Hall of Fame
Ray Troutt is considered the “father of eight-man football” as he was instrumental in the formation of the game in Oklahoma in 1960.
Troutt graduated from high school in Follett, Texas in 1939 but soon found himself defending his country in Army Air Corps. Upon his discharge in 1945, he enrolled at Northwestern where he became a standout athlete and varsity letter winner in football, basketball and baseball. He graduated from Northwestern in 1948.
For five years following his graduation, Troutt coached basketball and baseball at Nash High School before heading to Helena High School in 1953. He coached five sports at Helena, but sooner became known for his outstanding football teams. In 1955, his team won the mythical six-man football championship, and in 1960, Troutt was instrumental in forming the first Oklahoma eight-man football league. In 1961, his Helena team was the state runner-up, but in 1969, Troutt and his now Helena Goltry team won the first of two consecutive state championships.
Troutt fought hard for the benefit of eight-man players and helped establish the annual Eight-Man Football All-Star Game played each summer at Northwestern. Upon his retirement from coaching 1980, Troutt had compiled a 134-88 record in eight-man football and had more that 400 wins in baseball. He also is a member of the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Eight-Man Coaches Hall of Fame.
