Dewitt (Tex) Coulter, 83, played in the Canadian Football League for the Alouettes
Hoodude
One of finest to wear Als uniform
By Ian MacDonald,
Montreal Gazette
http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=newser&func=display&topicnum=&nid=20620
Dewitt (Tex) Coulter, who died on Oct. 2 at age 83 after a lengthy
illness in his native Fort Worth, Tex., was one of the finest Canadian
Football League players ever to wear an Alouettes uniform.
Coulter, a longtime Montrealer, was an all-star on both offence and
defence during the three full seasons he played with the Alouettes,
from 1954 to 1956. He came to Montreal after spending six years with
the National Football League's New York Giants, where his ability to
play two ways was utilized fully.
"I loved playing both offence and defence," Coulter, who was an
All-American on the 1945 army team that won the U.S. national
collegiate championship, told this reporter during a telephone
interview several years ago from his Texas home. "But it was a little
different with the Alouettes.
"With the Giants, I played end, tackle and centre on offence and end,
tackle and linebacker on defence. They used me as insurance for guys
getting hurt. It was easier to shift me around than to get other
people for various positions.
"With the Alouettes, it was different. (Alouettes coach Peahead
Walker) sometimes forgot about me, I think. He just left me out
there."
The only time Coulter wasn't on either the offensive or defensive line
was in punting situations. He was also the Alouettes' kicker - and an
excellent one at that.
Coulter starred with the Alouettes, along with quarterback Sam
Etcheverry, Hal Patterson and Red O'Quinn, on one of the most exciting
and high-scoring teams in the CFL. The Alouettes represented the East
Division in the Grey Cup game in each of Coulter's three seasons with
the team, losing to the Edmonton Eskimos all three times.
Coulter stayed in Montreal with his family for 15 years after his
playing days. He analyzed football plays for the Montreal Star with
diagrams and words.
But his artistic talents went far beyond football. He was in great
demand as a portrait painter. Coulter thought about painting as his
chief source of income some time before he came to Montreal.
After four years with the Giants, he left to work for the Dallas Times
Herald - drawing cartoons and writing. But he quickly discovered that
the NFL paid more and returned to football after one year.
Playing two ways with the Alouettes did not make Coulter an exception.
In those days, a majority of the U.S. players - teams were allowed
eight imports at the time - were asked to play both ways because they
were better and being paid more.
Coulter's wife, Ruth, died in 1997. He is survived by sons Jeff, who
lives in Kamloops, B.C., and David, who is in Vancouver, daughters Ann
McKinlay and Dena Coulter-Brown, who both live in Austin, and eight
grandchildren.
A private memorial service is planned for Nov. 2 in Austin.
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