Abb Curtis

Albert "Abb" S. Curtis was an athlete, coach, official and administrator. He was an All-American basketball player for the University of Texas at Austin, where he also played college football.

Early life and education

Curtis was born in Ada, Oklahoma. He attended Fort Worth Central High School in Fort Worth, Texas where he was a 3-sport star in basketball, football and baseball and entered UT in the fall of 1920.

Curtis played both basketball and football at the University of Texas from 1922 to 1924. In his senior year, Curtis played on first-year football and basketball head coach E. J. "Doc" Stewart's undefeated football and undefeated Southwest Conference champion basketball teams. The 1924 Longhorn basketball team received a retroactive national ranking of No. 3 in the Premo-Porretta Power Poll.
He was a 3x letterman at guard for the basketball team for three seasons from 1922 to 1924. In 1924 Curtis was recognized as a NCAA [Men's Basketball All-Americans#Consensus teams|consensus first-team All-American] in basketball. As of 2015 he was one of only seven Longhorn men's basketball players ever to receive that honor. He was also named All-Southwest Conference.
Curtis was a 2x letterman at defensive end for the Longhorns football from 1922 to 1923.
He was inducted into the UT Athletics Men's Hall of Honor in 1969.

After graduating, Curtis spent three years as the head football coach at Fort Worth Central High School and then transitioned to working as a basketball and football referee.
He officiated several important games including multiple Cotton Bowls, the NCAA Basketball Championship, the 1935 Rose Bowl game and the 1939 Sugar Bowl featuring national champion TCU.
He became president of the Southwest Football Officials Association. In 1949 he was hired as supervisor of officials for the Pacific Coast Conference. He became Southwest conference assistant executive secretary and supervisor of game officials in 1950 and served in that role until his retirement in 1967. He was on the NCAA Rules Committee for 6 years during this time. In 1962, he testified before the Texas House following a 1961 [NCAA University Division men's basketball gambling scandal|point-shaving scandal] involving Southwest Conference basketball officials and players.
Following his retirement he was selected to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1973. In 1982, he was inducted into the Texas Basketball Hall of Fame.