Thomas Francis "Red" Hearden (September 8, 1904 – December 27, 1964) was an American football player and coach. Tom Hearden was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. As a boy, his family move to Green Bay, Wisconsin. From 1920–22 He played in the backfield for

Green Bay East High School Green Bay East High School is a public high school in the Green Bay Area Public School District serving the near-east side of Green Bay, Wisconsin and parts of Bellevue and Allouez. Founded in 1856, the school has occupied its current building ...

's football team with his brothers and Jim Crowley. He played

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 ...

at the University of Notre Dame, under head coach

Knute Rockne Knut (Norwegian and Swedish), Knud (Danish), or Knútur (Icelandic) is a Scandinavian, German, and Dutch first name, of which the anglicised form is Canute. In Germany both "Knut" and "Knud" are used. In Spanish and Portuguese Canuto is used whi ...

, and professionally in the National Football League (NFL) as a halfback for the

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...

, under head coach Curly Lambeau, and the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...

, under head coach

George Halas George Stanley Halas Sr. (; February 2, 1895October 31, 1983), nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was an American professional football player, coach, and team owner. He was the founder and owner of the National Football League's Chic ...

College career

College football

As a sophomore, he was a member of the 1924 National Championship team that featured the Four Horsemen backfield (including Crowley). That team defeated Stanford, led by Ernie Nevers and coached by Pop Warner, in the 1925 Rose Bowl, although Hearden did not appear in that game. He was team captain his senior year and a three-year letterman.

Coaching career

In 1930, Hearden coached for the

St. Catherine's High School (Racine, Wisconsin) St. Catherine's High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Racine, Wisconsin. It is a member of Siena Catholic Schools of Racine and the Catholic Schools of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee. History St. Catherine's tr ...

program, obtaining a record of 26–3–3 and two Catholic conference titles. He coached for Racine Park for the 1934–35 seasons, and posted an 8–5–3 record. In 1936, Hearden returned to his alma mater,

, and achieved a 51–3–1 mark through 1942. East won 32 straight games at one point and won or shared six conference titles in that seven-year stretch. He joined the navy in 1943. After the war, he returned to Wisconsin. As the head football coach at

St. Norbert College St. Norbert College (SNC) is a private Norbertine liberal arts college in De Pere, Wisconsin. Founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Norbertine priest and educator, the school was named after Saint Norbert of Xanten. In 1952, the co ...

from 1946 to 1952, he compiled a record of 40–14. He joined the Green Bay Packers in 1954 and stayed for two years, leaving to serve as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin in 1956. He returned to the Packers in 1957. Later that same year, he suffered a stroke, ending his coaching career.

Awards and honors

* 1952 Notre Dame Club of Green Bay "Man of the Year" * 1959 St. Norbert College Alma Mater Award * 1965 WFCA Wisconsin High School Coach of the Year * 1980 WFCA Hall of Fame * 1986 St. Norbert College Hall of Fame

Head coaching record

College

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hearden, Tom 1904 births 1964 deaths American football halfbacks Chicago Bears players Green Bay Packers coaches Green Bay Packers players Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football coaches Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players St. Norbert Green Knights athletic directors St. Norbert Green Knights football coaches Wisconsin Badgers football coaches High school football coaches in Wisconsin Green Bay East High School alumni Sportspeople from Appleton, Wisconsin Coaches of American football from Wisconsin Players of American football from Wisconsin