Ernest Houghton

{{Short description|American basketball player and coach (1893–1941)}}

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Ernest Houghton

| image =

| caption =

| height_ft =

| height_in =

| weight_lb =

| position = Guard

| birth_date = {{birth date|1893|10|10}}

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{death date and age|1941|7|24|1893|10|10}}

| death_place = Brighton, New York, U.S.

| high_school =

| college = Union (NY) (1912–1915)

| nationality = American

| years1 = 1915–1916

| team1 = Kingston

| years2 = 1916–1917

| team2 = Hudson

| years3 = 1917–1918

| team3 = Gloversville

| years4 = 1919–1920

| team4 = Rochester Kodaks

| cyears1 = 1915–1917

| cteam1 = Peddie School

| cyears2 = 1917–1918

| cteam2 = The Albany Academy

| cyears3 = 1917–1918

| cteam3 = Union (NY) (assistant)

| highlights =

Helms National Player of the Year (1915)
2× Helms All-American (1914, 1915)

}}

Ernest Baker Houghton (October 10, 1893 – July 24, 1941){{cite news|title=E.B. Houghton Passes at 48 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/136141229| newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle| date=July 25, 1941| page=17| via = Newspapers.com| access-date = May 27, 2020}} was an American college basketball standout at Union College in the 1910s. He was a Helms Athletic Foundation All-American in both 1914 and 1915, and was named their National Player of the Year after the 1914–15 season.{{Cite web | title = 1913–14 Season Summary| publisher = Sports Reference LLC| url = https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/seasons/1914.html|work =sports-reference.com | access-date = December 4, 2010}}{{Cite web | title = 1914–15 Season Summary| publisher = Sports Reference LLC| url = https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/seasons/1915.html|work =sports-reference.com | access-date = December 4, 2010}}{{Cite web| title = Pro Basketball Leagues 1917-1918| publisher=basketballhistorian.com | url = http://www.basketballhistorian.com/heroes.cfm?page=11| year =2010 |access-date = December 4, 2010}} He also played football and baseball at Union.

After college, Houghton played in one of the earliest professional basketball leagues in the United States – the New York State League. He played for Hudson and was a high scoring player, but the league was disrupted and ultimately folded due to World War I. In 23 games, Houghton scored 100 career points. Houghton coached high school basketball at the Peddie School in New Jersey and high school basketball and football at The Albany Academy in New York.{{cite news|title=Houghton May be Coach for Union | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/442267301| newspaper=The Post-Star| date=October 17, 1917| page=6| via = Newspapers.com| access-date = May 27, 2020}} He also served as an assistant coach to Union College's men's basketball team, while his day job was selling life insurance.{{cite news|title=Ernest Houghton Wins Promotion In Insurance Field | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/442933429| newspaper=The Post-Star| date=January 8, 1918| page=7| via = Newspapers.com| access-date = May 27, 2020}}{{cite news|title=Union College Star to Play on Kodak Team Here | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/352620339| newspaper=The Buffalo News| date=December 30, 1919| page=19| via = Newspapers.com| access-date = May 27, 2020}}

Houghton died in his home in Brighton, New York at age 48, caused by heart seizures.