Robert (Bobby) Hatch
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Sport:
Football |
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Year
Graduated: 1949 |
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Year
Inducted: 1980 |
"Bobby" Hatch is the most unassuming athlete ever
known. When asked for his "bio," he replied, "My
qualifications are certainly not outstanding. Seriously, I
was a very average college athlete, but loved every minute
at B.U.. My greatest pleasure comes from my associations at
Boston University which are life-long friendships that are
meaningful to me such as John Simpson, Jack Kelley, Herb Tighe,
John Toner, S. Cella, Ev Dorr, Irv Heller, Art Boyle, S. Sarno,
Wally Williams, Jack Leaman, Doug Raymond, Bobby Whelan, Charles
Thomas etc., etc., etc."
Bobby might consider himself just an average football player,
but when the Shriners put on their annual North-South All-Star
game on Christmas Day in 1948, the starting defensive back
was Bobby Hatch and the team rosters read like Who's Who in
All-America: Weber of Princeton, Nork of Columbia, college
and Pro Hall of Famer Charles P. Bednarik of UPenn, Quinn
of Cornell, Tamburo of Penn State, Kaz of Iowa, Brennan of
Notre Dame, Furse of Yale, Gannon of Harvard, the one and
only George Blanda of Kentucky, and Dixie Howell of Ole Miss.
Each of the players was drafted by the pros, including Bobby
Hatch by the New York Yankees and the New York Giants.
Bobby had made not only All-New England, but also All-East.
In the North-South program, it read " Bobby Hatch, captain
of the Boston University team, is not only an All-New England
back, but is the top defensive back in the East and was selected
for All-East honors for both his defense and offense. He averaged
nearly 5 yards a clip on offense and has been selected as
starting halfback."
The following is verbatim from the New York Daily News. "The
New York Yankees of the All-America Conference announced today,
they have signed for 1949 Bobby Hatch from Boston University.
"Thus the Yankees stole another march on the rival National
Football League because Hatch had been drafted by the New
York Giants in 1947. He decided to play another year at B.U.,
then cast his lot with the Yankees. He is 24 years old, stands
6 feet in height and weighs 192 pounds. He will be used as
fullback in the new "T" formation of the Yankees."
The 1948 B.U. Football Program on Bobby reads as follows,
"Robert Hatch of Melrose had a remarkable year as a junior.
He went both ways and leads the team in almost every department.
Already sought by pro teams in both American Conference and
the National Football League, he will be able to cash in handsomely
if he has another season like last year. He leads in total
yardage with 410 yards for an average of 6.9 yards per carry
and an average of 22 yards in punt returns. Hatch, a talented
kick-off specialist, is also a recent addition to the Terrier
married gridders. He and Bobby Boucher are the front runners
in the speed department and he was a starter and letter winner
in 1942, 1946, and 1947."
In addition to football Bobby also excelled in baseball,
tennis and golf. Bobby, Hall of Famer Everett Dorr, and Billy
Tighe made up one of the best pitching staffs in the East
in 1948 and 1949. During his senior year Bobby coached the
B.U. Tennis Team.
Bobby entered B.U. in 1942, then joined the Marine Corps
in 1943, and served for a 3-year hitch. He graduated from
the University in 1949. He joined the athletic department
of Bates College in 1950, became baseball coach in 1951, football
coach in 1952, golf coach in 1960, track coach in 1964, assistant
athletic director in 1965, and department chairman and athletic
director in 1974.
