Homer Norton

Homer Norton
Norton, circa 1945
Biographical details
Born(1896-12-30)December 30, 1896
Carrollton, Alabama, U.S.
DiedMay 26, 1965(1965-05-26) (aged 68)
College Station, Texas, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1916Birmingham
Basketball
1915–1916Birmingham
Baseball
1916Birmingham
1916–1919Birmingham Barons
1920Greensboro Patriots
1921Lakeland Highlanders
Position(s)End (football)
Outfielder (baseball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1919–1921Centenary
1922–1925Centenary (assistant)
1926–1933Centenary
1934–1947Texas A&M
Basketball
1921–1926Centenary
Baseball
1924–1928Centenary
1943–1944Texas A&M
Head coaching record
Overall143–75–18 (football)
49–43 (basketball)
62–37–1 (baseball)
Bowls2–2–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 National (1939)
2 SIAA (1926–1927)
3 SWC (1939–1941)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1971 (profile)

Homer Hill Norton (December 30, 1896 – May 26, 1965) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Centenary College of Louisiana from 1919 to 1921 and 1926[1] to 1933 and at Texas A&M University from 1934 to 1947, compiling a career college football record of 143–75–18. His 1939 Texas A&M team went 11–0, beating Tulane in the Sugar Bowl, and was named 1939 National Football Champions national champion. Norton's record at Texas A&M was 82–53–9, giving him the second most wins of any coach in Texas A&M Aggies football history. He was fired in 1947 when his team went 3–6–1 and lost to Texas for the eighth straight year. Norton was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1971.

Norton played four different sports at Birmingham–Southern College and played minor league baseball with the Birmingham Barons prior to becoming a coach. In addition to football, Norton also coached basketball at Centenary from 1921 to 1926 and baseball at Texas A&M from 1943 to 1944.

Norton died of a heart attack on May 26, 1965, in College Station, Texas.[2]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs AP#
Centenary Gentlemen (Independent) (1919–1920)
1919 Centenary 1–3
1920 Centenary 0–1
Centenary Gentlemen (Louisiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1921)
1921 Centenary 3–3
Centenary Gentlemen (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1926–1933)
1926 Centenary 6–3 5–0 1st
1927 Centenary 10–0 4–0 T–1st
1928 Centenary 6–3–2 2–1–1 T–8th
1929 Centenary 6–3–1 1–0 T–6th
1930 Centenary 8–1–1 2–0 T–4th
1931 Centenary 5–5 3–0 3rd
1932 Centenary 8–0–1 1–0 6th
1933 Centenary 8–0–4 3–0 3rd T Dixie Classic
Centenary: 61–22–9 21–1–1
Texas A&M Aggies (Southwest Conference) (1934–1947)
1934 Texas A&M 2–7–2 1–4–1 6th
1935 Texas A&M 3–7 1–5 7th
1936 Texas A&M 8–3–1 3–2–1 T–3rd
1937 Texas A&M 5–2–2 2–2–2 5th
1938 Texas A&M 4–4–1 2–3–1 5th
1939 Texas A&M 11–0 6–0 1st W Sugar 1
1940 Texas A&M 9–1 5–1 T–1st W Cotton 6
1941 Texas A&M 9–2 5–1 1st L Cotton 9
1942 Texas A&M 4–5–1 2–3–1 5th
1943 Texas A&M 7–2–1 4–1 2nd L Orange
1944 Texas A&M 7–4 2–3 T–4th
1945 Texas A&M 6–4 3–3 T–3rd
1946 Texas A&M 4–6 3–3 4th
1947 Texas A&M 3–6–1 1–4–1 T–5th
Texas A&M: 82–53–9 40–35–7
Total: 143–75–18
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ Glory Years of Football, Centenary College of Louisiana, 1922-1942. Centenary College of Louisiana. 2000.
  2. ^ Barroquere, Pete (May 27, 1965). "Former Centenary, Aggie Grid Coach Dies in Texas". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. p. D1. Retrieved July 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
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