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Ralph Clyde "Shorty" Propst (May 12, 1898 – October 13, 1959) was an American college football player and coach. He served as head coach at both Howard and Southwestern from 1934 to 1937. During his tenure as a head coach, Propst had an overall record of 19 wins, 14 losses and 6 ties (19–14–6).

Playing career

Propst was a prominent center for the Alabama Crimson Tide football teams of the University of Alabama coached by Xen C. Scott and Wallace Wade. In three different years he was selected All-Southern. He recovered Pooley Hubert's fumble in the endzone which was the deciding score in the 9 to 7 victory over Penn in 1922, arguably the biggest win in the era of Scott's coaching tenure.[1] He won the Porter Loving Cup three times.[2] He also played center on Alabama's basketball team.[3]

Coaching career

After he graduated from Alabama, Propst began his coaching career under Wallace Wade with the Crimson Tide in 1925.[4] At Alabama, Propst served as an assistant with the varsity in 1925, led the freshmen team in 1926 and 1927 before returning as a varsity assistant from 1928 to 1932.[5] After the 1932 season, he left coaching briefly to enter private business.[5] On March 21, 1934, Propst was hired to serve as head coach at Howard College (now Samford University) after Eddie McLane resigned to take the same position at Louisiana Tech.[6] During his one season with the Bulldogs, Propst led Howard to an overall record of three wins, four losses and two ties (3–4–2).[7]

He resigned his position at Howard one year later on March 7, 1935 to become both the head coach and athletic director at Southwestern College of Memphis (now Rhodes College).[8] The position came available after the death of James DeHart who was hired, but never coached a game at Southwestern in February 1935.[8][9] During his three-year tenure with the Lynx, his most notable victory came in 1936 when he led Southwestern to a 12–0 upset over Vanderbilt.[10] Propst later resigned both as head coach and athletic director at Southwestern on December 3, 1937.[11] He chose to resign after he learned his contract was not to be renewed in March 1938 by university officials.[5] During his three-year tenure at Southwestern, Propst led the Lynx to an overall record of sixteen wins, ten losses and four ties (16–10–4).[5][11] Propst later served as line coach at Auburn University from 1944 to 1947.[12]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Howard Bulldogs (Dixie Conference / Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1934)
1934 Howard 3–4–2 0–1 / 2–1–1 7th / T–11th
Howard: 3–4–2 2–2–1
Southwestern Lynx (Dixie Conference) (1935–1937)
1935 Southwestern 3–4–3 2–2–2 T–4th
1936 Southwestern 7–2–1 3–1–1 T–2nd
1937 Southwestern 6–4 4–1 T–2nd
Southwestern: 16–10–4 9–4–3
Total: 19–14–6

Later life

After he resigned from Auburn, Propst was recommended by Sam Hobbs in 1948 to serve as postmaster in Ohatchee, Alabama.[13] He later died on October 13, 1959, at the home of his daughter in Philadelphia where he had resided since 1957.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Alabama vs. Pennsylvania". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  2. ^ "Catalogue". 1922.
  3. ^ "Crimson Tide Basketball Team Meets Commodores Tonight". Nashville Banner. February 1, 1924. p. 24. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  4. ^ "All-Time Assistant Coaches". 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office. 2011. pp. 142–143.
  5. ^ a b c d Pappas, Thomas (December 10, 1937). "Propst leaves after three years as grid coach" (PDF). The Sou'wester. p. 3. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  6. ^ "Howard names Shorty Propst as head coach". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. March 21, 1934. p. 8. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  7. ^ "All-Time Results". 2011 Samford Football Media Guide. Homewood, Alabama: Samford University Sports Information. 2011. p. 151.
  8. ^ a b "Shorty Propst chosen Southwestern head coach". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. March 7, 1935. p. 8. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  9. ^ "Jimmy DeHart, noted grid mentor, passes". The Evening Independent. Associated Press. March 5, 1935. p. 4A. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  10. ^ "Propst insists he did not use magic in upset". Daily Journal-World. Associated Press. October 12, 1936. p. 6. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  11. ^ a b "Propst resigns post". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. December 5, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  12. ^ "Auburn All-Time Assistant Coaches". 2006 Auburn Football Media Guide. Auburn, Alabama: Auburn Media Relations Office. 2006. p. 165.
  13. ^ "Name makes news for Shorty Propst". The Florence Times. Associated Press. June 7, 1948. p. 10. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  14. ^ "R. C. "Shorty" Propst dies, was all-time Tide great". The Tuscaloosa News. October 14, 1959. p. 16. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
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