Russell Blunt
Encyclopedia
Dr. Russell Blunt was an American
high school
and collegiate track and basketball coach.
Blunt's mother moved to Massachusetts from Virginia to work as a domestic. His family lived in Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley during a time when the Black population was tiny, but he recalled the large annual church picnic outing that famiiles from neighboring Lynn, Lowell, and Haverhill would attend each summer in Salem, Mass. He attended the old Punchard High School. As a young man and collegian, Russell earned money by waiting tables in the dining hall at the famed Andover Prep school (Phillips Academy). He also played semipro baseball for the St. Clair Oil Company team, the Andover Giants, and a team called Tyer Rubber, usually as a catcher. With a baseball team called the Fairviews out of Seabrook, N.H., Blunt earned $5 and $7 a game as a catcher. Some of his teammates in those days had surnames later heavily associated with Massachusetts baseball, such as "Gagne" and "Bedrosian".
In 1927, Blunt left his home town in Massachusetts
to attend St. Paul's Normal and Industrial
in Lawrenceville, Virginia
. When the train reached the Mason-Dixon Line
, he had to switch cars because of segregation
. Blunt graduated from St. Augustine's College in 1936, where he began his coaching career. Blunt coached every year until his retirement, except in 1944, when he earned his master's degree
from Boston University
. In addition to becoming an assistant football coach at St. Paul's in 1946, Blunt also worked as a basketball official.
He started coaching at Hillside High in Durham, North Carolina
in 1955. His teams won 10 state outdoor track championships, seven indoor track championships and had one stretch where they didn't lose a dual meet for thirteen years.
He also coached high school basketball at Hillside- his best known players were future college All-Americans and NBA players John Lucas, and Rodney Rogers. In the 1990s, USA Today published an article that stated Coach Blunt was the oldest h.s. basketball coach in America.
Dr. Blunt was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame in 1995 and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. He was a close friend of legendary University of North Carolina men's basketball Coach Dean Smith, and most other prominent local college coaches.
Duke University's Russell E. Blunt East Coast Invitational is named for the coach.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and collegiate track and basketball coach.
Blunt's mother moved to Massachusetts from Virginia to work as a domestic. His family lived in Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley during a time when the Black population was tiny, but he recalled the large annual church picnic outing that famiiles from neighboring Lynn, Lowell, and Haverhill would attend each summer in Salem, Mass. He attended the old Punchard High School. As a young man and collegian, Russell earned money by waiting tables in the dining hall at the famed Andover Prep school (Phillips Academy). He also played semipro baseball for the St. Clair Oil Company team, the Andover Giants, and a team called Tyer Rubber, usually as a catcher. With a baseball team called the Fairviews out of Seabrook, N.H., Blunt earned $5 and $7 a game as a catcher. Some of his teammates in those days had surnames later heavily associated with Massachusetts baseball, such as "Gagne" and "Bedrosian".
In 1927, Blunt left his home town in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to attend St. Paul's Normal and Industrial
Saint Paul's College, Virginia
Saint Paul's College is a private, historically black college located in Lawrenceville, Virginia. The college is a four-year, private, co-ed, liberal arts institute affiliated with the Episcopal Church.-Campus:...
in Lawrenceville, Virginia
Lawrenceville, Virginia
Lawrenceville is a town in Brunswick County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,275 at the 2000 census. Located by the Meherrin River, it is the county seat of Brunswick County and home to historically black Saint Paul's College, founded in 1888 and affiliated with the Episcopal Church...
. When the train reached the Mason-Dixon Line
Mason-Dixon line
The Mason–Dixon Line was surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in the resolution of a border dispute between British colonies in Colonial America. It forms a demarcation line among four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and...
, he had to switch cars because of segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
. Blunt graduated from St. Augustine's College in 1936, where he began his coaching career. Blunt coached every year until his retirement, except in 1944, when he earned his master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
. In addition to becoming an assistant football coach at St. Paul's in 1946, Blunt also worked as a basketball official.
He started coaching at Hillside High in Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
in 1955. His teams won 10 state outdoor track championships, seven indoor track championships and had one stretch where they didn't lose a dual meet for thirteen years.
He also coached high school basketball at Hillside- his best known players were future college All-Americans and NBA players John Lucas, and Rodney Rogers. In the 1990s, USA Today published an article that stated Coach Blunt was the oldest h.s. basketball coach in America.
Dr. Blunt was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame in 1995 and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. He was a close friend of legendary University of North Carolina men's basketball Coach Dean Smith, and most other prominent local college coaches.
Duke University's Russell E. Blunt East Coast Invitational is named for the coach.