Hall of Fame
Howard S. Gautier is inducted posthumously into the Northwestern Sports Hall of Fame. Gautier was a two-sport athlete while attending Northwestern in the early 1930’s, graduating from Northwestern Teachers College in 1933.
“Gokie” or “Goke” as he was known, was a 145-pound halfback for the Rangers under head coach Wistar D. Newby. While some newspaper accountings of Gautier called him the “backfield flash,” he was also known for his fierce blocking skills for his fellow teammates in the backfield, as well as being a hard hitting lineman. During his time with the Rangers, he was the only All-Collegiate player to represent the school.
The football standout was also a member of the Northwestern hardwood team as a guard.
After graduation from Northwestern, Gautier returned to his hometown of Ames, Oklahoma, to become the principal, teacher and coach at Ames High School. After obtaining his master’s degree in education from Phillips University in 1936, he went on to become the superintendent of Ames schools where he served until 1942, when he enlisted in the United States Army.
Gautier returned to Ames following his service and regained his administrative role at the school. After his return, he helped build competitive basketball programs at the school before handing the teams over to Don Rippetoe. The Ames girls went 63-1 in back-to-back seasons, including a state championship in 1962, with the lone loss coming in the 1963 Class B State Championship game.
Gautier was named to the Oklahoma High School Girl’s Coaches Hall of Fame, and multiple girls and boys players went on to play collegiate basketball, including All-Big Eight player Larry Hawk, and his brother Gene, at Oklahoma State University.
A true sports fan, Gautier also spent time as an Oklahoma high school official roaming the football field and on the basketball court.
Gautier retired from education in 1974 and received many honors and great recognition for his service to young people, including the Ames gymnasium being named in his honor.
When his daughter, Dr. Gloria (Gautier) Mills, was a young girl, her father transcribed a quote in an autograph book for her, “When the one great Scorer comes to mark against your name, He marks not that you won or lost – but how you played the game.”
Gautier was born in 1910 in Lamont, Oklahoma, and passed away at the age of 71 in 1981. He was married to the late Marie Gautier and is survived by his daughter Gloria.
