Kirk Newell

James Kirk "Runt" Newell (November 4, 1890 – January 15, 1967) was an American college football and college baseball player for the Auburn Tigers of Auburn University. He lettered four years in both, as well as once in each of basketball, track, and soccer. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

Early life Kirk Newell was born on November 4, 1890, in Dadeville, Alabama, to James Wesley Newell and Mary Ella Wise.

Auburn University Newell was a prominent member of Mike Donahue's football teams which over his four years from 1910 to 1913, accumulating a win–loss–tie record of 24–4–2 and outscored opponents 639 to 111. He was a member of an All-time Auburn Tigers football team selected in 1935, put at quarterback, as well as on coach Donahue's all-time Auburn team. At Auburn, he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha. He was nominated though not selected for an Associated Press All-Time Southeast 1869–1919 era team.

1913 He was captain of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) champion 1913 team. which has been selected as a national champion by various selectors retroactively. Newell gained 1,707 yards that year, 46% of the team's entire offensive output; and 5,800 yards rushing, 350 yards receiving, and 1,200 yards on punt returns for his career. One writer claims "Auburn had a lot of great football teams, but there may not have been one greater than the 1913-1914 team."

1920 He coached football at Auburn from 1914–1916 and 1922–1925.

First World War Newell received the Distinguished Service Award for his service in the First World War. 36 pieces of scrap iron were removed from his body.

He also played football during the war, as the quarterback on the Camp Gordon team in 1917.