Billie Allyn Hamrick served two years as an ensign in the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II before coming to Howard Payne in 1946. The Brownwood High graduate was a four-year starter on the Howard Payne football team and captain his senior year in 1949. He was All-Texas Conference in 1946-1949 and named to the Little All-America team. He also was listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities and was an officer in the “H” Lettermen’s Club. He was coach and trainer of the 1949 HPC boxing team. Hamrick then went on to a 47-year career as teacher, coach and administrator. He was a head coach for 25 years at several schools, including Bangs, Round Rock, Angleton, Lamar Consolidated, Athens and Corpus Christi Carroll. His career coaching record was 175-98-7. He served as principal at Corpus Christi King High School, Corpus Christi Ray High School, and Corpus Christi Flour Bluff High School. He also served four years on the board of trustees for Corpus-Christi ISD before his death in 2009.