Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame
Short*, Paul E.
Paul E. Short*
- Induction:
- 2000
- Class:
- 1934
Chances are that if you were watching a Lehigh sporting event in the early 1930’s that Paul Short was one of the athletes you would see.
Short participated in football, where he served as captain in both 1932 and 1933. He earned a total of three varsity letters and started for two years at quarterback. Short played both offense and defense and started as a broken field runner and punter. Short’s football exploits resulted in him being chosen as the outstanding Lehigh football player of the 1930’s and 1940’s during the celebration of 100 years of football at Lehigh.
Short also played lacrosse and baseball in the spring and as if that wasn't enough, he wrestled in the winter. Short truly was an athlete for all seasons. Off the playing venue, Short was a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honorary fraternity and Beta Theta Pi national social fraternity.
“I thought the world of Paul Short,” former wrestling coach Gerry Leeman said. “He had a real sense of the tradition and pride that was and still is present at Lehigh. Not only was he a terrific coach and athlete, but he also was a terrific business manager. Paul was a man's man. He gave me a lot of personal guidance. Without his leadership, I don't think I could have been nearly as successful as I was.”
After his graduation in 1934 with a bachelor's degree in business administration, Short worked for the Dravo Corporation and Bethlehem Steel before joining the Lehigh Athletics staff in 1938. His service to the University was interrupted during World War II, at which time he served with distinction as Major in the United States Army. He retired from the US Army Reserve and 1961 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Short combined his duties as an assistant coach in football, baseball, wrestling and lacrosse, as well as Business Manager and Assistant Director of Athletics, from 1946 until his death in 1967.
“Throughout his career as a student and then colleague, Paul Short was quiet, efficient and thorough in whatever assignments came his way on the field of play or his chosen field as an athletic administrator,” former Lehigh football coach and athletic director Bill Leckonby said. “As an administrator he had many difficult matters to resolve and he completed his tasks to the very best of his ability for all concerned. He is very deserving of admission to the University's Hall of Fame.”
Short was an avid supporter of Lehigh’s track and cross country programs. The prestigious Paul Short Run held each fall on Lehigh's cross country course is one of the top and largest collegiate races in the country, regularly attracting around 6,000 runners and over 400 colleges and high schools each year.
“Paul Short was one of my mentors at Lehigh,” former Lehigh cross country and track coach and fellow Hall of Famer John Covert said. “When you think of business managers you expect them to be behind a desk all day, but that wasn't true of Paul. He was often out at the practice fields. He always came to the Penn Relays and to many of our meets. He was particularly fond of cross country. He'd be out on the course watching all of the time.”
Short and his wife Helen had three children, Jacqueline, Austin and Ethel. His son Austin starred on the Lehigh football teams of 1954, 1955 and 1956. Paul Short passed away November 17, 1967 at the age of 57.
Short participated in football, where he served as captain in both 1932 and 1933. He earned a total of three varsity letters and started for two years at quarterback. Short played both offense and defense and started as a broken field runner and punter. Short’s football exploits resulted in him being chosen as the outstanding Lehigh football player of the 1930’s and 1940’s during the celebration of 100 years of football at Lehigh.
Short also played lacrosse and baseball in the spring and as if that wasn't enough, he wrestled in the winter. Short truly was an athlete for all seasons. Off the playing venue, Short was a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honorary fraternity and Beta Theta Pi national social fraternity.
“I thought the world of Paul Short,” former wrestling coach Gerry Leeman said. “He had a real sense of the tradition and pride that was and still is present at Lehigh. Not only was he a terrific coach and athlete, but he also was a terrific business manager. Paul was a man's man. He gave me a lot of personal guidance. Without his leadership, I don't think I could have been nearly as successful as I was.”
After his graduation in 1934 with a bachelor's degree in business administration, Short worked for the Dravo Corporation and Bethlehem Steel before joining the Lehigh Athletics staff in 1938. His service to the University was interrupted during World War II, at which time he served with distinction as Major in the United States Army. He retired from the US Army Reserve and 1961 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Short combined his duties as an assistant coach in football, baseball, wrestling and lacrosse, as well as Business Manager and Assistant Director of Athletics, from 1946 until his death in 1967.“Throughout his career as a student and then colleague, Paul Short was quiet, efficient and thorough in whatever assignments came his way on the field of play or his chosen field as an athletic administrator,” former Lehigh football coach and athletic director Bill Leckonby said. “As an administrator he had many difficult matters to resolve and he completed his tasks to the very best of his ability for all concerned. He is very deserving of admission to the University's Hall of Fame.”
Short was an avid supporter of Lehigh’s track and cross country programs. The prestigious Paul Short Run held each fall on Lehigh's cross country course is one of the top and largest collegiate races in the country, regularly attracting around 6,000 runners and over 400 colleges and high schools each year.
“Paul Short was one of my mentors at Lehigh,” former Lehigh cross country and track coach and fellow Hall of Famer John Covert said. “When you think of business managers you expect them to be behind a desk all day, but that wasn't true of Paul. He was often out at the practice fields. He always came to the Penn Relays and to many of our meets. He was particularly fond of cross country. He'd be out on the course watching all of the time.”
Short and his wife Helen had three children, Jacqueline, Austin and Ethel. His son Austin starred on the Lehigh football teams of 1954, 1955 and 1956. Paul Short passed away November 17, 1967 at the age of 57.
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