He was a Helms Athletic Foundation All-American in both 1914 and 1915, and was named their National Player of the Year after the 1914–15 season.
[1] After college, Houghton played in one of the earliest professional basketball leagues in the United States – the New York State League.
He played for Hudson and was a high scoring player, but the league was disrupted and ultimately folded due to World War I.
[5] He also served as an assistant coach to Union College's men's basketball team, while his day job was selling life insurance.
[6][7] Houghton died in his home in Brighton, New York at age 48, caused by heart seizures.