Harry Walter "Buck" Ewing (July 18, 1888 – March 11, 1962)[1] was an American football player, coach of football, basketball and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He was a 1909 graduate of University of Nebraska where he played football. Ewing served as the head football coach at Morningside College (1911), South Dakota State College (1912–1917), Ohio Wesleyan University (1919–1921), Miami University (1922–1923), and Otterbein College (1935–1938, 1942–1945, 1951–1954), compiling a career college football record of 82–82–10. He was also the head basketball coach at South Dakota State (1912–1913, 1914–1917), Ohio Wesleyan (1919–1920), Miami (1922–1924), and Otterbein (1942–1952), tallying a career college basketball mark of 117–111–1.

Harry W. Ewing
Ewing, c. 1922
Biographical details
Born(1888-07-18)July 18, 1888
Rosebreak Township, Kansas, U.S.
DiedMarch 11, 1962(1962-03-11) (aged 73)
Westerville, Ohio, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1907–1909Nebraska
Position(s)Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1910Nebraska (assistant)
1911Morningside
1912–1917South Dakota State
1918–1920Ohio Wesleyan
1922–1923Miami (OH)
1935–1938Otterbein
1942–1945Otterbein
1951–1954Otterbein
Basketball
1912–1917South Dakota State
1919–1920Ohio Wesleyan
1922–1924Miami (OH)
1942–1952Otterbein
Baseball
1913–1914South Dakota State
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1922–1924Miami (OH)
1934–1958Otterbein
Head coaching record
Overall82–82–10 (football)
117–111–1 (basketball)

Early life

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A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, Ewing attended Lincoln High School where he graduated in 1906. He was an all around athlete participating in football, basketball, track, and baseball. In football, he played both tackle and fullback. His football team claimed the high school championship of the United States in 1905. In track, he broke three Lincoln High School records for discus (111 feet) and 12 lb shot put (48 feet 5 inches) and the 12 lb hammer throw (165 feet 8 inches).[2]

Playing career

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After playing tackle on the freshman team,[2] Ewing lettered in football at the University of Nebraska under coach William C. "King" Cole in 1907, 1908, and 1909.[3] Weighing 188-pounds, he played guard and was known as a "natural people mover on the field."[4] Ewing helped the 1907 Nebraska Cornhuskers to an 8–2 record and a share of the Missouri Valley Conference title.[5] In 1908, the Cornhuskers finished with 7–2–1 with Ewing starting every game at left guard.[4] In his last season as a Cornhusker the team's record slipped to a 3–3–2 mark.[5]

Coaching career

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After finishing his playing days at Nebraska, Ewing joined the Cornhuskers coaching staff.[4] In 1911, he was named director of athletics and coach at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. The following year, he took a coaching position in both football and basketball at South Dakota State College. In 1914, he added the title of athletic director.[2] Ewing served as football coach at South Dakota from 1912 through 1917 with a record of 26–12–2.[6] He also served as basketball coach for the 1912–13 season where his team went 0–2. The next season the college did not field a team but Ewing returned to coach the basketball team for the 1914–15, 1915–16, and 1916–17 seasons. He finished his career as South Dakota State's basketball coach with a record of 14–20–1.[7]

In 1918 Ewing was named head coach of Ohio Wesleyan University where he eventually was promoted to associate professor of physical education and graduate manager.[2] In his three years as football coach at Ohio Wesleyan, he had a combined record of 11–9.[8] He also served as basketball coach for the 1919–20 season where his team went 5–8.[9] In 1922, he took a position as Professor of Physical Education and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Miami University. While at Miami he served as head coach of both the football and basketball teams.[2] In the two years as head coach had a combined record of 11–15 in basketball and 7–7–2 in football.[10][11]

Ewing returned to college coaching in 1934 when he took a position at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio. Known as "Mr. Athletics" at Otterbein he served as coach of numerous sports as well as athletic director, trainer, and physical education director from 1934 to 1958. During his career as a coach at Otterbein, Ewing compiled a 32–51–6 record in football and an 87–68 record in basketball. He was honored several ways by Otterbein for his impact on athletics. The track in the Rike Center is named in his memory and he was named to the Otterbein College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.[12]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Morningside Maroons (Independent) (1911)
1911 Morningside 6–3
Morningside: 6–3
South Dakota State (Independent) (1912–1917)
1912 South Dakota State 2–3–1
1913 South Dakota State 5–3
1914 South Dakota State 5–2
1915 South Dakota State 5–1–1
1916 South Dakota State 4–2
1917 South Dakota State 5–1
South Dakota State: 26–12–2
Ohio Wesleyan (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1918–1920)
1918 Ohio Wesleyan 3–2 2–2 T–7th
1919 Ohio Wesleyan 4–4 3–3 T–8th
1920 Ohio Wesleyan 4–3 3–3 T–9th
Ohio Wesleyan: 11–9 8–8
Miami Redskins (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1922–1923)
1922 Miami 4–3–1 4–3 T–9th
1923 Miami 3–4–1 1–4–1 16th
Miami: 7–7–2 5–7–1
Otterbein Cardinals (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1935–1938)
1935 Otterbein 1–6–1 0–6–1 18th
1936 Otterbein 1–7 0–7 T–18th
1937 Otterbein 2–6 1–6 18th
1938 Otterbein 1–6 1–5 17th
Otterbein Cardinals (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1942–1945)
1942 Otterbein 5–3 4–1 3rd
1943 Otterbein 2–1–1 NA NA
1944 Otterbein 5–1 NA NA
1945 Otterbein 4–2–2 3–1–2 T–5th
Otterbein Cardinals (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1951–1954)
1951 Otterbein 2–4–2 2–2–1 T–6th
1952 Otterbein 2–6 2–5 12th
1953 Otterbein 5–3 5–2 3rd
1954 Otterbein 2–6 2–4 10th
Otterbein: 32–51–6 25–39–4
Total: 82–82–10

References

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  1. ^ http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/a/w/Roberta-J-Hawk/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0396.html [user-generated source]
  2. ^ a b c d e "Miami Athletics". Miami University Bulletin -The Alumni News Letter. XX (12). Oxford, Ohio: Miami University: 9–10. August 1922. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  3. ^ "Nebraska Football Letterwinners - E". U. of Nebraska. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  4. ^ a b c "Cornhusker Anthology". huskernews.com. Retrieved June 28, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ a b "William C. "King" Cole". U. of Nebraska. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
  6. ^ "SDSU Football History". www.gojacks.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  7. ^ "SDSU Men's Basketball History". www.gojacks.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  8. ^ "Ohio Wesleyan University 2008 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Ohio Wesleyan University. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  9. ^ "Ohio Wesleyan University 2008-09 Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Ohio Wesleyan University. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  10. ^ "Miami 2008-09 Men's Basketball Media Guide". Miami University. Retrieved June 30, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "Miami 2008 Football Media Guide". Miami University. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  12. ^ "Otterbein University - Hall of Fame". Otterbein University Athletics. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
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