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Bully Gilstrap

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Bully Gilstrap
Gilstrap from the 1943 Cactus
Biographical details
BornAugust 31, 1901
Taylor, Texas, U.S.
DiedJanuary 4, 1989
Rosebud, Texas, U.S.
Alma materThe University of Texas at Austin
Playing career
Football
1921–1923Texas
Basketball
1921–1922Texas
Track and field
1922–1923Texas
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1925–1936Schreiner
1937–1956Texas (assistant)
Basketball
1942–1945Texas
Head coaching record
Overall43–28 (basketball)
Tournaments1–1 (NCAA)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
  • Texas State Juco Football Championship (1936)
  • SWC regular season (1943)
Awards
  • 1923 Southwest Conference Javelin Championship
  • 1923 Southwest Conference Track Championship

Howard Clifford "Bully" Gilstrap (August 31, 1901-January 4, 1989) was an American college basketball and college football coach and athlete.[1] He was the head coach of the Texas basketball program from 1942 to 1945 and took them to their first NCAA Final Four appearance in 1943. That season he coached the Longhorns to a 43–28 record.

Before going into coaching, Gilstrap was an athlete at Texas, lettering in football (1921-23), basketball (1922) and track and field (1922-23). In 1921, as an end, he led the team in scoring with 8 touchdowns. In 1922 he was awarded the Bellmont Cup as Texas' outstanding track and field athlete. In 1923 he was a member of the first Texas football team to beat A&M at Kyle Field, won the Southwest Conference Championship in the javelin and helped the team win the SWC track title.[2] He graduated in 1924.

In 1925 he became the Athletic Director at Schreiner Institute in Kerrville, Texas, which was then an-all boys military junior college. He was also the head coach for football, basketball, and track during his time as director.[3] In 1926 he led the team to a 10-0 record, defeating teams like Texas Tech, St. Mary's, Sul Ross and McMurray;[4] in 1929 he led them to another undefeated season going 9-0-1; and in 1935 he led them to the state junior college championship.[5]

In 1937, Gilstrap returned to Texas to serve as an assistant coach on the Longhorns football team. He held that job for 20 seasons, under coaches Dana X. Bible, Blair Cherry and Ed Price from 1937 through 1956 and helped the team win six SWC titles and six bowl victories - including four Cotton Bowls.[1]

While an assistant coach with the football team, he also served as the basketball coach for 3 seasons, starting in 1943, when Jack Gray went to fight in World War II. He led the team to the Southwest Conference Championship and the NCAA Tournament in his first year, taking them to their first Final Four appearance. He stepped away in when Gray returned in 1945.

He left coaching in 1956 but continued to teach at Texas into the mid-1970's. He was inducted into the University of Texas Athletics Hall of Honor in 1968 for his contributions as a player and a coach.[6] He was also inducted into the Schreiner Hall of Honor as a faculty honoree.[7]

He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his farm near Rosebud, Texas on January 4, 1989.[8]

Gilstrap was the brother of Claude "Chena" Gilstrap, head football coach and athletic director at Texas-Arlington.[1]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Schreiner Institute () (1925–1936)
1925 Schreiner Institute 1-0[9]
1926 Schreiner Institute 10-0
1927 Schreiner Institute
1928 Schreiner Institute 1-1[10]
1929 Schreiner Institute 9-0-1[10][11]
1930 Schreiner Institute 0-1[12]
1931 Schreiner Institute 2-0[13][14]
1932 Schreiner Institute 0-1
1933 Schreiner Institute 0-3 [15][16][17]
1934 Schreiner Institute 1-1[18][19]
1935 Schreiner Institute 1-0[20]
1936 Schreiner Institute 1-0[21]
Schreiner Institute: 26-7-1
Total: 26-7-1

Basketball

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Texas Longhorns (Southwest Conference) (1942–1945)
1942–43 Texas 19–7 9–3 T–1st NCAA Final Four
1943–44 Texas 14–11 6–6 T–3rd
1944–45 Texas 10–10 5–7 5th
Texas: 43–28 (.606) 20–16 (.556)
Total: 43–28 (.606)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Bully Gilstrap (1901-1989)". Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  2. ^ "Howard Clifford Gilstrap". Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  3. ^ "Portrait of Howard C. Gilstrap". Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  4. ^ "1926 Schreiner Mountaineers Football Squad". Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  5. ^ Herring Jr., Joe. "The glory days of Schreiner Institute football". Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  6. ^ "Howard Clifford "Bully" Gilstrap (1968) - Hall of Honor".
  7. ^ "Tribute to Schreiner Legends". Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  8. ^ "Gilstrap Commits Suicide". The Kerrville Times. January 6, 1989. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  9. ^ "The Trail, Yearbook of Daniel Baker College, 1926". Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Many Expected at Grid Game". Brownsville Herald. November 17, 1929. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  11. ^ "S. Lessor Training with Mountaineers". The Brownsville Herald. January 12, 1930. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  12. ^ "San Marcos beats Schreiner by 7 to 0". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 12, 1930. Retrieved February 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Schreiner will play D. Baker". Brownsville Herald. October 7, 1931. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  14. ^ "Mountaineers are Working Hard to Turn Back Valley Squad". Borwnsville Herald. October 28, 1931. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  15. ^ Eustace, Hal (November 29, 1933). "The Sports Space". Retrieved January 9, 2025.
  16. ^ Hopkins, A. S. (Hop) (November 18, 1933). "St. Edward's Downs Schreiner 7 to 0 in Close Fight". The Austin American. Austin, Texas. p. 10. Retrieved February 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  17. ^ "Bobcats wallop Schreiner, 13–0". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 7, 1933. Retrieved February 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Schreiner Institute in triumph, 20 to 7". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 7, 1934. Retrieved February 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Jackets Defeat Schreiner Team". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. November 18, 1932. p. 2, sports and financial news section. Retrieved July 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  20. ^ "Schreiner wins over San Marcos eleven, 27 to 2". San Angelo Morning Times. October 5, 1935. Retrieved February 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Bobcats walloped by Schreiner team". Austin American-Statesman. October 3, 1936. Retrieved February 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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