| Pete Cawthon | |
| Birth Date: | 24 March 1898 |
| Birth Place: | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Sherman, Texas, U.S. |
| Player Sport1: | Football |
| Player Years2: | 1917–1919 |
| Player Team2: | Southwestern (TX) |
| Player Positions: | Halfback |
| Coach Sport1: | Football |
| Coach Years2: | 1919 |
| Coach Team2: | Beaumont HS (TX) |
| Coach Years3: | 1921–1922 |
| Coach Team3: | Terrill Prep (TX) |
| Coach Years4: | 1923–1927 |
| Coach Team4: | Austin |
| Coach Years5: | 1930–1940 |
| Coach Team5: | Texas Tech |
| Coach Years6: | 1942 |
| Coach Team6: | Alabama (line) |
| Coach Years7: | 1943–1944 |
| Coach Team7: | Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers |
| Coach Years8: | 1945–1946 |
| Coach Team8: | Detroit Lions (assistant) |
| Coach Sport9: | Basketball |
| Coach Years10: | 1920–1921 |
| Coach Team10: | Rice |
| Coach Years11: | 1923–1927 |
| Coach Team11: | Austin |
| Coach Sport12: | Baseball |
| Coach Years13: | 1920–1921 |
| Coach Team13: | Rice |
| Admin Years1: | 1930–1940 |
| Admin Team1: | Texas Tech |
| Admin Years2: | 1952–1953 |
| Admin Team2: | Alabama |
| Overall Record: | 98–50–10 (college football) 2–18 (NFL) |
| Bowl Record: | 0–2 |
| Championships: | 1 TIAA (1923) 1 Border (1937) |
Peter Willis Cawthon (March 24, 1898 – December 31, 1962) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Austin College from 1923 to 1927 and at Texas Technological College—now Texas Tech University—from 1930 to 1940, compiling a career college football coaching record of 99–52–10. Cawthon was the head coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1942 to 1943. He served as the athletic director at Texas Tech from 1930 to 1941 and the University of Alabama from 1952 to 1953.
Cawthon graduated from Houston Central High School in 1917 and went on to attend Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. He lettered in baseball, football, and basketball during his freshman year. When the baseball coach left to fight in World War I, Cawthon took over the position. Cawthon earned four letters his sophomore year and was selected as an All-State halfback.[1]
In 1919, Cawthon took his first regular coaching job at Beaumont High School before becoming the baseball and basketball coach at Rice Institute—now Rice University—in 1920. In 1921, he moved to Dallas and was the head football coach at Terrill Prep for two years. In 1923, he moved on to coach at Austin College in Sherman, Texas, where he established the Cawthon Trophy, given annually to an outstanding individual at the school on the basis of athletic participation, leadership, and sportsmanship. His record at Austin College was 23–18–4 from 1923 to 1927. Austin won the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association title in 1923.
In 1930, Cawthon was hired by Texas Technological College—now Texas Tech University. By 1932, the Matadors—now the Red Raiders—became the highest-scoring team in the nation. He coached at the school through the 1940 season. During his tenure, he compiled a record of 76–32–6.
Cawthon served as line coach in football with the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 1942 season. From 1943 to 1944, Cawthon coached in the National Football League for the Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers. He posted a 2–18 record during his time in the NFL. From 1952 to 1953, Cawthon served as athletic director at the University of Alabama.
Cawthon died after a heart attack on December 31, 1962, in Sherman, Texas.[2]