Thomas Hazzard
| Sport(s) | Football |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born |
October 24, 1871 Titusville, Pennsylvania |
| Died | February 10, 1957 (aged 85) Millbrook, New York |
| Playing career | |
| 1892–1893 | Kenyon |
| 1896–1898 | Kenyon |
| Position(s) | Left tackle |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1897–1900 | Sidney HS (OH) |
| 1901 | Miami (OH) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 1–3–1 (college) |
Thomas Robert Hazzard (October 24, 1871 – February 10, 1957) was an American football player and coach, minister, farmer, missionary, and riveter. He served as the head football coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1901, compiling a record of 1–3–1. An Episcopal clergyman, Hazzard founded Hope Farm in Dutchess County, New York in 1907.
Thomas Hazzard was born on October 24, 1871 in Titusville, Pennsylvania. He was one of nine children of Hiram and Ruby (Windsor) Hazzard. He would attend Kenyon College where he would receive his Theological training. He was as originally part of the Class of 1895 but did not graduate. He later graduated in 1899 with a degree in theology. While at Kenyon he was a standout athlete including being the captain of the football team for two years. He would later write about his playing days stating how good he was at stopping the flying wedge of the opponent. His tactic was to dive into the wedge "...grabbing up enough feet that if a pile-up didn't occur the ball carrier would be open anyway for other defenders to get."
Hazzard coached Sidney High School football team from 1897 to 1900 where he never lost a game. In 1901 he moved onto Miami University. Hazzard coached the 1901 football team at Miami, which was known for a strong defense that gave up less than six points a game. The offence had trouble scoring in the first three games, starting the season 0–2–1, with close losses to Wittenberg (12–0) and Dayton Athletic Club (5–0) and a 0–0 tie to Earlham. The joke around campus was, "if they could score they could win." They finally won in a game against Antioch College by score of 23–6. They lost their last game of the season to Denison by a score of 6–0.
Later in life, Hazzard wrote about his coaching philosophy. He stated he would lecture his player on how to play the game by telling his team stories of his playing days at Kenyon. On story was how he "...had a trick, a habit of putting the man opposite me out of business by jamming an elbow against his neck...a couple of hard ones got him a little timid."
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