Died 8 September 1941 | Position Quarterback | |
College Army Black Knights football (1903–1904) | ||
Horatio B. Hackett (c. 1880 – September 8, 1941) was an American architect, college football official, military officer, and assistant director of the Works Progress Administration.
Hackett was the son of Senator Horatio Hackett. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He competed in four sports at West Point and won the first ever Army Athletic Association Award. He once said of Bradbury Robinson passing "Whew, that chap is a wonder! He beats anything I ever saw. He looks as though 40 yards is dead for him, and he's got accuracy with it." Hackett was a quarterback and baseball captain at West Point.
Hackett later relocated to Chicago where he worked as an architect for many years. During World War I, he served in France as an artillery officer in the American Expeditionary Forces. He was wounded while serving in the war and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
From 1934 to 1937, Hackett worked for the Works Progress Administration, including service as the assistant director and director of housing. He resigned from the WPA in 1937. In March 1938, he was hired as the president of the large construction firm, Thompson–Starrett Co. He held that position until his death in 1941.
Hackett also served for more than 30 years as an official for Big Ten Conference football games. He was also a member of football's rules committee.