(July 7, 1891 – January 21, 1973) Charles “Shy” Huntington left an indelible mark on the University of Oregon football program, leading the team to the Rose Bowl as player and coach.
Huntington was 23 years old when he began playing for Oregon, beginning in 1914.
Oregon reached the 1917 Rose Bowl with a 6-0-1 record during the 1916 season. The Webfoots defeated the Multnomah Amateur Athletic Club twice and given up just 14 points all season. The Ducks tied Washington 0-0 but beat Cal and the Oregon Agricultural College (now OSU) to tie for the top spot in the newly formed Pacific Coast Conference.
The Rose Bowl was a new proposition; it was the only the third time for this East vs West collegiate showdown. Penn was the well-known eastern power that took a long train ride to Pasadena.
Huntington played a key role in the game by intercepting three passes, throwing for a touchdown, rushing 17 times for 69 yards and a touchdown and kicking two extra points. Oregon, coached by legendary Hugo Bezdek, won 14-0 before a crowd of 27,000. Huntington was named All-America following the season.
Following graduation, Shy took over as head coach at U of O. This was not unusual for the times. Two seasons later, he guided the Ducks to a 5-1 record, first place in the PCC and back to the Rose Bowl, where they faced unbeaten Harvard. Despite a standout performance from younger brother Hollis Huntington, who had 122 yards on 29 carries, the Ducks lost 7-6 before a crowd of 35,000. Oregon, which played its home games in newly christened Hayward Field, used just 13 players in the game.
Shy Huntington led the Ducks to a 26-12-6 record in his six seasons as coach. He also coached the basketball team for two seasons and the baseball team for one season. He later coached Eugene High School for two seasons. Huntington served one term in the Oregon House of Representatives.
Shy Huntington was inducted into the University of Oregon Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993.