CHS Distinguished Alumni
Charles H. Brown
Class of 1955
Charles H. Brown was born in Crescent to William J., Jr. and Laura G. Brown on Saint Patrick's Day in 1937, giving reason for his exceeding good luck throughout his life. He grew up across the street from the city's baseball park and graduated from Crescent High School in 1955 where he was a four sport lettermen in football, basketball, baseball and track. Following his senior year he earned a special recognition status on the Oklahoma All-State football team as a quarterback and was awarded a scholarship to attend Southwestern State college in Weatherford. After transferring to Central State College in Edmond he earned a B.S. Degree in Natural Science (with emphasis in chemistry, physics and math). While at Central State an injury changed his focus from playing to coaching. With the help of an assistant coach and a friend he secured a job as a youth football coach for the Nichols Hills Dad Club of Oklahoma City. In the fall of 1957 he launched his football-coaching career that lasted forty-two years. This experience solidified Charlie's desire to become a high school chemistry teacher and football coach.
Upon graduation from college and with the aid of the President of the Dad's Club, Barth Walker, he was hired by Casady School in Oklahoma City in the fall of 1960. While at Casady he was given the opportunity to teach and coach with two legendary personalities in their respective fields, Dick Marble, chemistry instructor and Arthur “Hoot” Gibson, football coach. These two men greatly influenced his teaching style. Between 1960-68 Charlie was awarded five National Science Foundation Summer Study Grants for chemistry and physics that allowed him to attend Texas A & M University, Bowdoin College and the University of Oklahoma, where he completed his Masters Degree in Natural Science in 1967.
While at Casady he also served four years as the head baseball coach where his seams won two conference championships. In 1965 he moved to Tulsa to accept a position as a chemistry/physics teacher and football coach at Holland Hall School. Today Holland Hall is recognized as the state's most prestigious college preparatory school. During his forty-five year tenure at the school Charlie served as chemistry teacher, physics teacher, head football and baseball coach, Dean of Students, Director of Summer Programs and Athletic Director. As the Dean of Students he helped establish the school's Honor Council, which deals with disciplinary decisions and the Student/Faculty Senate that aids in determining school rules and policies. In 1999 the Oklahoma School for Science and Math in Oklahoma City honored him as one of the state's outstanding high school chemistry teachers.
From 1966 until his retirement in 1999 his Dutchmen football teams won 199, lost 116 and tied 5 games while winning seven conference championships. During the thirty-five years he served as Athletic Director. He served twelve years a President of the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC), one of the nations oldest and most prestigious high school athletic conferences made up of eighteen member schools located in Texas and Oklahoma. The SPC offers competition in twenty-one sports. He is a also a long time member of the Oklahoma Coaches Association.
His honors include:
***The football field at Holland Hall was named the Charles H. Brown Field 1996
***An endowment named, The Charles H. Brown Chair was established at a banquet hosted at the University of Tulsa's Reynolds Center, where the Governor of Oklahoma recognized him for his work 2000
***Inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame 2000
***Selected as a quarterback to the Crescent All-Century Football Team 2006
***Inducted into the Holland Hall Athletic Hall of Fame 2007
Today Charlie resides in Tulsa with his wife, Nancy Wilk and continues his work at Holland Hall as Assistant to the Headmaster for Special Projects and Athletic Director Emeritus. He assists with the School's annual fund raising efforts and the need for financial aid funds for deserving college bound students in the Tulsa community. Charlie is extremely proud of his four children, Dr. M. David Brown, MD, who resides in Kansas City, daughter Diana Tatro and son, Randy, who live in Broken Arrow and youngest son, Kyle who lives in Tulsa, along with their families, which include seven seven grandchildren.
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