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| Colorado Aggies.Com |
| Dedicated to the Preservation of Athletic History at Colorado State University |
| Archive Features |
| Feature Stories |
Since 1892, when the first athletic council was formed at Colorado State
University, no single person has contributed as much to the development of
athletics at CSU than Harry W. Hughes. Men like Sonny Lubick, Bob Davis and
the great Fum McGraw have undoubtedly helped build Ram athletics, but
without the hard work and determination of Harry Hughes, they may never have
had the chance to bring their talents to Fort Collins.
When Hughes arrived at Colorado Agricultural College in September of 1911, he
inherited dilapidated facilities, few qualified athletes and a 12-year-old athletic
department reeling from the revolving door of coaches and athletic directors that
could not allow any stability to establish a solid foundation. Although college
president Charles Lory was an ardent supporter of athletics, it is possible that
without the direction that Hughes gave, the school may have never been able to
get out of the athletic doldrums.
From August 2011 to July 2012, Colorado Aggies.com will produce the most
detailed account ever before of how Harry Hughes guided the athletic
department during his 42-year career in Fort Collins. Each month we will
examine a piece of Hughes’ career and life while he was the leader of the
Colorado Aggies.
August 2011 – “Part 1: The Man from Oklahoma” will examine Harry Hughes
before he came to Colorado Agricultural College in 1911.
September 2011 – “Part 2: Building the Aggies” will dig into the first four years
that Harry Hughes spent as director of athletics and the challenges he faced to
not only transform agricultural college students into athletes, but also the
transformation of facilities and attitudes toward athletics at the small school.
October 2011 – “Part 3: Making Champions” examines the first three football
championships of 1915, 1916 and 1919 along with Hughes’ first track
championships in 1918 and 1919. Those first five conference championships
eventually led to a slew of championships through the 1920s and 1930s.
November 2011 – “Part 4: Athletic Expansion” explains how Harry Hughes not
only was able to expand facilities at CAC, but also add different sports to the
school’s intercollegiate offerings. When Hughes arrived in 1911, the Aggies only
participated in four sports. By 1930, the Aggies had doubled the intercollegiate
sports offered at the school and boasted excellent athletic facilities.
December 2011 – “Part 5: Million Dollar Man” is about how the roaring 20s
were the greatest period in Hughes’ career with the Colorado Aggies. From
championships to a respect nationally by his coaching peers, Hughes’ career
was solidified during the days of Babe Ruth and Charles Lindbergh.
January 2012 – “Part 6: The Hughesmen” will talk about the men that played
for Harry Hughes in football, basketball and track. The newspapers commonly
called them “Hughesmen”.
February 2012 – “Part 7: The Dean of Coaches” digs into Hughes’ career
during the 1930s and his career as he continued to win championships and gain
national respect.
March 2012 – “Part 8: War-time Aggies” will tell us what Harry Hughes did
during both WWI and WWII.
April 2012 – “Part 9: Director of Athletics” is about Hughes’ transition away
from coaching football and into a new administrative position. Although he had
been the athletic director since 1911, he had to make an adjustment in his
coaching life.
May 2012 – “Part 10: Who’s Hughes?” is an in-depth analysis of who Harry
Hughes really was as a man, father and leader of men.
June 2012 – “Part 11: Harry Hughes Day” will take us back to the evening of
November 7, 1952 and the day known as Harry Hughes Day at Colorado Field
on November 8, 1952. As Hughes headed to retirement, the many men he
influenced gave him a special day to remember and thanks to a recording, we
know what they said about Him.
July 2012 – “Part 12: The Hughes Legacy” will cover how Harry Hughes’ 42
years at the school known today as Colorado State University has left a lasting
impact on the school. From Hughes Stadium to the fight song, Harry Hughes
still leaves behind a legacy for the Rams.
University, no single person has contributed as much to the development of
athletics at CSU than Harry W. Hughes. Men like Sonny Lubick, Bob Davis and
the great Fum McGraw have undoubtedly helped build Ram athletics, but
without the hard work and determination of Harry Hughes, they may never have
had the chance to bring their talents to Fort Collins.
When Hughes arrived at Colorado Agricultural College in September of 1911, he
inherited dilapidated facilities, few qualified athletes and a 12-year-old athletic
department reeling from the revolving door of coaches and athletic directors that
could not allow any stability to establish a solid foundation. Although college
president Charles Lory was an ardent supporter of athletics, it is possible that
without the direction that Hughes gave, the school may have never been able to
get out of the athletic doldrums.
From August 2011 to July 2012, Colorado Aggies.com will produce the most
detailed account ever before of how Harry Hughes guided the athletic
department during his 42-year career in Fort Collins. Each month we will
examine a piece of Hughes’ career and life while he was the leader of the
Colorado Aggies.
August 2011 – “Part 1: The Man from Oklahoma” will examine Harry Hughes
before he came to Colorado Agricultural College in 1911.
September 2011 – “Part 2: Building the Aggies” will dig into the first four years
that Harry Hughes spent as director of athletics and the challenges he faced to
not only transform agricultural college students into athletes, but also the
transformation of facilities and attitudes toward athletics at the small school.
October 2011 – “Part 3: Making Champions” examines the first three football
championships of 1915, 1916 and 1919 along with Hughes’ first track
championships in 1918 and 1919. Those first five conference championships
eventually led to a slew of championships through the 1920s and 1930s.
November 2011 – “Part 4: Athletic Expansion” explains how Harry Hughes not
only was able to expand facilities at CAC, but also add different sports to the
school’s intercollegiate offerings. When Hughes arrived in 1911, the Aggies only
participated in four sports. By 1930, the Aggies had doubled the intercollegiate
sports offered at the school and boasted excellent athletic facilities.
December 2011 – “Part 5: Million Dollar Man” is about how the roaring 20s
were the greatest period in Hughes’ career with the Colorado Aggies. From
championships to a respect nationally by his coaching peers, Hughes’ career
was solidified during the days of Babe Ruth and Charles Lindbergh.
January 2012 – “Part 6: The Hughesmen” will talk about the men that played
for Harry Hughes in football, basketball and track. The newspapers commonly
called them “Hughesmen”.
February 2012 – “Part 7: The Dean of Coaches” digs into Hughes’ career
during the 1930s and his career as he continued to win championships and gain
national respect.
March 2012 – “Part 8: War-time Aggies” will tell us what Harry Hughes did
during both WWI and WWII.
April 2012 – “Part 9: Director of Athletics” is about Hughes’ transition away
from coaching football and into a new administrative position. Although he had
been the athletic director since 1911, he had to make an adjustment in his
coaching life.
May 2012 – “Part 10: Who’s Hughes?” is an in-depth analysis of who Harry
Hughes really was as a man, father and leader of men.
June 2012 – “Part 11: Harry Hughes Day” will take us back to the evening of
November 7, 1952 and the day known as Harry Hughes Day at Colorado Field
on November 8, 1952. As Hughes headed to retirement, the many men he
influenced gave him a special day to remember and thanks to a recording, we
know what they said about Him.
July 2012 – “Part 12: The Hughes Legacy” will cover how Harry Hughes’ 42
years at the school known today as Colorado State University has left a lasting
impact on the school. From Hughes Stadium to the fight song, Harry Hughes
still leaves behind a legacy for the Rams.
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