L. Theo Bellmont
Encyclopedia
L. Theo Bellmont was an Athletics Director, Professor and Director of Physical Training, and men's basketball
coach at The University of Texas at Austin
.
Bellmont was born in Rochester, New York
. He attended schools in Rochester before studying at the University of Tennessee
, where he earned his LL.B. degree in 1908. From 1908 until 1913 he was secretary of the YMCA
in Houston, Texas
.
In 1913, the UT Board of Regents
hired Bellmont as the University's first Director of Athletics, a position that included supervision of intercollegiate athletics, physical training, and intramural sports
. His decisions as athletics director would have wide-ranging implications for the development of intercollegiate athletics at the University and throughout the state of Texas. Bellmont took charge of a Texas athletics program in debt and had the program producing a profit within three years of his hiring. Seeing a need for the larger colleges and universities of the region to organize to further the interests and development of college athletics, he originated and developed the idea of the Southwest Conference and chaired organizational meetings of various colleges and universities in Texas, Oklahoma
, and Arkansas
until the conference came into existence in 1915. As UT athletics director, Bellmont co-founded the Texas Relays
with Clyde Littlefield
in 1925; began the tradition of playing the annual Texas-Oklahoma
football game in the Cotton Bowl
at the State Fair of Texas
; founded the UT Intramural Sports program; introduced the idea of a prepayment plan for UT athletics, securing a stable annual income for the athletics program; and designed and implemented the funding program for Memorial Stadium, which was built in 1924.
While athletics director, Bellmont coached the Texas men's basketball
team for two two-year periods (1914-15 and 1921-22), finishing with an overall record of 58-9. He directed the Longhorns to 11-0 and 14-0 records in the 1914 and 1915 seasons
, respectively, as well as the inaugural Southwest Conference championship during the latter season. Bellmont's first two teams contributed 25 victories to a winning streak that would ultimately grow to 44 games and stand as the NCAA record for consecutive wins in men's basketball for almost 40 years. He led his 1921 and 1922 teams
to win-loss records of 13-5 and 20-4, respectively, the latter record representing the Longhorns' first 20-win season.
Bellmont was dismissed as the UT Director of Athletics in 1929, having been undermined by a protracted power struggle following the controversial firing of popular football and basketball head coach E. J. "Doc" Stewart
in 1927. He nevertheless continued on as Professor and then Director of Physical Training at UT, retiring as professor and director emeritus in 1957.
Bellmont was named to the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1957. Bellmont Hall on The University of Texas campus, built in 1972 within the support structure of Texas Memorial Stadium's west side upper deck, was named in his honor.
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 at The University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
.
Bellmont was born in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. He attended schools in Rochester before studying at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, where he earned his LL.B. degree in 1908. From 1908 until 1913 he was secretary of the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
.
In 1913, the UT Board of Regents
Board of Regents
In the United States, a board often governs public institutions of higher education, which include both state universities and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual colleges and universities, or both. In general they operate as...
hired Bellmont as the University's first Director of Athletics, a position that included supervision of intercollegiate athletics, physical training, and intramural sports
Intramural sports
Intramural sports or intramurals are recreational sports organized within a set geographic area. The term derives from the Latin words intra muros meaning "within walls", and was used to indicate sports matches and contests that took place among teams from "within the walls" of an ancient city...
. His decisions as athletics director would have wide-ranging implications for the development of intercollegiate athletics at the University and throughout the state of Texas. Bellmont took charge of a Texas athletics program in debt and had the program producing a profit within three years of his hiring. Seeing a need for the larger colleges and universities of the region to organize to further the interests and development of college athletics, he originated and developed the idea of the Southwest Conference and chaired organizational meetings of various colleges and universities in Texas, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
until the conference came into existence in 1915. As UT athletics director, Bellmont co-founded the Texas Relays
Texas Relays
The Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays are an annual track and field competition held at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. The University of Texas serves as host for the event, held on either the first or second weekend of April....
with Clyde Littlefield
Clyde Littlefield
Clyde Littlefield was the head track & field coach at The University of Texas from 1920 to 1961 as well as its football coach from 1927 to 1933. He became one of the greatest track coaches in NCAA history...
in 1925; began the tradition of playing the annual Texas-Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
football game in the Cotton Bowl
Cotton Bowl (stadium)
The Cotton Bowl is a stadium which opened in 1929 and became known as "The House That Doak Built" due to the immense crowds that former SMU running back Doak Walker drew to the stadium during his college career in the late 1940s. Originally known as Fair Park Stadium, it is located in Fair Park,...
at the State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
The State Fair of Texas is an annual state fair held in Dallas, Texas . The fair season usually begins the last Friday in September and ends 24 days later. The fair is held at the historic Fair Park where it has been held since 1886. The 2012 State Fair of Texas will run from September 28th...
; founded the UT Intramural Sports program; introduced the idea of a prepayment plan for UT athletics, securing a stable annual income for the athletics program; and designed and implemented the funding program for Memorial Stadium, which was built in 1924.
While athletics director, Bellmont coached the Texas men's basketball
Texas Longhorns men's basketball
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference....
team for two two-year periods (1914-15 and 1921-22), finishing with an overall record of 58-9. He directed the Longhorns to 11-0 and 14-0 records in the 1914 and 1915 seasons
Texas Longhorns men's basketball, 1910-1919
-Notes and references:...
, respectively, as well as the inaugural Southwest Conference championship during the latter season. Bellmont's first two teams contributed 25 victories to a winning streak that would ultimately grow to 44 games and stand as the NCAA record for consecutive wins in men's basketball for almost 40 years. He led his 1921 and 1922 teams
Texas Longhorns men's basketball, 1920-1929
-Notes and references:...
to win-loss records of 13-5 and 20-4, respectively, the latter record representing the Longhorns' first 20-win season.
Bellmont was dismissed as the UT Director of Athletics in 1929, having been undermined by a protracted power struggle following the controversial firing of popular football and basketball head coach E. J. "Doc" Stewart
E. J. Stewart
Edward James "Doc" Stewart was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and college athletics administrator...
in 1927. He nevertheless continued on as Professor and then Director of Physical Training at UT, retiring as professor and director emeritus in 1957.
Bellmont was named to the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1957. Bellmont Hall on The University of Texas campus, built in 1972 within the support structure of Texas Memorial Stadium's west side upper deck, was named in his honor.