Hal Yinger

Hal Yinger
Biographical details
Born(1919-03-19)March 19, 1919
Jackson, Ohio, U.S.
DiedFebruary 16, 2000(2000-02-16) (aged 80)
Warrensburg, Missouri, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1937–1938Rio Grande
1939–1940Eastern Kentucky State
1941–1943USAAF (Kearns, Utah)
1946Eastern Kentucky State
Position(s)Center, linebacker
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1950–1951Central Missouri State (assistant)
1952Tarkio
1953–1956Central Missouri State (assistant)
1957–1960Central Missouri State
Track and field
1953–1957Central Missouri State
Head coaching record
Overall11–32–2 (football)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Football
All-Ohio (1938)
All-Rockies and All-Utah service team (1943)
All-KIAC (1946)

Harold L. Yinger (March 19, 1919 – February 16, 2000) was an American football and track and field coach, athletics administrator, and professor.

Early life, playing career, and military service

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Yinger was a multi-sport athlete at Jackson High School in Jackson, Ohio before graduating in 1937. At Rio Grande College—now known as the University of Rio Grande—he played three sports, and was named the football team captain and All-Ohio as a center in 1938.[1]

Yinger enrolled at Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College—now known as Eastern Kentucky University—in 1939, and played football and baseball for two seasons before joining the United States Army during World War II. He served from 1941 to 1946, spending most of that period at Camp Kearns, in Kearns, Utah. There he was a physical training officer, and played on the base football and basketball teams. In 1943, he was named to the All-Rocky Mountain and All-Service football teams as a center. He was the only officer on the base team.[2][3] Yinger returned to Eastern Kentucky State College in 1946, and received All-Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) honors as a center.[4]

Coaching career

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Yinger enrolled at Central Missouri State College—now known as University of Central Missouri—in 1950 to pursue a master's degree while working as a graduate assistant in the physical education department and with the football and track and field teams. The next year, he was hired as the football team's line coach, reuniting former school mate, Harry Fritz, who was hired as head football coach in 1952.

In 1952, Yinger left Central Missouri State to become the head football coach at Tarkio College in Tarkio, Missouri.[5] After a year at Tarkio, he returned to Central Missouri State as the football line coach and head track and field coach.[6] He served in that position from 1953 to 1957. During that period, his track teams won the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) indoor championships in 1953 and 1954 and the outdoor championships in 1954 and 1955. Yinger was promoted to head football coach in 1957 and served in that capacity for four years.[7] He was the appointed director of the school's intramural program in 1961 and the next year as athletic director. In 1962, he was promoted to full professor and became the chairman of the division of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. He retired in that capacity in 1977 to resume teaching full time and from the school in September 1984.[8]

Death and family

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Yinger died on February 16, 2000, at Ridgecrest Nursing Care Center in Warrensburg, Missouri. He was married to Virginia Long, and they had one son, Andrew L.[9][10][11]

Honors

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Professional honors: "Who's Who in American Education 1965; The Centennial Award For Excellence In Teaching from Eastern Kentucky University, 1974; named to the Rio Grande College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1975 for football; and awarded the Rio Grande College Outstanding Achievement Award in 1980.

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Tarkio Owls (Central Church College Conference / Missouri College Athletic Union) (1952)
1952 Tarkio 1–7 1–2 / 0–4 3rd / 5th
Tarkio: 1–7 1–6
Central Missouri State Mules (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1957–1960)
1957 Central Missouri State 1–7–1 1–3–1 5th
1958 Central Missouri State 2–6–1 1–4 5th
1959 Central Missouri State 3–7 1–4 T–5th
1960 Central Missouri State 4–5 1–4 5th
Central Missouri State: 10–25–2 4–15–1
Total: 11–32–2

References

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  1. ^ "Six New Members To Hall Of Fame". Rio Grande College Alumni Report Rio Grande, Ohio. 1976.
  2. ^ "Former Mules' Coach Hal Yinger Dies". The Daily Star Journal Warrensburg, Missouri. February 17, 2000.
  3. ^ "Wings/Eagles Set Title Contest". No. Saturday Evening. Salt Lake Telegram Salt Lake City, Utah. November 27, 1943.
  4. ^ "Morehead Lands Four Gridders On All K.I.A.C. First Team". No. Sunday Edition. The Courier-Journal Louisville Kentucky. November 24, 1946.
  5. ^ "To Coach Football Here The Next Year". The Tarkio Avalanche. Tarkio, Missouri. June 6, 1952. pp. 1, 5. Retrieved July 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  6. ^ "Hal Yingers Return To Warrensburg". Daily Star-Journal. Warrensburg, Missouri. June 17, 1953. p. 1. Retrieved July 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  7. ^ "Veteran Mules' Coach, Hal Yinger Dies". No. Spring. Alumni Today Sports Central Missouri State University. 2000.
  8. ^ "Yinger Retires From CMSU Athletic Program". The Daily Star Journal Warrensburg, Missouri. September 7, 1984.
  9. ^ "Deaths And Funerals; Harold L. Yinger". The Kansas City Star. Kansas City, Missouri. February 17, 2000. p. B7. Retrieved July 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  10. ^ "Yinger Retires From Athletic Program". The Daily Star Journal Warrensburg, Missouri. September 7, 1984.
  11. ^ "Former Mules' Coach Hal Yinger Dies". The Daily Star Journal Warrensburg, Missouri. February 17, 2000.