“Dick Harlow Remembered in Congressional Record”
Carroll County Times Article for 23 September 2001
by Jay A. Graybeal

The approach of the college football season offers an opportunity to look back at one of Western Maryland College’s great coaches.   Richard C. Harlow coached Western Maryland from 1926-1934.  An article about his return to Western Maryland appeared in the March 4, 1949 issue of the Democratic Advocate newspaper:
“Dick Harlow is returning to football which he had to give up in 1947 after 37 years of coaching because of ill health.  Harlow is coming back to Western Maryland which he guided into major grid circles from 1926 through 1934.  Dr. Lowell S. Ensor, college president, said Harlow will join the athletic department next fall ‘in an advisory capacity.’  Harlow returned to his home here two years ago when he had to quit coaching at Harvard where he had been since leaving Western Maryland.  He previously coached at Colgate and Penn. State, of which he is an alumnus.  Harlow won the ‘coach of the year’ award in his second year at Harvard.  Ensor said, ‘Harlow has no desire to return to the active coaching responsibilities.’  He will assist Coach Charlie Havens, who succeeded him in planning and scouting.  Harlow did some scouting last year for Brown, coached by Rip Engle, one of Dick’s players at Western Maryland.  While Harlow was coach, Western Maryland won 60 games, tied 7 and lost 13.  He had one string of 27 games without defeat.”

 

Coach Harlow passed away in 1962; he was eulogized by Charles Mooshian, editor of this newspaper.  Sen. J. Glenn Beall introduced the editorial into the Congressional Record Appendix:

“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Appendix of the Record an editorial appearing in the March 1, 1962, issue of the Carroll County (Md.) Times, written by my friend, Charles Mooshian, which is an eulogy of Richard C. Harlow, the nationally known football coach and humanitarian, a resident of Maryland.

Richard C. Harlow made his mark in the athletic world, but beyond that, he was a noble character who did a great many good deeds.  I feel that he is most worthy of excellent tribute paid him by Editor Mooshian.

There being no objection, the editorial was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

RICHARD C. HARLOW

In the passing of Richard C. Harlow, the Nation has lost a great football coach and humanitarian.  At his death, Harlow was 72.

We say Nation because, as one of the country’s most beloved football coaches, Mr. Harlow belonged to the Nation and not only to Westminster, Carroll County, and Maryland.  He coached football for 36 years at Penn State, Colgate, Western Maryland College, and Harvard.

At the funeral in Baker Memorial Chapel, February 21, Dr. Lowell S. Ensor, president of Western Maryland College, praised Harlow ‘as a patriot, scholar, Christian gentlemen and coach *** a great man, a man of great accomplishments and unusual characteristics.’

In addition to Dr. Ensor, officiating at the funeral were the Reverend Robert H. Hiller, the coach’s pastor, and the Reverend William W. Wood, Gettysburg, who captained the first football team Harlow coached at Penn State.

Coach Harlow was almost like a father to his players.  He coached not just to win, but as a basic quality of character.  Perfection was his goal and he taught that to his players, not just for football but in life.

Mr. Harlow had served his country honorably in two world wars and in time of peace he concerned himself with good citizenship and a deep loyalty to his country.

He was a Christian gentleman, first, last, and always, and was a regular attendant at church services and ‘not just a Sunday Christian.’

Mr. Harlow was voted coach of the year in 1936 and was elected to the football hall of fame in 1954.  He coached in the Blue-Gray bowl games in 1951-53.  He received the Stagg award in 1948.

A few years ago Harlow checked on 606 of his men he had coached ‘to see how well the boys have done since leaving college.’  He got his answer.

After eliminating three Harvard graduates who were earning more than $150,000 a year, Harlow reported an average annual income of $12,000.

He was prouder of two other discoveries.  He had loaned $27,000 to his college players.  It had all been repaid except $165 ‘from a boy who was killed in World War II.’  He was also pleased to find out that only four of those who married became divorced.

Our sincere sympathies go out to his widow and daughter in their hour of bereavement.”
Coach Harlow’s leadership on the gridiron is well known in sports circles but he had other talents as well.  He was an amateur botanist and an ornithologist who donated an important collection of bird eggs to Harvard University.
Richard C. Harlow coached Western Maryland College’s football team from 1926-1934. Western Maryland College Aloha, 1931.  Courtesy of Carl Twigg.