R.I.P....Ronnie Hartline

[Senior Sooner]

Another One of the Men of the '47 Straight passes...

Ronnie G. Hartline
Mon, 05/04/2015 - 9:12pm Staff
Memorial service for Ronnie G. Hartline, 76, Lawton, will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 7, 2015, at Cameron Baptist Church with the Rev. Mike Teel, pastor, officiating.

Ronnie died Monday, May 4, 2015, in Lawton.

Burial will be in Highland Cemetery under direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

An online guest book and sympathy cards are available at www.beckerfuneral.com.


1957: Ronnie was Oklahoma All-State Offensive Player of the Year...Out of Lawton High

1957: OIL BOWL…History was made—thanks to fullback Ronnie Hartline of Lawton. Oklahoma won over Texas for the first time in 13 meetings, 21-7. Hartline carried 26 times for 73 yards and a touchdown and kicked all three extra points. He was voted the outstanding back of the game, ahead of Texas' talented Glynn Gregory of Abilene.[3]

1958-59-60...OU Letterman

 

[Plainosooner]

The very first Sooner game I listened to on radio, Hartline was the most prominent name I remember. Such a great name for a running back. I think it was Ross Porter with that nasal voiced broadcast.

I saw the headline and went, "oh no." Another great player from the last five years of Bud's era gone. Sad start to the day.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Yes, Ronnie had an extended family in or around Ninnekah, Okla.
I was just a kid then but I remember he was all the buzz with them when he was at OU.

Sorry to hear of his passing.
(dang grim reaper)

 

[sybarite]

He was the fullback when I was a freshman.

 

[CTOkie]

Hartline was one of several Sooners who was sick due to food poisoning on the eve of the 1959 opener at Northwestern....compliments of the Chicago mob. From what I have read, the Oklahoma team was the only customer at the Chez Paree restaurant that night.
In a heavy rain, Northwestern beat OU 45-13 as OU had a quick kick blocked inside its ten yard line and had numerous fumbles-one of which was returned for a touchdown.
To my knowledge, no real investigation ever followed the food poisoning incident.
A year later, as Northwestern came to Norman for the 1960 opener, Coach Parseghian used the food poisoning incident to motivate his team, telling his team in so many words that people were saying the 1959 victory was due to the food poisoning. His team spotted OU a 3-0 lead and went on to win 19-3.
One has to wonder just how much the food poisoning influenced the game's outcome. I believe to some degree it did. Whatever, it marked the start of Wilkinson's worst two years....by far....in 1960 (3-7) and 1961 (5-5).