Harold M. Watts (1925 – August 15, 1973) was an American football player. He played at the center position for the University of Michigan from 1943 to 1946.[1] He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the 1945 Michigan Wolverines football team and received the award in absentia after being transferred off the Michigan campus by the U.S. Navy and missing the final two games of the 1945 season.[2] He was selected "by a wide margin" as the Associated Press' first-team All-Big Ten player in 1945.[3] He was also selected as a first-team All-Big Ten player by the United Press and was the only Michigan player selected for the all-conference teams by either the AP or UP.[4] He played all 60 minutes in the Wolverines' 1945 loss to Army at Yankee Stadium in New York.[2] Michigan line coach Clarence "Biggie" Munn called Watts "pound for pound the ablest man I ever coached."[2]

Harold Watts
Michigan Wolverines
Harold Watts, 1944
Born:1925
Birmingham, Michigan
Died:August 15, 1973
Career information
Position(s)Center
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight176 lb (80 kg)
CollegeUniversity of Michigan
High schoolBirmingham
Career history
As player
1943–1946Michigan
Career highlights and awards
AwardsMost Valuable Player, 1945 Michigan Wolverines football team

References edit

  1. ^ "1945 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library.
  2. ^ a b c "Michigan Picks Watts". Chicago Daily Tribune. 1945-11-28.
  3. ^ "Watts Only Michigan Player On Ail-Big Ten Honor Eleven". THE NEWS-PALUDIUM, BENTON HARBOR, MICH. 1945-11-26.
  4. ^ "MICHIGAN HAS ONE PLAYER ON BIG TEN TEAM: Harold Watts Only Wolverine On All-Conference". Record-Eagle. 1945-11-26.