Harold Weekes

Weekes played halfback for the Columbia University Lions (1899-1902),[1] and he served as team captain during his senior year.

[4] The Bill Shannon Biographical Dictionary of New York Sports termed him a "145-pound lightning bolt" who "hit the college football scene like a shot".

That April, Columbia hung a tablet in the school gymnasium to showcase 11 recently shattered athletic records, including Weekes's.

The eighth and ninth stanzas of "To 1903, Columbia" paid tribute to Weekes's achievements on the football field:[17] The years of football your bright records grace; Game called, you saw me always in my place; I taught your Harold, the famed Fennel Race; And glad I saw him down the dazed field skim; In his first years; and much I honor him;

[22] Twelve years later, Columbia inducted Weekes into their athletic hall of fame at a ceremony held at the school's Low Memorial Library.

[23] During his freshman year, Weekes played an integral role in the Columbia Lions' 1899 upset of the Yale Bulldogs at Manhattan Field.

[26] Columbia's surprise upset victory represented the first time in 28 seasons that a team other than Harvard, Princeton, or the University of Pennsylvania shut out Yale.

[5] Playing under head coaches George Foster Sanford and Bill Morley, Weekes received selection to the All-America Team three times (1900-1902).

After the hurdler stood atop the shoulders of his teammates, they propelled him over the defenders' heads to launch long runs.

Weekes showed a natural talent for keeping his feet post-hurdle, which enabled him to sprint past frequently surprised defenses.

[3] In December 1902, more than 600 Columbia students attended a mass meeting held to honor the accomplishments of Weekes and football coach Bill Morley.

I thank you.In the fall of 1903, Weekes returned to the school to work as an assistant coach on the Columbia football team.

In 1909, Walter Camp penned an article for Outing Magazine titled "Heroes of the Gridiron" that described this prowess.

Behind it all was a love for the feel of the ball under his arm and the rush by the end of the line which only those who have once enjoyed it can appreciate.Herbert Reed's 1913 book Football for Public and Player concurred with Camp's assessment of Weekes's gift for speed.

In this he was practically beyond coaching, a law unto himself.After college, Weekes entered his professional career as a stockbroker with a seat on the New York Stock Exchange.

[28] After Weekes died in 1950, his daughter endowed the Trade with the Orient Exhibit at the American Museum in Britain in memory of her father.

[42] Located near the Great South Bay and Seatuck National Wildlife Refuge, the center runs public and private nature programs.

Weekes dives for a touchdown in Columbia's 12-5 loss to Yale in 1900; this was one of just two touchdowns given up by Yale during the 1900 season.
A week after Yale, Weekes hurdles the line against Princeton.