Choc Sanders Explained

William J. Wisdom
Birth Date:26 July 1900
Birth Place:Garland, Texas, U.S.
Death Place:Odessa, Texas, U.S.
Player Sport1:Football
Player Years2:1927–1929
Player Team2:SMU
Player Positions:Guard
Coach Sport1:Football
Coach Years2:1930–1935
Coach Team2:John Tarleton (assistant)
Coach Years3:1936–1937
Coach Team3:John Tarleton
Coach Years4:1938–1943
Coach Team4:Allen Academy
Coach Years5:1944
Coach Team5:Lamesa HS (TX) (assistant)
Coach Years6:1945
Coach Team6:Lamesa HS (TX)
Coach Sport7:Basketball
Coach Years8:1938–1942
Coach Team8:Allen Academy
Admin Years1:1946–1948
Admin Team1:Lamesa HS (TX)
Overall Record:10–7–2 (junior college football)
Awards:Third-team All-American (1928)
All-Southern (1928)
2× First-team All-SWC (1928, 1929)

Henry Jackson "Choc" Sanders (July 26, 1900 – March 16, 1972) was an American college football player, athletics coach and administrator, and educator. He player football as a guard at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where was first All-American for the Mustangs and captain of the 1929 SMU Mustangs football team.[1] Sanders served as the head football coach at John Tarleton Agricultural College—now known as Tarleton State University—in Stephenville, Texas from 1936 to 1937.

Sanders was an assistant football coach at John Tarleton from 1930 to 1935 under W. J. Wisdom before succeeding him as head football coach in 1936.[2] Sanders resigned after the 1937 season and was replaced by James Earl Rudder.[3] In 1938, Sanders was hired by Allen Academy in Bryan, Texas, where he coached football, basketball, baseball, and track.[4] [5] In 1944, he left Allen Academy to coach at Lamesa High School in Lamesa, Texas.[6] Sanders was an assistant football coach at Lamesa in 1944 under H. S. "Gob" Fitzgerald.[7] The following year, he served as Lamesa's head football coach.[8] Sanders was succeeded as head football coach in 1946 by Jim Neill, and was appointed faculty manager and coordinator of physical education and athletics.[9] He was later athletic director at Lamesa and also coached basketball, baseball, and tennis.[5] Sanders resigned from his position at Lamesa in 1948, and moved with his wife to Odessa, Texas.[10]

Sanders died on March 16, 1972, at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, following a short illness.[5]

Head coaching record

Junior college football

[11] [12] [13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Choc Sanders named SMU's 1st All-America Player in 1928. SMU Mustangs. December 28, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160130064456/http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/greatest-moments-66.html. January 30, 2016. dead.
  2. News: . Tarleton Open Grid Drills Monday . . . March 7, 1936 . 10 . November 25, 2024 . .
  3. News: . Earl Rudder Of Brady Gets Tarleton Berth . . . . August 11, 1938 . 11 . November 25, 2024 . .
  4. News: . Sanders Allen Mentor . . . June 30, 1938 . 11 . November 25, 2024 . .
  5. News: . Early-Day Grid Star Dies Here . . . March 17, 1972 . 2 . November 25, 2024 . .
  6. News: . Choc Sanders To Coach At Lamesa . . . August 9, 1944 . 6 . November 25, 2024 . .
  7. News: . Lamesa To Try Comeback With Two New Coaches . . . August 30, 1944 . 7 . November 25, 2024 . .
  8. News: . Lamesa Adds Tilts With Kermit Team . . . August 26, 1945 . 12 . November 25, 2024 . .
  9. News: . Jim Neill Selected As New Lamesa Coach . . . March 26, 1946 . 9 . November 25, 2024 . .
  10. News: . Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Sanders Resign Lamesa School Posts . . . July 22, 1948 . 2 . November 25, 2024 . .
  11. News: . Junior Ag Coaches Have Established Some Records . . . November 30, 1936 . 15 . November 25, 2024 . .
  12. News: . C. T. Grid Chart . . . November 29, 1937 . 17 . November 25, 2024 . .
  13. Web site: . Tartleton Football 2022 Media Guide . . 142 . November 25, 2024 .