Tommy Hughitt
Encyclopedia
Ernest Fredrick Hughitt (December 27, 1892 – December 27, 1961), was a National Football League
utility player
and coach
. He was also an All-American quarterback
for the University of Michigan
in 1913.
Hughitt was born in Genoa, British Columbia
, but grew up in Escanaba, Michigan
, where he attended high school
. Upon graduation he went to the University of Michigan
, where he played quarterback for the Wolverines
. He went professional no later than 1917, when he signed with the Youngstown Patricians
of the Ohio League
. At the same time, he also played and coached for the Buffalo Niagaras and Prospects
of the Buffalo Semi-Pro Football League
.
When the Prospects joined the ranks of the APFA
(later known as the National Football League) in 1920, Hughitt was retained. During his APFA/NFL career, Hughitt was a triple threat man
and player-coach
at the same time, playing quarterback, wide receiver
, running back
, punter
, placekicker
, and playing on defense all the while coaching the team. He finished his career with an impressive 29-15-7 record, two state championships (1918 and 1919), two top-three finishes in the NFL (1920 and 1921), and statistically finishing at or near the top of the league in several scoring and receiving categories in 1920 and 1921; he never had a losing season. He retired from football in 1924, shortly after acquiring a stake in his team. After Hughitt's departure, he handed over the reins of the franchise to Walter Koppisch
, and Hughitt spent time as a league official.
In 1937, he became a councilman for the City of Buffalo
serving for a term of four years. He died in Bartow, Florida
. He was elected to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 1992. However despite his record, Hughitt has never been considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
.
Hughitt wore the number
1.
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
utility player
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
and coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
. He was also an All-American quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1913.
Hughitt was born in Genoa, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, but grew up in Escanaba, Michigan
Escanaba, Michigan
Escanaba is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, located in the banana belt on the state's Upper Peninsula. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 13,140, making it the third-largest city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie...
, where he attended 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....
. Upon graduation he went to the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, where he played quarterback for the Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
. He went professional no later than 1917, when he signed with the Youngstown Patricians
Youngstown Patricians
The Youngstown Patricians were a semi-professional football team based in Youngstown, Ohio. In the 1910s, the team briefly held the professional football championship and established itself as a fierce rival of more experienced clubs around the country, some of which later formed the core of the...
of the Ohio League
Ohio League
The Ohio League was an informal and loose association of American football clubs active between 1903 and 1919 that competed for the Ohio Independent Championship . As the name implied, its teams were based in Ohio...
. At the same time, he also played and coached for the Buffalo Niagaras and Prospects
Buffalo (NFL)
Buffalo, New York had a turbulent, early-era National Football League team that operated under three different names and several different owners between the 1910s and 1920s...
of the Buffalo Semi-Pro Football League
New York Pro Football League
The New York Pro Football League was a professional American football league active in the 1910s and based in upstate New York, primarily Western New York. Between 1920 and 1921, the league's best teams were absorbed into the National Football League, though none survive in that league today...
.
When the Prospects joined the ranks of the APFA
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(later known as the National Football League) in 1920, Hughitt was retained. During his APFA/NFL career, Hughitt was a triple threat man
Triple threat man
In gridiron football, the phrase triple-threat man refers to a player who excels at all three of the skills of running, passing, and kicking. In modern usage, such a player would be referred to as a utility player....
and player-coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
at the same time, playing quarterback, wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, punter
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
, placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
, and playing on defense all the while coaching the team. He finished his career with an impressive 29-15-7 record, two state championships (1918 and 1919), two top-three finishes in the NFL (1920 and 1921), and statistically finishing at or near the top of the league in several scoring and receiving categories in 1920 and 1921; he never had a losing season. He retired from football in 1924, shortly after acquiring a stake in his team. After Hughitt's departure, he handed over the reins of the franchise to Walter Koppisch
Walter Koppisch
Walter Frederic "Wally" Koppisch was an American football halfback in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bisons and New York Giants. He attended Columbia University...
, and Hughitt spent time as a league official.
In 1937, he became a councilman for the City of Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
serving for a term of four years. He died in Bartow, Florida
Bartow, Florida
Bartow is the county seat of Polk County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1851 as Fort Blount, the city was renamed in honor of Francis S. Bartow the first brigade commander to die in combat during the American Civil War. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census, the city had a...
. He was elected to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 1992. However despite his record, Hughitt has never been considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
.
Hughitt wore the number
Uniform number (American football)
The uniform numbers in American football are unusual compared to those in any other sport. They are displayed in more locations on the uniform than in those of other sports , and on the front of the jersey, they are displayed very large, taking up almost the entire front of the jersey...
1.
See also
- Michigan Wolverines Football All-AmericansMichigan Wolverines Football All-AmericansMichigan Wolverines football All-Americans are American football players who have been named as All-Americans while playing for the University of Michigan football team.-Overview:...
- 1913 College Football All-America Team1913 College Football All-America TeamThe 1913 College Football All-America team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-America Teams selected by various organizations in 1913...