Charles B. Hoyt

Charles B. Hoyt (October 9, 1893 – 1978) was an American track athlete and coach.

Champion sprinter A native of Greenfield, Iowa, As a high school student in 1912, Hoyt was offered a place on the U.S. Olympic team but turned down the chance. He ran a nation’s best of 9.8 in 1913—the same year the Amateur Athletic Union called him "America’s best sprinter." He won intercollegiate championships in both the 100-yard and 220-yard runs, but lost the opportunity to compete in the Olympics when the 1916 Summer Olympics was cancelled due to World War I. He graduated from Grinnell College in 1917 and served in the United States Navy during World War I. With Hoyt as head coach, Michigan was 40-6-0 in dual meets. Eddie Tolan - set the world record in the 100-yard dash and won Olympic gold medals at the 1932 Summer Olympics in the 100-meter and 200-meter run. Sam Stoller - one of two Jews on the American track team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics; controversy sparked when he was pulled from the 4 x 100-meter relay event William Watson - won 12 individual Big Ten Conference championships, including three consecutive championships (1937–1939) in the long jump, discus and shot put; first African-American to win the AAU decathlon championship in 1940 Elmer Gedeon - tied a world record in the high hurdles in 1938; shot down and killed while piloting a B-26 bomber on a mission over France in April 1944. Willis Ward - collegiate champion in the high jump, long jump, 100-yard dash, and 400-yard dash; finished second in voting for AP Big Ten Athlete of the Year in 1933; second African-American to letter in football at Michigan. Bob Osgood - set a world record in the 120-yard high hurdles in May 1937; won Big Ten Conference championship in the event in both 1936 and 1937.

Yale University In 1939, he was hired by Yale University as the school's track coach and trainer of its football team. He remained track coach at Yale until 1946 when he was replaced by Robert Giegengack.

Later life and honors After leaving Yale, Hoyt lived in Woolstock, Iowa where he operated large farm holdings. He was inducted into the Helms Foundation Track Hall of Fame in 1949 and the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame in 1955.