Woody was born on September 24, 1915, in Harrisonburg, WestVirginia, nestled in the Shenandoah Mountains. The familyeventually moved to Hershey, PA and Woody played football,basketball, track and baseball at Hershey High School, graduatingin 1933. Woody began a career in football, basketball and track atF&M the next year. As a student athlete Woody showed theenthusiasm and aggressive spirit, which he was to display later asa coach and athletic director. A game that typifies his spirit wasplayed in 1935, the year, the year he made Little All-America, whenthe Diplomats went to New York's Polo Grounds to play a Fordhamteam ranked with Pitt as the top team in the East.
Fordham's "Seven Blocks of Granite," including Green Bay Packercoach Vince Lombardi, were in action that year. In the first periodwith a score of 0-0, Woody broke through the vaunted Fordham line,blocked a punt and then carried the pigskin 30 yards for atouchdown that gave F&M a 7-0 lead. Fordham scored twice in thefourth quarter to thwart what would have been a spectacular upset.Dr. Joseph Medwick, a Lancaster physician, who was a halfback onthe same tram, remembers Woody's competitive drive. "He was aterrific competitor who had all the qualities to be great, and hewas. He made Little All-America.
He was a good sportsman who took his defeats hard. Although hehated to lose, he was a gentleman. He was a good example of what anathlete should be." Assistant football coach Bernie Santanielloplayed guard on that 1935 team. "We played alongside each other forfour years in college and two years in the pros," Coach Santaniellosaid. "As a player, Woody was great. He loved to win and was veryaggressive." Another teammate of Woody's, George "Whitey" Pew, alsoremembers him as a great competitor and team leader. "Woody was afootball player's player. He played hard; he gave it all he had andliked to win." Graduation in 1937 ended Woody"s career as a collegeathlete and he moved on to become assistant football and basketballcoach and head track coach at Emmaus High School, Emmaus, PA.
He also served as a teacher of European history and civics atthat school. A year later, in 1938, he accepted a position as headcoach in football, basketball and track at Columbia High School,while also teaching American and European history there. In 1941,he moved to Newark Academy, Newark, NJ, as head coach in footballand basketball and assistant coach in track, also serving asassistant director of athletics while teaching physical education.In 1943, Woody began a nine-year coaching association with hisbrother Boyd Sponaugle, now retired football coach at McCaskey HighSchool in Lancaster. Woody came to McCaskey, then Lancaster HighSchool, as head coach in football, basketball and track and afaculty member teaching English. Boyd, whose coaching career hadparalleled Woody's, joined he as an assistant coach.
In 1948 they both moved to F&M with Woody becoming headfootball and basketball coach and a physical education facultymember. Boyd left his work with Woody in 1952 to become headfootball coach at McCaskey. Meanwhile, Woody continued an activecoaching career. Despite football and basketball season thatpractically overlapped and the elimination of athleticscholarships, he compiled a career football record of 59-58-6 atF&M. His 1950 team was the most memorable, winning nine gameswithout a loss, then declining a bid to the Gator Bowl in Florida.After that first undefeated season in college history, Woody wasvoted "The Small College Coach of Pennsylvania," and received theF&M Alumni Medal for outstanding service to the College. In1952 Woody led his team on the College's first football plane tripto a game at Springfield, MA, against American InternationalCollege. Dale "Dusty" Ritter, an assistant geology professor andfreshman football coach, played on the 1952 airborne team.
In the American International game Ritter established asmall-college record for most yards gained passing. In January of1962, Woody and his brother Boyd, who was then coach of thefootball team at Lancaster?s McCaskey, while Woody was mentor ofthe Blue football squad, were co-recipients of the LancasterSportswriters and Sportscasters Headliner Award for outstandingcontributions to sports. This was the first time the award waspresented as a joint award. In 1963 Woody left coaching to becomeathletic director of the College, the position he held until hisdeath. Wrestling coach Roy Phillips had a sixteen-yearsrelationship with Woody as a fellow coach. "I think he did atremendous job as athletic director. His experience and knowledgein sports and the keen interest he had in athletics enabled him tobe the fine director he was. He handled things in a manner that wasprofessional.
He felt that all sports were worthy and handled themaccordingly. His ability to deal with people and his knowledge wereinvaluable. He was very personable and always willing to listen toany problems that people in the athletics department might havehad. His solutions were always just, in my opinion. It was apleasure working with him." Basketball coach Chuck Winsor whoserved under Woody as a coach recalls another aspect of his career."He wanted to work for F&M because it was his alma mater. Theyears of work that he devoted to his college are the type of thingthat is not often seen today. Many people tend to forget what theiralma mater offered to them and don't do anything for it after theygraduate."
Woody's interests went beyond the college campus and beyond theworld of sport. As well as serving as a member of the LancasterOfficials Club, All-Lancaster Football Association, AmericanFootball Coaches Association and American Basketball CoachesAssociation. He was a member and vice president of the LancasterTownship School Board, the Lancaster Exchange Club. George Cruddenexpressed what Woody Sponaugle was to the College, "Woody wasn'tconfined to sports in his contribution to the College. He made manyfriends for the College. He stood for all that is good about theCollege. He was a real fellow and a dear friend."
