Rice's Ninth Athletic Director:

9. August F. “Augie” Erfurth Rice 1949, Rice Director of Athletics 1978-1984.



Was assistant or associate AD under Hagan, Bill Peterson, Red Bale and Homer Rice until 1978 when in April of that year Dr. Hackerman appointed him to move up to become AD from his previous position as Business Manager when Homer Rice departed for the Cincinnati Bengals. Erfurth was AD for 8 years, then Executive AD for a time afterwards.

It was the fall of 1945 when a promising young student-athlete from Breckenridge High of San Antonio, Texas enrolled as a Rice freshman. Erfurth was an exceptional hurdler on the Rice track team, winning two Southwest Conference titles in the 120-yard high hurdles in 1946 and 1949. Twice he was second to an Olympic medal winner for the USA in Clyde Scott of Arkansas. Erfurth’s track career at Rice was under the late Emmett Brunson, Rice’s track coach during that time. Erfurth also played a year of varsity football in 1945 (when freshmen were eligible for the varsity college teams at the finish of World War II), and won a letter as a running back under the late great Coach Jess Neely.

Erfurth spent more than two decades as a member of the Rice university athletic staff. Erfurth returned to Rice in 1960 after 11 years in the strong San Antonio, Texas ISD school system where he tutored in track, football and basketball at Burbank, his HS alma mater Breckenridge, and Highlands between 1949 and 1960. Perhaps the highlight of his high school coaching days was in 1958 when his 440-yard relay team tied the national record for that event at the Texas state meet in Austn, Texas. He also was honored by election to the Board of Directors of the Texas High School Coaches association.

A major career change came in 1960 when he answered the call from his former coaches at Rice to “come home” to alma mater Rice Institute (only to see the name changed to Rice University that very year.) But Neely as AD brought him to Rice to become chief aide to Brunson both in coaching track and as Assistant Business Manager for Athletics.

In 1967 Erfurth was named Assistant Athletic Director to new AD and head Football Coach Bo Hagan (when Jess Neely retired.) He left for one year (1969-1970) to go with the L.G. Balfour Company, but came back in 1970 as both Assistant AD and head track Coach when Brunson had to retire via illness. Erfurth was assistant or associate AD under Hagan, Bill Peterson, Red bale and Homer Rice until 1978 when in April of that year, then Rice President Dr. Norman Hackerman appointed him to the key role of Rice University Athletic Director on Homer Rice’s departure for the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL.

During his four years as Owl track coach, the high point was a Southwest conference team championship for Rice in 1971 in a dramatic close finish in Aggieland.

Erfurth also was proud that three of his four Owl teams, with aide Rice ex Bobby May, finished in the National Top 20 at the NCAA Championships (6th, 10th, and 15th.) He coached three U.S. Olympians (Fred Hansesn, Dave Roberts, Ed Red) as an aide for head coach, and 8 Owls made All-American when the criteria was much stricter than it later became. He was especially proud that five of those eight later attained the title of “Dr.” as M.D.’s, dentist, or Ph.D. Two of them, Dr. Dave Roberts (M.D.) became world record holders in the pole vault, and another Owl vaulter in Rev. Warren Brattlof went into the ministry.

Erfurth was selected Outdoor Coach of the Year in 1972 by the U.S. Track Coaches Association. He lectured at NCAA national track clinics, and served as a referee at NCAA Track Championships and Texas relays.

During Erfurth’s years as Athletic Director, Rice University saw expansion and improvement of athletic facilities, new coaches offices, Cameron Field for baseball and later adding lights, expansion and lighting of Jake hess tennis Stadium, a new electronic scoreboard at Rice Stadium, and renovations of Autry Court for basketball, plus improvements at Rice Track Stadium. All of this at a cost of over $2,000,000, with help by contributions via fund raising programs.

Erfurth was active in NCAA and SWC and NACDA matters for Rice, and was on the NCAA Televison Committee, as well as on the Board of Directors for the Greater Houston Athletic Association for the Physically Disabled.

Augie Erfurth was born July 18, 1926 in San Antonio, Texas and has spent his entire life as a resident of that city or Houston, Texas. His wife, Ethel, is from Alamo City, Texas (a Trinity University ex.) Erfurth died on September 7, 2014.

Rice Mourns the Passing of Augie Erfurth
Link: http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-track/s...4aab.html#