Harry Downes
 Downes pictured in Sub Turri 1932, Boston College yearbook | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 3, 1910 |
| Died | February 5, 1970 (aged 59) |
| Playing career | |
| 1929–1931 | Boston College |
| Position(s) | Center |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1932–1935 | Boston College (line) |
| 1935 | Boston College |
| 1936 | Boston College (backfield) |
| 1937 | Quincy HS (MA) |
| 1938–1970 | Brookline HS (MA) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 3–2 (college) |
Henry J. "Harry" Downes (August 3, 1910 – February 5, 1970) was an American football player and coach. An All-American at Boston College, his playing career ended in 1931 due to injury suffered against Holy Cross. In 1935, Downes became Boston College's head coach after Dinny McNamara resigned due to illness after four games. At the age of 25, he became one of the youngest head coaches in the history of college football. After going 3–2 in the remaining five games, he was replaced the next season by Gil Dobie and demoted to assistant coach. In 1937, Downes became head football coach at Quincy High School in Quincy, Massachusetts. From 1938 until his death in 1970, he was head coach at Brookline High School. The football field at Brookline High was named in honor of him, however in 2006 the name was changed to the Kraft Family Athletic Facility at Harry Downes Field after New England Patriots owner and BHS alumnus Robert Kraft donated $400,000 toward the renovation of the field and encouraged the National Football League to donate an additional $200,000 to the project.
Head coaching record
College
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston College Eagles (Independent) (1935) | |||||||||
| 1935 | Boston College | 3–2[n 1] | |||||||
| Boston College: | 3–2 | ||||||||
| Total: | 3–2 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Notes
- ^ Dinny McNamara coached the first four games of the season.