Charles W. Wantland

Charles William Wantland (February 22, 1888 – March 31, 1964)[1] was an American athlete and coach. Wantland served as a sports coach and athletic director, and dean at Central State Teachers College in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Charles Wantland
Biographical details
Born(1888-02-22)February 22, 1888
Purcell, Oklahoma, U.S.
DiedMarch 31, 1964(1964-03-31) (aged 76)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1907–1908Oklahoma
Basketball
1907–1910Oklahoma
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1910Lindsay HS (OK)
1911Oklahoma (assistant)
1912–1919Central State Normal/Teachers
1921–1930Central State Teachers
Basketball
1921–1928Central State Teachers
Track
1912Oklahoma
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1912–1931Central State Normal/Teachers
Head coaching record
Overall102–42–16 (college football)
36–57(college basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
6 OIC (1914–1915, 1921, 1923–1924, 1929)

Early life and education

Wantland grew up in Purcell, Oklahoma. He attended Purcell High School and graduated in 1906.[2] He attended the University of Oklahoma where Wantland participated on the football, baseball, track, and basketball teams.[3][4] In football, he played right halfback, was the kick returner and placekicker. He is perhaps best known for the 1908 game against Texas in which he returned a kick for 90 yards and a touchdown, part of a four touchdown performance to defeat the Longhorns.[5] During the 1909–10 season he was the captain of the Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball team.[6]

Coaching career

Early positions

After graduation from Oklahoma in 1910 with a B.A in economics, Wantland coached at Lindsay High School in 1910.[7][8] After that year coach Bennie Owen tasked Wantland to be an assistant for the football team, and to coach the track squad.[9] During this time Wantland was also a baseball umpire.[10][11]

Central State

In 1912 Wantland was hired to lead the athletic program at Central State Normal School (later renamed Central State Teachers College, now the University of Central Oklahoma.) While at CSN he coached the football and basketball teams, and was also the dean of men at the college. It was during this time that he led Central into what would be known as the Golden Age of Central Football. He was instrumental in founding the first Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference in which all normal schools in the state participated. He is known for defeating Oklahoma Methodist, (now Oklahoma City University) by a score of 183–0. During the 1924 season, Wantland had his greatest success, after a season opening loss to Southwestern (KS), he led the Bronchos to their only win over his alma mater the Oklahoma Sooners, shortly thereafter the Bronchos defeated eventual Southwest Conference champion Baylor in Dallas, on the way to a 9–1 record and the OIC crown.[8]

Fired by Governor Murray

In 1930 former representative Alfalfa Bill Murray was campaigning to be governor. During this time he urged public officials to actively support his candidacy. However, college president John Gorden Mitchell and Wantland refused to do so. Wantland chose to support Murray's rival, Frank Buttram. Mitchell claimed Murray "was his third choice for governor". Murray responded that Mitchell was his second choice for the presidency of Central State.[12][13] When Murray was successful in his gubernatorial bid he swiftly fired both President Mitchell and Wantland. Wantland never returned to the coaching ranks.[14]

Personal life

In 1922 Mrs. Wantland chose the Broncho as the mascot for CSTC.[15][16] After being fired by Governor Murray, Wantland entered the oil supply business until his retirement in 1953. He died in 1964. Wantland was the namesake for two buildings on Central Oklahoma's campus, the former field house and current physical education building Wantland Hall, and the now Chad Richison Stadium the home for Broncho football was named Wantland Stadium in his honor from 1965–2021.[17] In 1998 Wantland was named by the Purcell Register to the Purcell High School all-century team, the earliest player to make the list.[8][18]

Head coaching record

College football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding
Central State (Independent) (1912–1913)
1912 Central State 4–3
1913 Central State 3–3–3
Central State Bronchos (Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference) (1914–1919)
1914 Central State 5–11st
1915 Central State 9–01st
1916 Central State 8–3
1917 Central State 3–4
1918 Central State 6–2
1919 Central State 6–5
Central State Bronchos (Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference) (1921–1928)
1921 Central State 8–11st
1922 Central State 7–45–35th
1923 Central State 7–1–11st
1924 Central State 9–17–01st
1925 Central State 4–3–24–1–13rd
1926 Central State 3–3–32–2–2T–4th
1927 Central State 3–1–43–1–3T–3rd
1928 Central State 5–3–13–2–1T–5th
Central State Bronchos (Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1929–1930)
1929 Central State 6–1–25–01st
1930 Central State 6–34–12nd
Central State: 102–42–16
Total:102–42–16
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

[19]

College basketball
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Central State Bronchos (Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference) (1921–1928)
1921–22 Central State 10–4
1922–23 Central State 5–5
1923–24 Central State 2–12
1924–25 Central State 8–12
1925–26 Central State 5–6
1926–27 Central State 2–10
1926–27 Central State 4–8
Central State: 36–57 (.387)[20]
Total:27–16 (.628)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

References
  1. "Charles W. Wantland". ancientfaces.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  2. "McClain County, Oklahoma Schools Purcell High School Graduates 1901-1915". Ancestry.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  3. "All-Time LetterWinners". Soonersports.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  4. "2008 Track & Field Media Guide" (PDF). University of Oklahoma Athletics. 2008. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  5. Maisel, Ivan (2005). "The top 100 in 100 years of Texas-OU". espn.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  6. "Basketball at Oklahoma University for Press and Radio" (PDF). University of Oklahoma. 1947. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  7. "Catalog ..." google.com. 1912.
  8. "Sports Scene Has Lost Great Friend". The Oklahoman. April 2, 1964. p. ?. Retrieved April 7, 2015 – via Oklahoman Digital Archives.
  9. Dozier, Ray (October 2013). The Oklahoma Football Encyclopedia. ISBN 9781613216200.
  10. http://digital.libraries.ou.edu/sooner/articles/p14-15_1938v11n10_OCR.pdf
  11. "RootsWeb: WANTLAND-L [Wantland] Charles W WANTLAND obit 1964 OK". ancestry.com.
  12. Loughlin, Patricia; Burke, Bob (2007). Building Traditions , Educating Generations:A History of the University of Central Oklahoma. Oklahoma Heritage Association. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-885596-60-4.
  13. Hoig, Stanley (1971). "Chapter VI. State-Supported Teachers Colleges in Oklahoma,1908–1941". A History of the Development of Institutions of Higher Education in Oklahoma (Ph.D.). University Microfilms University of Michigan. pp. 133–4. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  14. Fisk, David Randall (2014). Legendary Locals of Edmond. Arcadia Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 9781467101233. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  15. "UCO: Division of Student Affairs at the University of Central Oklahoma". Archived from the original on 2015-05-22. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
  16. "Mascot name carries history". NewsOK.com.
  17. "UCO to rename football facility as Chad Richison Stadium, unveils extensive stadium improvements". KOCO. October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  18. "Purcell High School Football All-Century Team (1900-1999)". The Purcell Register.
  19. "2013 UCO Media Guide". Mike Kirk. 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  20. "2014-15 UCO Men's Basketball Media Guide". Mike Kirk. 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  21. "Seminole Nation, OK: Anglican Bishop Becomes First Chief Justice of the Seminole Nation Supreme Court". Virtue Online.org. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
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