Thomas Truxtun Hare (October 12, 1878 – February 2, 1956) was an American Olympic medalist who competed in
track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...
and the
hammer throw
The hammer throw is one of the four throwing events in regular track and field competitions, along with the discus throw, shot put and javelin.
The "hammer" used in this sport is not like any of the tools also called by that name. It consis ...
.
He also played football with the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
and was selected first-team All-American all four years.
''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' wrote, "Few early 20th Century players were as revered as Hare, who played every minute of every game."
He was selected as a charter member of the
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...
in 1951.
Early life
Hare was born in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
.
He was the son of Emily Power (nee Beale) and Horace Binney Hare, a successful attorney.
[Gems, Gerald R. 2000. “Hare, Thomas Truxtun.” In ''American National Biography Online''. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. via EBSCO, accessed June 4, 2022 doi:10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1900802.] He came from a long line of lawyers.
He attended
St. Mark’s School in
Southborough, Massachusetts
Southborough is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It incorporates the villages of Cordaville, Fayville, and Southville. Its name is often informally shortened to Southboro, a usage seen on many area signs and maps, though ...
where he graduated in 1897.
There, he started in baseball, football, and track.
In the fall of 1897, He enrolled in the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
where he received a B.S. in 1901.
There, he was a member of the Fraternity of Delta Psi (
St. Anthony Hall
St. Anthony Hall or the Fraternity of Delta Psi is an American fraternity and literary society. Its first chapter was founded at Columbia University on , the Calendar of saints, feast day of Anthony the Great, Saint Anthony the Great. The frater ...
), the Ancient and Honorable Order of the Sons of Rest, and the
Sphinx Senior Society.
He performed in plays with
Mask and Wig
The Mask and Wig Club, a private club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1889, is a historic collegiate musical comedy troupe. Created as an alternative to the existing theatrical and dramatic outlets at the University of Pennsylvania, Mask ...
, was vice president of the Cercle Francais and an assistant manager of the Musical Clubs.
He was freshman class president and was elected as the Spoon Man his senior year.
At the University of Pennsylvania, Hare played on the varsity cricket team and the varsity track team, competing in jumper, runner, and weight thrower.
The track team won their collegiate championships during his time.
He also played on the
Penn Quakers football
The Penn Quakers football program is the college football team at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The Penn Quakers have competed in the Ivy League since its inaugural season of 1956, and are a Division I Football Championship ...
team from 1897 to 1900 and served as team captain in his junior and senior years.
He also played "every minute of every game for four years," helping his team win 32 consecutive games.
He is one of only a handful of men to earn first-team
All-American honors during all four years of college.
While primarily a
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 ...
, he also called signals, kicked off, punted, ran, and drop-kicked
extra points.
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 ...
said he could have been an All-American in any position.
He then enrolled in the
University of Pennsylvania Law School
The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School (also known as Penn Law or Penn Carey Law) is the law school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is among the most selective and olde ...
, graduating with a law degree in 1903.
Olympics
He won the silver medal in the
hammer throw
The hammer throw is one of the four throwing events in regular track and field competitions, along with the discus throw, shot put and javelin.
The "hammer" used in this sport is not like any of the tools also called by that name. It consis ...
in the
1900 Summer Olympics
The 1900 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1900, link=no), today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad () and also known as Paris 1900, were an international multi-sport event that took place in Paris, France, from 1 ...
held in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, as well as placing eighth in the shot put and competing without making a legal mark in the discus throw.
He competed for the United States in the
1904 Summer Olympics
The 1904 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the III Olympiad and also known as St. Louis 1904) were an international multi-sport event held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from 29 August to 3 September 1904, as part of an extended s ...
held in
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...
in the all-rounder which consisted of ten events: 100 yd run, shot put, high jump, 880 yd walk, hammer throw, pole vault, 120 yd hurdles, 56 lb weight throw, long jump, and 1-mile run, where he won the bronze medal.
Career
After graduating from law school, he practiced corporate law in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
.
In 1913, he became an assistant solicitor for the
United Gas Improvement Company, retaining this position until 1943.
He became the managing director and board member of
Bryn Mawr Hospital
Bryn Mawr Hospital, part of Main Line Health, is a 264-bed acute care hospital located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Bryn Mawr, pronounced ,
from Welsh language, Welsh for big hill, is a census-designated place (CDP) located across three towns ...
in 1943.
He replaced his brother,
C. Willing Hare, who had died on December 6, 1942.
In 1946, he was named president of the hospital.
In this capacity, he oversaw the addition of a six-story wing, a $2.8 million project.
Hare also served as a director of the
Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance Houses from Loss.
Starting in 1908, he authored two series of books for boys.
His first series followed a journey from college football to coaching.
The second series, followed the same character through prep school.
He also published poetry books.
Publications
Philip Kent, The College Athlete series
* ''Making the Freshman Team''. Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1908.
* ''A Sophomore Half-Back''. Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1908.
* ''A Junior in the Line''. Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1909.
* ''A'' ''Senior Quarterback''. Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1910.
* ''A Graduate Coach''. Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1911.
Philip Kent of Malvern series
* ''Philip Kent''. Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1914.
* ''Philip Kent in the Lower School''. Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1916.
[Hare, T. Truxtun]
Philip Kent in the Lower School.
Philadelphia, The Penn publishing company, 1916. Pdf. via Library of Congress
* ''Philip Kent in the Upper School''. Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1918.
* ''Kent of Malvern''. Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1919.
Awards and honors
* He was selected as a charter member of the
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...
in 1951 and was inducted in 1953.
* In an attempt to name retroactive
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...
winners before the first one was awarded in 1935, Hare was awarded the mythical 1900 trophy.
* He was named to the
Helms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation, founded in 1936, was a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to the promotion of athletics and sportsmanship. Paul H. Helms was the organization's founder and benefactor, funding the foundation via his ownership ...
’s College Football Hall of Fame.
* The Helms Athletic Foundation named Hare the player of the year for 1900.
Personal life
He married Katherine Sargent Smith, a
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
socialite, in 1906.
They had four children: Truxtun Jr., Tristan, Robert, Martha and Mrs. Frederic McLaughlin.
They lived in
Radnor, Pennsylvania
Radnor is a community located approximately 13 miles west of Philadelphia, in the Main Line suburbs. It straddles Montgomery and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania. The community was named after Radnor, in Wales.
Radnor is home to Cabrini Universi ...
on a sixty-acre farm known as Limehouse.
Gossip
vol. 1, no. 10, September 9, 1921. p. 4. via Google Books.
During the 1930s, Hare chaired the University of Pennsylvania Athletic Advisory Board. He was also a member of the University of Pennsylvania Scholarship Committee. He was a vestryman and senior warden at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Radnor.
He was president of the United Bowmen of America and a member of the Merian Cricket Club, the Philadelphia Club
Philadelphia Club was founded in 1834 and is located at 13th and Walnut Streets in Center City, Philadelphia. It is the oldest city club in the United States and one of the oldest gentlemen's clubs. Notable members have included George Meade, ...
, the Racquet Club of Philadelphia
The Racquet Club of Philadelphia (RCOP) is a private social club and athletic club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It has facilities for squash, real tennis, and racquets. The club is ranked in the Top 20 Athletic Clubs on the Platinum Club of A ...
, the St. Anthony Club of Philadelphia, and the University Barge Club
University Barge Club of Philadelphia (also known as UBC) is an amateur rowing club located at #7 in the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Hist ...
. He was also a member of the Authors’ League of America and the Pegasus Club. He was the founding president of the Business Men's Art Club in 1927, and his paintings and pottery was shown in exhibitions with the Art Club of Philadelphia
The Art Club of Philadelphia, often called the Philadelphia Art Club, was a club in Philadelphia, founded on February 7, 1887, to advance the arts. .
In 1956, he died at his home on Weadley Road in Radnor at the age of 77 years.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hare, Truxtun
1878 births
1956 deaths
19th-century players of American football
All-American college football players
American male decathletes
American football guards
American male hammer throwers
Athletes (track and field) at the 1900 Summer Olympics
Athletes (track and field) at the 1904 Summer Olympics
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
Members of the Philadelphia Club
Olympic silver medalists for the United States in track and field
Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in track and field
Players of American football from Philadelphia
Track and field athletes from Philadelphia
University of Pennsylvania alumni
American lawyers
American football drop kickers
Medalists at the 1904 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 1900 Summer Olympics
St. Anthony Hall
St. Mark's School (Massachusetts) alumni
Penn Quakers football players
Writers from Philadelphia
Lawyers from Philadelphia
People from Radnor Township, Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania Law School alumni