‘Chic’ a tribute to OSU football’s beginnings

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By Marc Katz, Staff Writer 12:29 AM Thursday, May 28, 2009

Father’s Day is next month, and while normally self-promotion is taboo, let me suggest purchasing the book “Chic” for any fatherly Ohio State fan.

Bob Hunter of The Columbus Dispatch wrote the copy, and I helped with the research. It’s a tough book to find outside Columbus, as tough as bringing down Chic Harley, a halfback who also was an exceptional passer, punter and drop kicker.

He was an unassuming kid who later encountered mental problems that faded him off the sports pages but not out of memory. Three decades after his on-field exploits, Columbus fans fashioned a Broadway-type motorcade when he returned for a Michigan game.

Harley was OSU’s first All-America, and his 1919 team was the first to beat the Wolverines.

Our original focus was on Harley as the guy who made it possible for dreamers Thomas French and Lynn St. John to build Ohio Stadium.

Not long into our research, Hunter and I discovered what should have been obvious from the start. Harley was the impetus for OSU football as we know it. Without Harley, OSU is, well, Wisconsin or Iowa.

Hunter weaves a compelling story of how this happened and why, marking the growth of the university and Columbus as well.

If you’re an Ohio State football fan and want to know why, get this book.

Happy Father’s Day.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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typical grabage written here when the dd trolls ignore real facts like the one written in this article :

http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...

But that would require some sort of jounalism instead of the kool aide consumption.

typical blah blah
2:17 PM, 6/8/2009

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Yep ..Chic was a great HB at the Ohio State University ... but truly a sad story because serving in World War I ( The trenches ) is where the young talented athlete troubles all started and ended in a VA hospital for the rest of his life . Ohio Stadium will always be known as the House that Charles " Chic " Harley built .

Jon
2:05 PM, 5/28/2009

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Good thing Hunter wrote it because your efforts at prose leave much to be desired.

bubba
10:24 AM, 5/28/2009

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Dear Mr. Katz:
In the interest of fair and balanced journalism, it would be good to mention there is a new book on Chic Harley written by a family member on Chic's life before and after his glory days at OSU.
It will be available next week and in plenty of time for Father's Day too. Please refer to www.chicharley.com for details. Thanks!

Dick Barton
9:23 AM, 5/28/2009

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There's another book coming out this June which was actually written by a family member of the late Chic Harley... it's supposed to have a more personal insight into his life, in addition to all the football facts. I bet it's a pretty good read, I've got my copy reserved.

Chic Harley Fan
9:08 AM, 5/28/2009

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