Hank Crisp

Henry Gorham Crisp (December 10, 1896 – January 23, 1970) was an American football, basketball, baseball and track coach and college athletics administrator. In spite of an accident when he was 13 years old that resulted in the loss of his right hand, Crisp went on to letter in football, basketball and track at both Hampden–Sydney College and Virginia Tech – then known primarily as VPI.

After completing his collegiate career, Crisp began his long coaching career at the University of Alabama. There he served as the head basketball coach (1924–1942, 1945–1946), baseball coach (1928), track coach (1921–1927), as a line coach with the football team (1921–1941, 1945, 1950–1957) and as athletic director (1930–1940, 1954–1957). Crisp also served as an assistant and interim head coach with the Miami Seahawks (1946) and as a line coach at Tulane (1947–1949).

Early life

Henry "Hank" Gorham Crisp was born on December 10, 1896, at Crisp, North Carolina. At the age of five, Crisp moved with his family to Falkland, North Carolina where his father operated a retail store. At the age of 13, he lost his right hand as a result of an accident that occurred as he helped his father fill a silo.

As a member of the Gobblers football team, he was the team captain (MVP) for the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SAIAA) champion 1918 VPI squad. The season was considered the best in VPI's history at the time. They did not win seven straight games again until 1967. Crisp was the quarterback on the 1919 team. In recognition of his accomplishments as an athlete at VPI, in 1987 Crisp was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame.

Coaching career

Football

Alabama Crisp was hired by his former head coach Charles A. Bernier, who had resigned from VPI to become the head basketball coach and athletic director at Alabama, in February 1921.

After Wade's resignation, Crisp was again retained on the football staff. Working under Frank Thomas, Crisp continued in his role of line coach, and again won a share of the national championship after the 1934 season. He continued in his role as line coach through the end of the 1941 season when he took a leave of absence to serve as a civilian physical training instructor for the U.S. Navy pre-flight school at the University of Georgia.

Miami Seahawks On June 29, 1946, the owner of the All-America Football Conference's (AAFC) Miami Seahawks Harvey Hester announced Crisp had been hired as the last member of the inaugural Seahawks staff. Hired as the line coach, Crisp served under head coach Jack Meagher and alongside assistants Hamp Pool and Ralph Jordan for the 1946 season. At the time of his resignation, Harvey Hester announced both Crisp and Pool were to serve as co-head coaches for the remainder of the season. At the time of the announcement, Crisp indicated he would maintain his permanent residence and family service station in Tuscaloosa and report to New Orleans for spring practices and the regular season in the fall. He remained at Tulane through the end of the 1949 season, and on December 27, 1949, officially returned to Alabama as line coach.

Return to Alabama On December 27, 1949, university officials announced the return of Crisp to the Alabama coaching staff for the 1950 season under head coach Harold Drew. At that ceremony, he was presented with an automobile and government bonds from the Association and was able to reflect on his career with the 18,000 fans in attendance that day. As a result of only winning four games during Whitworth's three-year tenure, Crisp resigned his position and retired as a coach after Bear Bryant was hired as the new Alabama head coach. At the request of Bryant, Crisp stayed on staff and oversaw recruiting as Bryant did not officially take over as head coach until after Texas A&M's loss in the Gator Bowl. During his tenure, Crisp compiled an overall record of 264 wins and 133 losses (264–133), and won the SoCon Championship in 1930, the SEC tournament championship in 1934 and the SEC Regular Season Championship in 1939 and 1940. The squad also included Alabama's first All-American, center Lindy Hood.

Head coaching record

Athletic director On April 10, 1930, Chairman of the Athletic Committee J. J. Doster announced that Crisp was to become Alabama's athletic director. He remained in the position of athletic director through March 1940 when he was granted a leave of absence to regain his health due to a severe sinus issue. Frank Thomas was appointed as athletic director and retained the position upon the reinstatement Crisp from his leave in August 1940.

Crisp was later appointed as interim athletic director at Alabama in March 1954 after the resignation of Pete Cawthon. He held the title of interim athletic director through February 1955 when University President Oliver Carmichael announced his full-time appointment to the position. During his second tenure, Crisp hired Jennings B. Whitworth as football coach in 1954 and Eugene Lambert as basketball coach in 1956. In 1957, he resigned his post and hired Bear Bryant as his replacement as athletic director at Alabama. The Hank Crisp Indoor Facility on the University of Alabama campus, which was completed in October 1986, was renamed in honor of Crisp in April 1991.