Bill Hargiss at the University of Kansas, 1928

Missouri claimed that Kansas had violated the anti-scouting rule and produced evidence to show that persons not connected with the K. U. staff had acted as volunteer scouts at previous Missouri games and had provided Coach Cappon with charts of the Tiger plays that enabled him to improvise a method of stopping Clark and Flamank, Missouri ball carriers, in their devastating cut-back plays. The upshot of the affair was Cappon's resignation. H. W. "Bill" Hargiss, who had enjoyed a long and successful career as head coach of the Emporia Teachers, was engaged to replace Cappon in 1928.

Board names head coach

     In 1928 he went to KU as head football coach.  He coached football for five years and cross country/track for 10 at KU.  He gave up the head football coaching job during the 1932 season but continued to serve KU as a football scout, freshman coach, and as head track coach until 1943.
     Many of his students won honors. He coached Glenn Cunningham, the great miler who held the world's record for a number of years, and Jim Bausch, who broke a world record in winning the decathlon in the Olympic Games in 1932.

Football (1928-1932):

     Hargiss compiled an 18-16-2 football record.  Bill Hargiss' 1930 team went 6-2 to win a rare league title and compiled a superior record as a KU football coach:

KU football scores 1928-32

Hargiss and Bausch - photo

At KU 1928 - Hargiss photos from 1928

Football 1928 - team photo

Big 6 champs - materials from the 1930 Celebration Banquet

1930 Backfield - photos of Phog Allen, Bausch, and KU backfield

1931 Column - sports column on Hargiss

1930 Victory - sport column discussing Hargiss and Bausch

Elmer Schaake - 3 year KU football team captain

Coaches divided on suggestions to alter kickoff - Hargiss consulted in discussions

Coaching change 1932 - Hargiss suddenly replaced as football coach

Coaching shift -  KU article on Hargiss replacement

Noble coach - Carnie Smith describes his Hargiss experience at KU

Recalls 1930 season - article on 1955 reunion

KU football reunion - 1930-35 players/coaches reunion in 1973

Track (1932-1943):

He was named head track coach at the university in 1932 and directed the Kansas Relays during his 10 years in that position

Team champions
1934  Indoor and Outdoor Conference champions

NCAA Champions
1932 Glenn Cunningham  Mile
1933 Glenn Cunningham  Mile
1935 Elwyn Dees        Shot Put
1935 Clyde Coffman     Pentathlon (AAU champion)

Olympians
1932 Jim Bausch        Decathlon    First
1932 Glenn Cunningham  1,500 Meters Fourth
1932 Clyde Coffman     Decathlon    Seventh
1936 Glenn Cunningham  1,500 Meters Second

Articles:

Still Pitchin' - article describing challenges coaching track at KU

Jayhawks set marks - 2nd place conference finish in 1939

Glenn Cunningham Trains - article by Hargiss on Cunningham

College Freshman in Athletics - Hargiss article

Training of Track Athletes - Hargiss article

Track travel photos - track and field travel photos

James Naismith - signed pencil sketch by Ed Elbel

Olympics - Hargiss athletes from KU at the 1932 Olympics

Track coach Hargiss - KU article re Hargiss reflecting on football days

Coaching school - Coached track and field at Kansas Coaching Clinic in 1939

   In December of 1941 the United States entered into World War II.  Bill coached track the following spring, but the season was a diminished one in the number of track and field meets held and also in the number of athletes still in school. College men were rapidly enlisting or being drafted for military training. Bill was 54 years old, but he wanted very much to participate in the war effort somehow. (He had registered for the draft in 1917, but because he was the sole support of a wife and two small children, he was given a temporary deferment. World War I was over before he was called.)  With a leave of absence from KU later in the year (1942) Bill accepted an invitation to go to Brooklyn and be the assistant coach, head scout and help Jock Sutherland of the Dodgers, a professional football team.

For more on honors bestowed by KU please go to:

KU Hall of Fame

Honorary referee Kansas Relays

KU Celebrity Golf Classic

For more on athletes trained by Hargiss at KU please go to:

Glenn Cunningham

Jim Bausch