Members
Inductee
PONT, JOHN
PONT, JOHN
Born on November 13, 1927
Canton, OH
July 2, 2008.
Inducted On
May 5, 1984
Location Inducted
Indianapolis, IN
Region Number
10
Indiana Univ
Coach
Canton's Timken
1945
All-City and All-County; 3rd Team All-State Guard.
Served in the US Navy as a submariner between high school and college.
Served in the US Navy as a submariner between high school and college.
Miami University, OH
1952
MVP 1951; All-MAC and All-Ohio 1949, 1950, 1951; Honorable Mention All-American 1949.
Jersey 42 was retired and installed in Miami University Hall of Fame in 1952; inducted into the Miami Athletic Hall of Fame, the Indiana University Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Mid-American Hall of Fame; member of the "Cradle of Coaches" at Miami; served as coach/consultant for semi-pro football league in Japan 1992-2004; served as a volunteer coach at Talawanda High School in Oxford, OH, 2005-2007.
Wife, Sandra; children, Jeff and Jennifer; grandchildren, Chris, Carrie, and John.
Professional Athletic Background: Played 1 1/2 years in the Canadian Football League with Toronto 1952-1953.
Coaching Experience: Assistant coach at Miami 1953-1955; Miami head coach 1956-1962; head coach at Yale 1963-1964; head coach at Indiana University 1965-1972; head coach at Northwestern University 1973-1977; head coach at Hamilton HS, OH, 1984-1989; assisted in establishment of football program at College of Mt. Saint Joseph in Cincinnati, OH, serving as its first coach 1989-1992.
Coaching Honors: Had two MAC Championships in 1957, 1958; Miami team played in Tangerine Bowl 1962; coached Indiana to Big Ten Co-Championship 1967 and the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1968; received Paul "Bear" Bryant Award, Walter Camp Coach of the Year, NCAA Division 1 Coach of the Year, Football Writers Coach of the Year, and American Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year 1967.
Coaching Experience: Assistant coach at Miami 1953-1955; Miami head coach 1956-1962; head coach at Yale 1963-1964; head coach at Indiana University 1965-1972; head coach at Northwestern University 1973-1977; head coach at Hamilton HS, OH, 1984-1989; assisted in establishment of football program at College of Mt. Saint Joseph in Cincinnati, OH, serving as its first coach 1989-1992.
Coaching Honors: Had two MAC Championships in 1957, 1958; Miami team played in Tangerine Bowl 1962; coached Indiana to Big Ten Co-Championship 1967 and the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1968; received Paul "Bear" Bryant Award, Walter Camp Coach of the Year, NCAA Division 1 Coach of the Year, Football Writers Coach of the Year, and American Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year 1967.
