KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Four-sport letterman Charlie Hoag was another member of the 1952 NCAA champion University of Kansas men’s basketball team, which subsequently won a qualifying tournament and formed the bulk of the winning Olympic basketball team later that year.
Hoag was perhaps better known as a football player for KU, having started at halfback and earning All-Big Seven honors for his play on the gridiron in 1950 and 1952.
He led KU in rushing and receiving, serving as captain for the 1952 team.
Hoag was one of seven Jayhawks on the gold medal squad at the Helsinki Olympics, appearing in seven games and averaging 2.9 points per game.
Upon returning from the Olympics, Hoag suffered a serious knee injury his senior season at Kansas, which ended his football and basketball careers.
Hoag, who also lettered in baseball and track with the Jayhawks, was drafted by the Cleveland Browns despite the injury but never played in the NFL.
Hoag was born in Oklahoma, raised in Illinois and died in 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri, after a career in insurance.
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The Kansas City region has a deep, rich history with respect to the Olympic Games. As the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games approach with the Opening Ceremony scheduled for July 23, we will profile an athlete with ties to Kansas City, Missouri or Kansas each day.
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