prather coached the Demons
' football team between 1913 and 1917, and again from 1919 through 1933. The 1918 season was canceled due to World War I
. In 20 seasons as coach at NSU, Prather compiled an overall record of 79–51–14. Including his one season at Louisiana–Lafayette, his overall football record was 82–55–14.
As the head basketball coach at NSU, Prather's tenure was very interrupted. He was the on-again, off-again coach seven different times. Basketball had not quite become as established as a sport as football in the United States, so he alternated many of the years with having no program at all. In his 35 total years as the school's coach, Prather accumulated an overall record of 473–169. He stepped down in 1950 to become Northwestern State University's president in 1951. He is still the all-time leader in victories for men's basketball by more than 300 wins to the second closest coach, Red Thomas
, who compiled 138 between 1950 and 1957.
Northwestern State's basketball area, Prather Coliseum
, is named in his honor.
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...
coach in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He served as the head football coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
for one season in 1912, compiling a record of 3–4. He is best known, however, for his tenures as the head football and men's basketball coach at Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
.
Prather coached the Demons
Northwestern State Demons
The Northwestern State University athletic teams go by the Demons, with women's athletic teams generally called the Lady Demons, and its mascot is Vic the Demon. Once a member of the celebrated SIAA conference, the school now competes in the Southland Conference....
' football team between 1913 and 1917, and again from 1919 through 1933. The 1918 season was canceled 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...
. In 20 seasons as coach at NSU, Prather compiled an overall record of 79–51–14. Including his one season at Louisiana–Lafayette, his overall football record was 82–55–14.
As the head basketball coach at NSU, Prather's tenure was very interrupted. He was the on-again, off-again coach seven different times. Basketball had not quite become as established as a sport as football in the United States, so he alternated many of the years with having no program at all. In his 35 total years as the school's coach, Prather accumulated an overall record of 473–169. He stepped down in 1950 to become Northwestern State University's president in 1951. He is still the all-time leader in victories for men's basketball by more than 300 wins to the second closest coach, Red Thomas
Red Thomas
Robert William "Red" Thomas was a center fielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the Chicago Cubs.-External links:...
, who compiled 138 between 1950 and 1957.
Northwestern State's basketball area, Prather Coliseum
Prather Coliseum
Prather Coliseum is a 3,900-seat multi-purpose arena in Natchitoches, Louisiana. It opened in 1964 and is home to the Northwestern State University Demons basketball team. The arena was named in honor of the school's most successful basketball and football coach, H. Lee Prather, who served from the...
, is named in his honor.