Charles H. Brown (American football)

{{Short description|American football player, coach, and judge (1886–1963)}}

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Charles H. Brown

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1886|10|10}}

| birth_place = Tennessee, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1963|5|16|1886|10|10}}

| death_place = Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.

| alma_mater =

| player_years1 = 1910–1911

| player_team1 = Vanderbilt

| player_years2 = 1917

| player_team2 = Camp Gordon

| player_positions = Guard

| coach_years1 = 1916

| coach_team1 = Birmingham

| coach_years2 = 1919–1923

| coach_team2 = Birmingham–Southern

| overall_record = 23–22–4

| bowl_record =

| tournament_record =

| championships =

| awards =

| coaching_records =

}}

Charles Hunt Brown (October 10, 1886 – May 16, 1963) was an American college football player and coach and judge. He was a standout guard for coach Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores football teams at Vanderbilt University, playing next to his brother Tom Brown. Charles Brown also served as the head football coach at Birmingham College in 1916 and at Birmingham–Southern College from 1919 to 1923.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5KRBAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA74|title=Alumni Directory, Vol. 1, Mar, 1923, Vanderbilt University: "Who's Who" Among Vanderbilt Men and Women|first=Vanderbilt University Alumni|last=Association|date=September 10, 1923|via=Google Books}} Brown played for Vanderbilt teams that won back to back Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) championships in 1910 and 1911.{{cite book |title=Vanderbilt University Quarterly |date=January–March 1910 |publisher=Vanderbilt University |location=Nashville, TN |edition=10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nmomAQAAIAAJ |access-date=September 10, 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89053729/1912-09-09/ed-3/seq-10/|date=September 9, 1912|title=Vanderbilt Loses Stars; New Rules Hurt Chances McGugin To Have Real Team, However, As Usual|work=Atlanta Georgian|author=Percy H. Whiting|page=10}} Brown played for the 1917 Camp Gordon football team coached by Jogger Elcock.{{cite news |author= |title=Birmingham Gets Another Big Game For Grid Season |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85121212/the-birmingham-news/ |newspaper=The Birmingham News |location=Birmingham, Alabama |date=November 11, 1917 |page=13 |access-date=September 11, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}

Brown served as an infantry captain in the United States Army during World War I, losing a leg in combat in the Meuse–Argonne offensive in France. He was an assistant city attorney, deputy solicitor, and assistant state attorney before being appointed as a judge in Birmingham, Alabama in 1958. He was reappointed to the bench in 1962. Brown died on May 16, 1963, in Birmingham, after collapsing while presiding in court.{{cite news |author= |title=Judge, Former Coach Brown Dies At Birmingham |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85120718/obituary-for-charles-h-brown-aged-77/ |newspaper=Dothan Eagle |location=Dothan, Alabama |agency=Associated Press |date=May 16, 1963 |page=8 |access-date=September 11, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}

Brown urged his son, Charles Jr., to attend Georgia Tech.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/atlanta-ga/charles-brown-4736463|title=Charles Brown Obituary - Atlanta, GA|website=Dignity Memorial}}