By Mickey Furfari
MORGANTOWN — Most folks called him Gentleman Gene Corum.
No other description could have been more appropriate for West Virginia University’s head football coach from 1960-65. I cannot think of anyone being more gentle in my 65 years of sports coverage.
Corum, a native of Huntington, died on Saturday, Jan. 2, in Frederick, Md. He was 88 years old.
He not only was an outstanding coach but also one of the finest guards the university ever had in football in the 1940s at a mere 165 pounds. Corum was a starter playing both ways in 1941-42, served in the military during World War II, then returned to WVU in 1946-47. He’s on the all-time team for that period.
Bill Kern was his coach all four seasons. Kern left after a rare 17-2 upset of old rival Pitt in the 1947 finale.
That was one game that Corum never could forget. The field at Pitt Stadium was covered with snow.
Corum intercepted a pass and could have run through the end zone and out of the stadium for a touchdown. But he mistakenly thought he was on the goal line and downed the ball. Unfortunately, however, it was only the Panthers’ 10-yard line.
Obviously, Gentleman Gene wasn’t very happy then. But he had to be delighted and proud after the Mountaineers’ 24-0 upset of Penn State in 1942.
The Nittany Lions were undefeated and had appeared in the 1941 Cotton Bowl. That still ranks among the school’s all-time greatest wins.
Corum earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from WVU in 1948. He coached the next two years at Pt. Marion (Pa.) High, then returned to Morgantown in 1950 as freshman football coach under Art “Pappy” Lewis, the new Mountaineer head coach.
Two years later the NCAA abolished the freshman rule, and he joined Lewis’ three-man varsity staff as coach of the ends.
Corum remained a popular fixture with Lewis for 10 years. So much so, Lewis waited until mid-February of 1960 to resign under pressure, leaving the head job to Corum.
Unfortunately, WVU teams weren’t nearly as successful in the next six years as those of the 1950s were. The records were 0-8-2 (the only winless season in WVU’s history), 4-6, 8-2, 4-6, 7-4 and 6-4.
But Corum’s 1964 team earned a bid to play in the Liberty Bowl at Atlantic City’s Convention Center. It was the first postseason game ever played indoors. Utah won 32-6.
It was in 1965, however, that West Virginia outlasted Pitt in a free-wheeling 63-48 contest at Old Mountaineer Field. That remains the highest-scoring offensive show in the school’s history as well as in the Pitt series.
Score central in Chicago asked Western Union for a reconfirmation “or are you guys drunk out there.”
Corum’s salary was never more than $15,000 annually. And he also served as an instructor and administrator.
Corum’s beautiful wife Lucille died several year ago. He has two grown children.
He had been in failing health for the past few years. His daughter who lives in Frederick cared for him.
Plans are in the works for a memorial service.
Corum is a member of the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and also the WVU Sports Hall of Fame.
