Harry J. Robertson

Harold J. Robertson (March 4, 1896 – January 7, 1962) was a Canadian-born player and coach of American football. He played one game as a professional football player with the Rochester Jeffersons of the National Football League (NFL) in 1922 and was the head football coach at Oglethorpe University from 1924 to 1933.

Harry J. Robertson
Biographical details
Born(1896-03-04)March 4, 1896
Chambly, Quebec, Canada
DiedJanuary 7, 1962(1962-01-07) (aged 65)
Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.
Playing career
1916–1917Syracuse
1919–1920Syracuse
1922Rochester Jeffersons
Position(s)End, tackle
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1921–1923Syracuse (line)
1924–1933Oglethorpe
Head coaching record
Overall39–49–5
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 SIAA (1924–1925)
Awards
Oglethorpe Athletics Hall of Fame

Biography

A native of Chambly, Quebec, Robertson grew up in Somerville, Massachusetts, and attended Somerville High School and Worcester Academy. In 1914 and 1915, Robertson and his brother Jim Robertson played summer baseball for the Falmouth "Cottage Club" team in what is now the Cape Cod Baseball League. While Jim played first base, Harry was a catcher, and was reportedly a "fast and aggressive" player.[1][2][3][4]

Robertson served in the United States Army during World War I, and played on the football team at Camp Dix in 1918.[5] After his service, Robertson attended Syracuse University, where he played college football as an end, and was team captain. In 1920, Robertson captained his Syracuse squad against his brother Jim, who was captain of the Dartmouth team.[6] Robertson graduated from Syracuse in 1922, and later that year appeared in a single game for the Rochester Jeffersons of the National Football League (NFL), his only game as a professional.[7]

Robertson served as a line coach at Syracuse from 1921 to 1923, and became the head football coach at Oglethorpe University in 1924, succeeding his brother, Jim, who had coached the Oglethorpe team in 1923.[8][9] At Oglethorpe, Robertson led his team to back-to-back Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) titles in 1924 and 1925,[9] and his 1926 team posted a landmark upset over William Alexander's Georgia Tech squad, winning by a score of 7 to 6.[10][7] Robertson led Oglethorpe for ten seasons, and was succeeded by John Patrick following the 1933 season.[11]

Robertson was inducted into the Oglethorpe Athletics Hall of Fame in 1962, and was remembered as "a football genius...lively, prankish and warmhearted." He died in Coral Gables, Florida in 1962 at age 65.[12][13]

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1924–1926)
1924 Oglethorpe 6–3–15–0T–1st
1925 Oglethorpe 8–38–11st
1926 Oglethorpe 3–7–13–4–117th
Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels (Independent) (1927)
1927 Oglethorpe 2–6
Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1928–1929)
1928 Oglethorpe 3–5–11–222nd
1929 Oglethorpe 5–4–11–221st
Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels (Independent) (1930–1933)
1930 Oglethorpe 4–4–1
1931 Oglethorpe 3–6
1932 Oglethorpe 1–6
1933 Oglethorpe 4–5
Oglethorpe: 39–49–515–5
Total:39–49–5
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
  1. "Baseball Games at Falmouth Heights Start With Rush". Falmouth Enterprise. Falmouth, MA. July 4, 1914. p. 2.
  2. "Baseball at Heights". Falmouth Enterprise. Falmouth, MA. August 14, 1915. p. 7.
  3. "Falmouth Baseball". Falmouth Enterprise. Falmouth, MA. August 14, 1926. p. 6.
  4. "Tommy Murray, Umpire of Old, Comes to Visit". Falmouth Enterprise. Falmouth, MA. August 19, 1958. p. 5.
  5. Serb, Chris (2019). War Football: World War I and the Birth of the NFL. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 199. ISBN 9781538124857.
  6. Pender, Horace G. and Raymond M. McPartlin (1923). Athletics at Dartmouth. Brattleboro, VT: Vermont Printing Company. pp. 170–183.
  7. "Harry Robertson Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  8. "Harry Robertson". Oglethorpe University Bulletin. 17: 31. June 1933. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  9. Nelson, Jon (2012). A History of College Football in Georgia: Glory on the Gridiron. Charleston, SC: The History Press. ISBN 9781614236139.
  10. Anna A. Salter (2007). Oglethorpe University. p. 38. ISBN 9780738552538.
  11. "New Oglethorpe Coach". The Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. September 10, 1934. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  12. "Oglethorpe Athletic Hall of Fame". gopetrels.com. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  13. "Coach Robertson Dies". Oglethorpe Alumni Association. April 1, 1962. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
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