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History Harold Jack Swarthout - always known as “Jack”. Born in Sunnyside, Washington in 1920 and moved to Grandview and then to Prosser where he graduated from high school. Jack loved athletics all of his life. He and his buddies formed teams and played games each weekend when in grade school in Grandview. Even though he lived during the great depression he was happy because he was always playing basketball, baseball and football. To him the most important thing in his life was athletics. He was a good student and read all of the time so school was easy for him. He knew from the time he was eight years old he wanted to be a coach.
Being a great athletic in high school he was able to get a scholarship at the University of Montana when he graduated in 1938. He loved being able to play football in the Pacific Coast Conference. He was a standout gridder for the University performing at quarterback, halfback and eventually end in 1941 and 1942.
He was in the ROTC, Reserve Officers Training Corps, so after graduation in 1942 was sent to OCS, Officer Candidate School and received his Officers commission in the army. Later he joined the Parachute Infantry and went to the Eastern front as a paratrooper. He served in Okinawa, Guam, and the Philippines. During the occupation of Japan he played and coached the 11th division football team and they won the area championship. He then played with a team of all-stars coached by Jack Sutherland of the Pittsburg Steelers. They won the game and later he was offered a contract to play with Pittsburg. Jack started his coaching career in Hoquiam, in 1946 where he became the Head Football and Basketball coach and taught History. His dream of a lifetime. He loved the people, his players and always his coaches. His assistant Al Skov became a lifetime friend. They had many players that went on to coach and were very successful in their careers. Jack Elway, John Elway's father, being one of them.
Darrell Royal hand picked Jack to assist him at the University of Washington football program and Jack eventually made the move to University of Texas where he served as backfield coach 1957 to 1960, a key cog in the impressively assembled crew. Jack admired Darrell for his integrity, care for his players and coaches and his work ethics for winning football games. It was easy for him to pattern himself after him and use him as a role model.
Jack returned to Olympia in 1962 and coached football and basketball and taught History at Olympia High School until 1967. Again Jack coached with a group of coaches that he loved. They worked well together to produce winning teams and great players.
In 1967 Jack accepted the Head Football Coaching and Athletic Director’s position at the University of Montana. He is credited for getting football started with two 10-0 seasons highlighted in his nine-year coaching career at Montana. He would be quick to tell everyone it was through the support of the townspeople, alumni, his great assistant coaches and super players, that this was possible. As stated by Chris Geraghty in an article recently released, Jack created the foundation for future coaches and players involved with Grizzly Athletics. Jack was most proud of the fact how they got Grizzly football started again. and how recent coaches, such as Don Reed, were able to take that to a championship level.
Jack returned to Coach and Teach at Capital High School in 1976 where he retired in 1986.
This is a project of Columbia Pacific Resource Conservation and Economic Development District- a registered 501(c)3 public charity.
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