Hugh Calvin "Puss" Whelchel (July 20, 1900 – April 1, 1968) was an American

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

player.

Early years

Hugh was born on July 20, 1900 in

Dahlonega, Georgia The city of Dahlonega () is the county seat of Lumpkin County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 5,242, and in 2018 the population was estimated to be 6,884. Dahlonega is located at the north end of ...

to Henry Cowan Whelchel and Clara Annabel Moore. Hugh was a first cousin of

Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...

football player

Dan Whelchel Dan Whelchel (August 26, 1894 – March 1, 1988) was a college football player and fruit horticulturalist. Early years Dan Whelchel was born in Dawson County, Georgia on August 26, 1894 to Jordan Davis Whelchel and Amanda Jane Palmour. At ...

University of Georgia

He was a prominent

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison ...

for the

Georgia Bulldogs The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams that represent the University of Georgia. The female athletic teams are sometimes referred to as Lady Bulldogs. The Bulldogs compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference ( ...

of the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

from

1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the c ...

1922 Events January * January 7 – Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic), Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes. * January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éirean ...

. He was said to have blocked 19 kicks in his college football career. Whelchel was a member of the

Alpha Tau Omega Alpha Tau Omega (), commonly known as ATO, is an American social fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters and colonies in the United Stat ...

fraternity. He was nominated though not selected for an ''Associated Press'' All-Time Southeast 1869-1919 era team.

1920

His kick blocking featured in the 21–14 victory over

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...

Buck Cheves James Parks "Buck" Cheves (November 29, 1898 – April 12, 1995) was a college football player and referee. Cheves was a Southeastern Conference official for 35 years. Georgia Bulldogs He led the "ten second backfield" of the 1920 Georgia Bulld ...

returned the block 87 yards for a touchdown and the win, ranked fourth in ''The 50 Greatest Plays In Georgia Bulldogs Football History''. Georgia was 8–0–1 and SIAA champions in 1920, as well as the first team known as the "Bulldogs."

1921

He was selected as a third-team

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

n by

Walter Camp Walter Chauncey Camp (April 7, 1859 – March 14, 1925) was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". Among a long list of inventions, he created the sport's line of scrimmage and the system ...

1921 Events January * January 2 ** The Association football club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, is founded as the multi-sports club Palestra Italia by Italian expatriates in First Brazilian Republic, Brazil. ** The Spanish lin ...

1922

Whelchel was unanimously elected

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of the 1922 team. Camp gave him honorable mention.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Whelchel, Hugh 1968 deaths 1900 births American football guards Georgia Bulldogs football players People from Dahlonega, Georgia Players of American football from Georgia (U.S. state) All-Southern college football players