Charles W. Wantland
Charles William Wantland (February 22, 1888 – March 31, 1964)[1] was an American athlete and coach. Wantland served as a sports coach and athletic director, and dean at Central State Teachers College in Edmond, Oklahoma.
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 22, 1888 Purcell, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | March 31, 1964 (aged 76) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1907–1908 | Oklahoma |
| Basketball | |
| 1907–1910 | Oklahoma |
| Position(s) | Halfback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1910 | Lindsay HS (OK) |
| 1911 | Oklahoma (assistant) |
| 1912–1919 | Central State Normal/Teachers |
| 1921–1930 | Central State Teachers |
| Basketball | |
| 1921–1928 | Central State Teachers |
| Track | |
| 1912 | Oklahoma |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1912–1931 | Central State Normal/Teachers |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 102–42–16 (college football) 36–57(college basketball) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 6 OIC (1914–1915, 1921, 1923–1924, 1929) | |
Early life and education edit
Wantland grew up in Purcell, Oklahoma. He attended Purcell High School and graduated in 1906.[2] He attended the University of Oklahoma where Wantland participated on the football, baseball, track, and basketball teams.[3][4] In football, he played right halfback, was the kick returner and placekicker. He is perhaps best known for the 1908 game against Texas in which he returned a kick for 90 yards and a touchdown, part of a four touchdown performance to defeat the Longhorns.[5] During the 1909–10 season he was the captain of the Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball team.[6]
Coaching career edit
Early positions edit
After graduation from Oklahoma in 1910 with a B.A in economics, Wantland coached at Lindsay High School in 1910.[7][8] After that year coach Bennie Owen tasked Wantland to be an assistant for the football team, and to coach the track squad.[9] During this time Wantland was also a baseball umpire.[10][11]
Central State edit
In 1912 Wantland was hired to lead the athletic program at Central State Normal School (later renamed Central State Teachers College, now the University of Central Oklahoma.) While at CSN he coached the football and basketball teams, and was also the dean of men at the college. It was during this time that he led Central into what would be known as the Golden Age of Central Football. He was instrumental in founding the first Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference in which all normal schools in the state participated. He is known for defeating Oklahoma Methodist, (now Oklahoma City University) by a score of 183–0. During the 1924 season, Wantland had his greatest success, after a season opening loss to Southwestern (KS), he led the Bronchos to their only win over his alma mater the Oklahoma Sooners, shortly thereafter the Bronchos defeated eventual Southwest Conference champion Baylor in Dallas, on the way to a 9–1 record and the OIC crown.[8]
Fired by Governor Murray edit
In 1930 former representative Alfalfa Bill Murray was campaigning to be governor. During this time he urged public officials to actively support his candidacy. However, college president John Gorden Mitchell and Wantland refused to do so. Wantland chose to support Murray's rival, Frank Buttram. Mitchell claimed Murray "was his third choice for governor". Murray responded that Mitchell was his second choice for the presidency of Central State.[12][13] When Murray was successful in his gubernatorial bid he swiftly fired both President Mitchell and Wantland. Wantland never returned to the coaching ranks.[14]
Personal life edit
In 1922 Mrs. Wantland chose the Broncho as the mascot for CSTC.[15][16] After being fired by Governor Murray, Wantland entered the oil supply business until his retirement in 1953. He died in 1964. Wantland was the namesake for two buildings on Central Oklahoma's campus, the former field house and current physical education building Wantland Hall, and the now Chad Richison Stadium the home for Broncho football was named Wantland Stadium in his honor from 1965–2021.[17] In 1998 Wantland was named by the Purcell Register to the Purcell High School all-century team, the earliest player to make the list.[8][18]
Head coaching record edit
College football edit
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central State (Independent) (1912–1913) | |||||||||
| 1912 | Central State | 4–3 | |||||||
| 1913 | Central State | 3–3–3 | |||||||
| Central State Bronchos (Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference) (1914–1919) | |||||||||
| 1914 | Central State | 5–1 | 1st | ||||||
| 1915 | Central State | 9–0 | 1st | ||||||
| 1916 | Central State | 8–3 | |||||||
| 1917 | Central State | 3–4 | |||||||
| 1918 | Central State | 6–2 | |||||||
| 1919 | Central State | 6–5 | |||||||
| Central State Bronchos (Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference) (1921–1928) | |||||||||
| 1921 | Central State | 8–1 | 1st | ||||||
| 1922 | Central State | 7–4 | 5–3 | 5th | |||||
| 1923 | Central State | 7–1–1 | 1st | ||||||
| 1924 | Central State | 9–1 | 7–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1925 | Central State | 4–3–2 | 4–1–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 1926 | Central State | 3–3–3 | 2–2–2 | T–4th | |||||
| 1927 | Central State | 3–1–4 | 3–1–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1928 | Central State | 5–3–1 | 3–2–1 | T–5th | |||||
| Central State Bronchos (Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1929–1930) | |||||||||
| 1929 | Central State | 6–1–2 | 5–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1930 | Central State | 6–3 | 4–1 | 2nd | |||||
| Central State: | 102–42–16 | ||||||||
| Total: | 102–42–16 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
College basketball edit
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central State Bronchos (Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference) (1921–1928) | |||||||||
| 1921–22 | Central State | 10–4 | |||||||
| 1922–23 | Central State | 5–5 | |||||||
| 1923–24 | Central State | 2–12 | |||||||
| 1924–25 | Central State | 8–12 | |||||||
| 1925–26 | Central State | 5–6 | |||||||
| 1926–27 | Central State | 2–10 | |||||||
| 1926–27 | Central State | 4–8 | |||||||
| Central State: | 36–57 (.387)[20] | ||||||||
| Total: | 27–16 (.628) | ||||||||
| National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||
See also edit
- William C. Wantland, Wantland's grandson[21]
- Moore-Lindsay House
References edit
- ^ "Charles W. Wantland". ancientfaces.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "McClain County, Oklahoma Schools Purcell High School Graduates 1901-1915". Ancestry.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "All-Time LetterWinners". Soonersports.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "2008 Track & Field Media Guide" (PDF). University of Oklahoma Athletics. 2008. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ Maisel, Ivan (2005). "The top 100 in 100 years of Texas-OU". espn.com. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Basketball at Oklahoma University for Press and Radio" (PDF). University of Oklahoma. 1947. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Catalog ..." google.com. 1912.
- ^ a b c "Sports Scene Has Lost Great Friend". The Oklahoman. April 2, 1964. p. ?. Retrieved April 7, 2015 – via Oklahoman Digital Archives.
- ^ Dozier, Ray (October 2013). The Oklahoma Football Encyclopedia. ISBN 9781613216200.
- ^ http://digital.libraries.ou.edu/sooner/articles/p14-15_1938v11n10_OCR.pdf[bare URL PDF]
- ^ "RootsWeb: WANTLAND-L [Wantland] Charles W WANTLAND obit 1964 OK". ancestry.com.
- ^ Loughlin, Patricia; Burke, Bob (2007). Building Traditions , Educating Generations:A History of the University of Central Oklahoma. Oklahoma Heritage Association. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-885596-60-4.
- ^ Hoig, Stanley (1971). "Chapter VI. State-Supported Teachers Colleges in Oklahoma,1908–1941". A History of the Development of Institutions of Higher Education in Oklahoma (Ph.D.). University Microfilms University of Michigan. pp. 133–4. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ Fisk, David Randall (2014). Legendary Locals of Edmond. Arcadia Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 9781467101233. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 2015-05-22. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
- ^ "Mascot name carries history". NewsOK.com.
- ^ "UCO to rename football facility as Chad Richison Stadium, unveils extensive stadium improvements". KOCO. October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
- ^ "Purcell High School Football All-Century Team (1900-1999)". The Purcell Register.
- ^ "2013 UCO Media Guide". Mike Kirk. 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "2014-15 UCO Men's Basketball Media Guide". Mike Kirk. 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "Seminole Nation, OK: Anglican Bishop Becomes First Chief Justice of the Seminole Nation Supreme Court". Virtue Online.org. Retrieved May 21, 2015.