Pooley Hubert
{{Short description|American football player and sports coach (1901–1978)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Pooley Hubert
| image = Allison Hubert.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1901|4|6}}
| birth_place = Meridian, Mississippi, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1978|2|26|1901|4|6}}
| death_place = Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1922–1925
| player_team1 = Alabama
| player_positions = Fullback, quarterback
| coach_sport1 = Football
| coach_years2 = 1931–1936
| coach_team2 = Mississippi State Teachers
| coach_years3 = 1937–1946
| coach_team3 = VMI
| coach_sport4 = Basketball
| coach_years5 = 1932–1936
| coach_team5 = Mississippi State Teachers
| coach_years6 = 1936–1937
| coach_team6 = VMI
| coach_years7 = 1942–1943
| coach_team7 = VMI
| coach_sport8 = Baseball
| coach_years9 = 1934–1935
| coach_team9 = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall_record = 69–69–13 (football)
35–49 (basketball)
3–12 (baseball)
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record =
| championships =
| awards =
- Second-team All-American (1925)
- 2× All-Southern (1924, 1925)
| coaching_records =
| CFBHOF_year = 1964
| CFBHOF_id = 1400
}}
Allison Thomas Stanislaus "Pooley" Hubert (April 6, 1901 – February 26, 1978) was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. Regarded as one of the South's greatest college football stars, he played quarterback for coach Wallace Wade's football teams at the University of Alabama from 1922 to 1925, leading Alabama to its first bowl game, the 1926 Rose Bowl, known as "the game that changed the South." Wade called him "undoubtedly one of the greatest football players of all time." Hubert later became the head football and basketball coach at the Mississippi State Teachers College—now known as University of Southern Mississippi—and Virginia Military Institute. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1964.
Early years
Pooley dropped out of high school to fight in World War I. He attended Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri, where played football in the fall of 1920.{{cite news |author= |title=Princeton Will Get Real Star In Hubert |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84560623/the-st-louis-star-and-times/ |newspaper=The St. Louis Star |location=St. Louis, Missouri |date=December 28, 1920 |page=17 |access-date=September 1, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} Pooley earned a scholarship to play football at Princeton University, but arrived too late for the entrance exams. He tried a few other schools including Georgia Tech, for which he was one day late, before ultimately enrolling at the University of Alabama as a 20-year-old freshman.{{refn|group="n"|By the time he was a 24-year-old senior, his teammates had begun calling him "Papa Pooley" because he was so much older than them.}}
University of Alabama
Pooley initially played tackle in college, but was eventually put in the backfield where he excelled at fullback and quarterback. In those days of one-platoon football, players played on both offense, defense, and special teams. Not only was Hubert his team's best passer; he was also called the "greatest defensive back of all time."{{cite web|url=http://www.prideofthetide.com/hof_hubert.htm|title=POOLEY}} He wore number 10. He stood 5'10" and 190 pounds.
In six different games he scored at least three touchdowns, and had 35 in all.{{cite web|url={{College Football HoF/url|id=1400}}|title=National Football Foundation}} Zipp Newman wrote "No player deserves more credit for getting Alabama started up the ladder than Hubert—a football coach on the field. He wasn't fast, but he could pass, punt, buck for short yardage, and inspired his teammates. There have been few field generals in Pooley's class."{{cite web|url=http://acumen.lib.ua.edu/u0003/0000511/0000112|title=Alabama's grid stars of '20's put gravy in bowls|author=Zipp Newman}} Herman Stegeman remarked that with Hubert in the game Alabama had the advantage another team would have by a coach on the field of play.{{Harvnb|Woodruff|1928|pages=7–8}}
=1924=
Pooley was captain of the 1924 team which netted Alabama's first conference championship, as members of the Southern Conference. It suffered a lone upset to Herb Covington-led Centre. Hubert scored in the 14–0 win over Sewanee. In the 20–0 win over Furman, Hubert scored twice, once on a 4-yard run and next on a 35-yard off-tackle run. He threw two touchdowns in the win over Georgia to secure the conference.{{cite web|url=http://bryantmuseum.com/timeline.asp?Year=1924|title=Alabama Football - Bryant Museum|access-date=May 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426222953/http://bryantmuseum.com/timeline.asp?Year=1924|archive-date=April 26, 2015|url-status=dead}} At year's end Hubert was chosen for the composite All-Southern team.{{Closed access}} {{cite news|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=D4EJ51UHMTQwOTk3NTY4OC42OTUzOTk6MToxMzoxMzIuMTk4LjUwLjEz&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=17&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=17&p_docnum=2&p_docref=v2:1223BCE5B718A166@EANX-128A0E6F8A83024F@2424128-12836B6318A9E3ED@11-128A710C5DCC29E9@|newspaper=Times-Picayune|title=Atlanta Journals Picks S. I. C. All Star Team|date=December 8, 1924}}
=1925=
Hubert played a key role in helping Alabama win the 1925 national championship. In the 7–0 win over Georgia Tech, the alumni recalled "Hubert played the greatest game of his career and was called the greatest defensive back ever to appear on Grant Field". Johnny Mack Brown returned a punt for the deciding touchdown, and Hubert cleared two Tech players out of the way.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IH0LrFMKVTcC&pg=PA33|title=Legends of Alabama Football|isbn=9781582612775|last1=Scott|first1=Richard|year=2004}} Hubert also passed for two touchdowns and ran for another in a 34–0 win against Florida. At year's end he was selected All-Southern.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1916349//|work=The Daily News|title=Flournoy Best Kicker; Hubert The Cleverest Field General|author=Norman E. Brown|date=December 5, 1925|access-date=March 3, 2015|page=3|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}
The climax of his college career was the final game, defeating Wildcat Wilson-led Washington, 20–19, in the 1926 Rose Bowl. Hubert scored the first touchdown. He hit Brown on a 59-yard touchdown pass next to take the lead. He connected with Brown for yet another after a fumble. It is known as "the game that changed the South."
Coaching career and later life
In 1931, Hubert was appointed head football coach at Mississippi State Teachers College—now known as University of Southern Mississippi—in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.{{cite news |author= |title=Pooley Hubert To Be S. T. C. Coach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84559435/clarion-ledger/ |newspaper=The Clarion-Ledger |location=Jackson, Mississippi |date=August 9, 1931 |page=16 |access-date=September 1, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} From 1931 to 1936, he led Mississippi State Teachers to a 26–24–5 record. From 1937 to 1946, he was the head football coach at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, Virginia, where he compiled a 43–45–8 record. His 1938 squad set a school record with four ties. His best season came in 1940, when he went 7–2–1.
Hubert later coached football at Waynesboro High School in Waynesboro, Georgia, where he owned a peach orchard.{{cite news |author= |title=Pooley Hubert Elated Over 'Fame' Selection |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84559832/clarion-ledger/ |newspaper=The Clarion-Ledger |location=Jackson, Mississippi |date=August 13, 1964 |page=D4 |access-date=September 1, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} He died on February 26, 1978, at a Veterans Administration Hospital in Augusta, Georgia, following a lengthy illness.{{cite news |author= |title=Former Southern Coach Hubert Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84558679/hattiesburg-american/ |newspaper=Hattiesburg American |location=Hattiesburg, Mississippi |agency=Associated Press |date=February 27, 1978 |page=11 |access-date=September 1, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
Head coaching record
=Football=
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Mississippi State Teachers Yellow Jackets
| conf = Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
| startyear = 1931
| endyear = 1936
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1931
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 2–5
| conference = 2–4
| confstanding = T–19th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1932
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 5–4
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding = T–14th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1933
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 3–5–2
| conference = 2–4–1
| confstanding = T–20th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1934
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 3–4–2
| conference = 2–3–1
| confstanding = T–19th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1935
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 6–4
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = 8th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1936
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 7–2–1
| conference = 4–2–1
| confstanding = T–11th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 26–24–5
| confrecord = 18–17–3
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = VMI Keydets
| conf = Southern Conference
| startyear = 1937
| endyear = 1946
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1937
| name = VMI
| overall = 5–5
| conference = 5–2
| confstanding = 5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1938
| name = VMI
| overall = 6–1–4
| conference = 4–0–3
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1939
| name = VMI
| overall = 6–3–1
| conference = 3–1–1
| confstanding = 6th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1940
| name = VMI
| overall = 7–2–1
| conference = 3–2–1
| confstanding = 7th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1941
| name = VMI
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 4–2
| confstanding = 6th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1942
| name = VMI
| overall = 3–5–1
| conference = 2–4–1
| confstanding = 10th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1943
| name = VMI
| overall = 2–6
| conference = 1–3
| confstanding = 8th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1944
| name = VMI
| overall = 1–8
| conference = 1–5
| confstanding = 8th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1945
| name = VMI
| overall = 5–4
| conference = 3–2
| confstanding = 6th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1946
| name = VMI
| overall = 4–5–1
| conference = 3–3–1
| confstanding = 8th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = VMI
| overall = 43–45–8
| confrecord = 29–24–7
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 69–69–13
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
| legend = no
}}
=Basketball=
{{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | conference = | postseason = | poll = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Mississippi State Teachers Yellow Jackets
| conference = Independent
| startyear = 1932
| endyear = 1936
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1932–33
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 4–10
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1933–34
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 7–6
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1934–35
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 3–9
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1935–36
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 7–5
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Mississippi State Teachers
| overall = 21–30
| confrecord =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = VMI Keydets
| conference = Southern Conference
| startyear = 1936
| endyear = 1937
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1936–37
| name = VMI
| overall = 6–11
| conference = 5–11
| confstanding = 13th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = VMI Keydets
| conference = Southern Conference
| startyear = 1942
| endyear = 1943
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1942–43
| name = VMI
| overall = 8–8
| conference = 7–5
| confstanding = 7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = VMI
| overall = 14–19
| confrecord = 12–16
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
| overall = 35–49
| legend = no
}}
Notes
{{reflist|group=n}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book|title=A History of Southern Football 1890–1928|last=Woodruff|first=Fuzzy|volume=3|year=1928}}
External links
- {{College Football HoF|1400}}
- {{Find a Grave}}
{{Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback navbox}}
{{Southern Miss Golden Eagles football coach navbox}}
{{Southern Miss Golden Eagles men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Southern Miss Golden Eagles baseball coach navbox}}
{{VMI Keydets football coach navbox}}
{{VMI Keydets basketball coach navbox}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Pooley Hubert—awards and honors
| list1 =
{{1925 Alabama Crimson Tide football navbox}}
{{1924 College Football Composite All-Southerns}}
{{1925 College Football Composite All-Southerns}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hubert, Pooley}}
Category:American football fullbacks
Category:American football quarterbacks
Category:American football tackles
Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football players
Category:Southern Miss Golden Eagles baseball coaches
Category:Southern Miss Golden Eagles football coaches
Category:Southern Miss Golden Eagles basketball coaches
Category:VMI Keydets football coaches
Category:VMI Keydets basketball coaches
Category:High school football coaches in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:All-Southern college football players
Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees
Category:American military personnel of World War I
Category:Missouri Military Academy alumni
Category:Players of American football from Meridian, Mississippi
Category:People from Waynesboro, Georgia
Category:Coaches of American football from Mississippi
Category:Baseball coaches from Mississippi