Pres Mull Explained

Pres Mull
Birth Date:28 August 1922
Birth Place:Marion, North Carolina, U.S.
Death Place:Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S.
Player Years1:1946
Player Team1:Appalachian State
Coach Years1:1951
Coach Team1:Appalachian State
Coach Years2:1954–1958
Coach Team2:Lexington HS (NC)
Coach Years3:1959–1961
Coach Team3:Catawba
Coach Years4:1962–1973
Coach Team4:Lexington HS (NC)
Overall Record:13–26–1 (college)
121–56–8 (high school)

Presnell Alfonzo "Pres" Mull (August 28, 1922 – June 30, 2005) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Appalachian State Teachers College—now known as Appalachian State University—for one season in 1951 and at Catawba College from 1959 to 1961, compiling a career college football record of 13–26–1.[1]

Biography

Mull was born in Marion, North Carolina in 1922 to Horace and Estelle (Houck) Mull.[2] He graduated from Pleasant Garden High School where he played basketball.[3] Mull graduated from Appalachian State Teacher's College in 1947, after having served as a reconnaissance pilot in World War II.[4] Mull served as head football coach for multiple local high schools before getting the position at Appalachian State University in 1951 when incumbent coach E. C. Duggins left to do navy service. He also served as assistant football coach at the University for multiple seasons, along with teaching science courses.

Mull moved to Lexington, North Carolina in 1954 after his application for head football coach at Lexington High School was successful. His team, the Yellow Jackets went 9–1 in its first season, greatly improving over previous seasons. Mull also coached at Catawba College from 1959 to 1961, but later returned to Lexington where he continued coaching until 1973.[5] He coached in the North Carolina High Schools All-Star game in 1971.[6] He was also a longtime science teacher and athletic director at the school.[7] He retired in 1984 and lived in Lexington up until 2004, when he moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Mull was honored by being named one of the inaugural members of the Distinguished Alumni of Appalachian State University along with inductions into the state of North Carolina, Davidson County and North Carolina Athletic Association Athletic Halls of Fame.[8] Mull also served 11 years on the Lexington Planning and Zoning Board, being appointed in 1972 and resigning in 1986.[9]

Mull died in 2005 at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill hospital after a brief illness.[10] He was married to Elsie Spratt for 60 years at his death. He had four daughters, one which predeceased him. His wife, Elsie died shortly after him, on July 24, 2005.[11] Mull was described in multiple articles as a "legend" and someone "[that] you would not hear anyone bad about" that was a "gentleman's gentleman on and off the field". He was a member of the United Methodist Church.[12]

Head coaching record

College

Notes

Notes and References

  1. Book: Mike Flynn. Appalachian Football 2009 Media Guide. History and Traditions: All-Time Coaching Records. Appalachian Sports Information. PDF. 2009. 184.
  2. News: Mull: A Living Legend . Caldwell, Neill . . June 4, 1984. January 20, 2012.
  3. Web site: Presnell Mull Named As Head Coach Here . The-Dispatch.com . May 8, 1954 . January 21, 2012.
  4. Web site: The Salisbury Post . The Salisbury Post - Pres Mull . Archive.salisburypost.com . January 21, 2012.
  5. News: 'A Special Person In A Special Time' . Caldwell, Neill . . June 4, 1984. January 20, 2012.
  6. News: Special Honor Set For Coach Mull . . November 27, 1971. January 20, 2012.
  7. News: Presnell Mull Returning to Lexington as Football Coach . . December 14, 1961. January 20, 2012.
  8. News: Pres Mull keeps walking into halls of fame . Wehrle, Bruce . . September 17, 2003. January 20, 2012.
  9. News: Mull Steps Down From Planning Board . Earley, Lynn . . January 1, 1986. January 20, 2012.
  10. Web site: Pres Mull – Obituary . The-Dispatch.com . January 21, 2012.
  11. Web site: Elsie Mull – Obituary . The-Dispatch.com . January 21, 2012.
  12. News: On the Ball . McCrary, Joe (Scoop) . . July 14, 1971. January 20, 2012.
  13. Web site: Appalachian State University - Rhododendron Yearbook (Boone, NC), Class of 1943, Page 34 . E-yearbook.com . January 21, 2012.
  14. Web site: Appalachian State Mountaineers Media Guide: History & Traditions . Appalachian State University . January 20, 2012.