HOWARD BEATTY

Howard E. Beatty was born in Petoskey in 1892 and competed in a variety of sports. He attended Michigan Agricultural College where the civil engineering student earned six varsity letters  in football and track. After graduating, Beatty stayed at college to serve as freshman and assistant varsity football coach in 1917-18, then worked for the Olds Motor Car Company in  Lansing as an engineer. In 1921 he came to Saginaw High School and became football and track coach. Beatty immediately turned out two state championship football teams. In his 11 years as football coach, he led the Trojans to five Saginaw Valley League championships and shared one other title. In 1923 he became athletic director and added basketball to his coaching duties. One year later he helped form the Michigan High School Athletic Association and sat on the council for seven years. He was one of the originators of the Michigan Sport Sages. In 1931 he resigned his coaching duties to concentrate on his role of math teacher and athletic official. Beatty gained great respect as an official, steadily progressing to where he was working major collegiate conferences and professional games. He also officiated the top high school games around the state and authored a book on football officiating. In addition to his teaching duties, Beatty was employed at Saginaw Steering Gear from 1942-63. His math background led Valley Parochial League officials to enlist his knowledge in taking over the executive secretary’s duties for the rapidly-growing conference. He held that position for 10 years through 1956. He retired at the end of the 1960 school year at the age of 68. In 1979, he received the Charles E. Forsythe Award “for outstanding contributions to athletics in the state of Michigan.” He was a life member of the Michigan Sports Sages, the MSU Varsity S Club, the Michigan Coaches Association, the Michigan State Alumni Association, and honorary member of the Saginaw High School Lettermen’s Association. The Sports Sages, organized by a group of men who had devoted 25 years to athletics, honored Beatty with an honorary life membership – one of only two to earn that distinction at that time. Beatty died January 18, 1981, at the age 88 and is buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery.