William T. Harmon

William T. Harmon
Harmon pictured in Rig Veda 1930, Illinois College yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1884-03-21)March 21, 1884
DiedApril 21, 1959(1959-04-21) (aged 75)
Springfield, Illinois, U.S.
Playing career
Football
c. 1905Illinois College
Basketball
c. 1905Illinois College
Baseball
c. 1905Illinois College
Track and field
c. 1905Illinois College
PositionsHalfback (football)
Center (basketball)
Center fielder (baseball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1907–1906St. Mary's (KY)
1910–1916Illinois College
1919–1931Illinois College
Basketball
1910–1927Illinois College
Baseball
1911–1926Illinois College
Track and field
1910–1917Illinois College
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1910–1917Illinois College
1919–1932Illinois College
1932–1934IIAC (commissioner)
Head coaching record
Overall90–74–10 (football)
103–118 (basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 IIAC (1915)

William Thomas Harmon (March 21, 1884 – April 21, 1959) was an American college football, college basketball, and college baseball, and track and field coach, athletics administrator, and educator. He served as the head football coach at St. Mary's College in St. Mary, Kentucky from 1907 to 1909 and two stints as the head football coach at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois, from 1910 to 1917 and 1919 to 1931.

Harmon attended Illinois College, where he was captain of the football, basketball, baseball, and track and field teams before graduating in 1907.[1] He was appointed head coach and athletic director at his alma mater, Illinois College, in 1910.[2] Harmon's tenure as coach at Illinois College was interrupted by World War I, during which he served as a captain in the United States Army at Camp Grant near Rockford, Illinois. He was succeeded in 1917 as head football coach at Illinois College by his brother, Robert E. Harmon.[3] After the war, in 1919, Harmon returned to coach at the college.[4] He left Illinois College in 1932, and became commissioner of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC)—later known as the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.[5] From 1934 to 1941, Harmon served as managing officer of the Illinois State School for Boys in St. Charles, Illinois.[6] [1]

Harmon died on April 21, 1959, at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, after collapsing at his home.[7][8]

Head coaching record

Football

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
St. Mary's (KY) (Independent) (1907–1909)
1907 St. Mary's 1–2
1908 St. Mary's 6–0
1909 St. Mary's 6–1–2
St. Mary's: 13–3–2
Illinois College Blueboys (Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1910–1916)
1910 Illinois College 0–6
1911 Illinois College 2–4
1912 Illinois College 4–4
1913 Illinois College 5–1
1914 Illinois College 4–4
1915 Illinois College 7–01st
1916 Illinois College 8–1
Illinois College Blueboys (Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1919–1931)
1919 Illinois College 5–2
1920 Illinois College 4–3
1921 Illinois College 5–3
1922 Illinois College 3–3–1
1923 Illinois College 3–4–13–3–1T–10th
1924 Illinois College 5–44–4T–10th
1925 Illinois College 3–4–32–4–3T–14th
1926 Illinois College 6–26–2T–4th
1927 Illinois College 3–4–13–4–114th
1928 Illinois College 4–54–511th
1929 Illinois College 4–43–3T–12th
1930 Illinois College 0–80–722nd
1931 Illinois College 2–5–21–4–219th
Illinois College: 77–71–8
Total:90–74–10
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

[9]

References

  1. 1 2 "Illinois College Awards Distinguished Alumni Citations At Assembly". Jacksonville Daily Journal. Jacksonville, Illinois. October 23, 1955. p. 12. Retrieved May 12, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ↑ "Plays Some Opponents Of Millikin Team". The Decatur Herald. Decatur, Illinois. September 22, 1910. p. 4. Retrieved May 12, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  3. ↑ "Harmon Succeeds Brother as Illinois College Coach". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. September 18, 1917. p. 10. Retrieved January 12, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. ↑ "Coach Harmon Back at Illinois College". The Decatur Herald. Decatur, Illinois. August 24, 1919. p. 12. Retrieved May 12, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  5. ↑ Savage, Ernest (December 4, 1932). "Fan Breezes". Jacksonville Daily Journal. Jacksonville, Illinois. p. 8. Retrieved May 12, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  6. ↑ "W. T. Harmon Appointed Managing Officer Of State School For Boys". Jacksonville Daily Journal. Jacksonville, Illinois. Associated Press. July 17, 1934. p. 2. Retrieved May 12, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  7. ↑ "Death Notices; Harmon, William Thomas". Illinois State Register. Springfield, Illinois. April 21, 1959. p. 16. Retrieved May 12, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  8. ↑ "Obituaries; William T. Harmon". Illinois State Register. Springfield, Illinois. April 22, 1959. p. 17. Retrieved May 12, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  9. ↑ "Blueboy Football Record Book" (PDF). Illinois College. pp. 2–3. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
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