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Man
of the Week
Emporia Gazette, May 1970
Although he is no longer a resident of
Emporia, and has not been for many years, he has brought a great deal of credit
to the city and its two colleges.
Bill Hargiss graduated from Kansas State Normal, now Kansas
State Teachers College, in 1909. He was an all-around athlete. After graduation
he coached the Marion High School teams to a winning season, and then returned to
Emporia to coach the College of Emporia "Preachers." He returned
to the Normal in 1914 as head coach. In 1918 he went to coach at Oregon State College
in Corvallis.
He returned to Kansas State Normal in 1920, bringing with
him one of his football innovations
from Oregon, the huddle. He stayed in Emporia for eight years before going to Kansas
University to coach football and track. During his 16 years there, he was the coach
of many great athletes, including Glenn Cunningham.
In recognition of his importance to sports, he is a charter
member of the Kansas Athletic Hall of Fame, and a member of the National Athletic
Hall of Fame. Thursday night he was honored—with three other alumni of Kansas State
Teachers College—with an award for his outstanding service to the college and the
community, presented by the Alumni Association.
Retired now, Mr. Hargiss lives in Lawrence with his daughter,
Dr. Genevieve Hargiss, his wife having died in 1955. He has two other children,
Mrs. George Oberheide of Hickman Mills, Mo., and Clark Hargiss of Canoga Park, Calif.
Mr. Hargiss fills his spare time with painting, woodworking
and many other activities.
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