“In Chapel Hill, N.C., after grimly watching his school’s football team drop three games in a row, University of North Carolina Cheer Leader Harry Benton Thorp turned in his megaphone, reported to the coach as a team candidate.”
— From Time magazine, Nov. 17, 1952
Harry Benton Thorp’s job change was not the only bizarre happening during Carolina’s 1952 football season. The October games with Georgia and NC State were canceled due to a polio outbreak on campus. That three game losing streak reported by “Time” magazine turned into a five game streak before the Heels beat South Carolina in Columbia on November 15th by a score of 27-19. ’52 was UNC’s final season in the Southern Conference and didn’t win a game in Kenan Stadium that year. Carolina scored 27 points in 13 minutes at Miami to close out the season with a win against the Hurricanes 34-7. And following that 2 and 6 season, UNC’s Athletic Council was ready for a change. Head Football Coach Carl Snavely submitted his resignation on December 2, 1952. He left Chapel Hill in early 1953, and would not return to the campus until the Justice Era Reunion in the fall of 1971.
The good news in Chapel Hill in late 1952 was that Head Basketball Coach Frank McGuire won his first game with the Tar Heels…a 70-50 win over The Citadel on December 1st.
Whatever happened to Harry Benton Thorp, I wonder?
Kevin: Here is a WRAL.com link from January 14, 2001 that might answer your question.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/142904/
Okay! Showing my ignorance, I had no idea Harry Benton Thorpe was THE Bo Thorpe. Thanks, jack.