09:11 PM CDT on Monday, July 19, 2004

By JOE SIMNACHER / The Dallas Morning News

As the head football coach for 15 years at Dallas' Kimball High School, Jack C. Hitchcock was a strict, thorough disciplinarian.

He lived his life that way, too, getting to work early and leaving late.

Before he retired in 1987, the Knights had recorded 57 wins, 16 losses and three ties under the coach.

Mr. Hitchcock, 80, died Sunday of cancer at Harris Methodist H-E-B Hospital in Bedford.

Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. today at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway in Dallas.

"Coach really enjoyed coaching football," said Southern Methodist University basketball coach Jimmy Tubbs. "You could tell by his energy level. ... He was just good for young people."

Mr. Tubbs coached basketball at Kimball from 1979 to 1990.

"Coach always had a very disciplined team," Mr. Tubbs said. "As a head coach he was always delegating to assistant coaches, which meant he was very organized."

Mr. Hitchcock was also athletic director at Kimball.

"He ran not only a great football program, he ran a great athletic program," Mr. Tubbs said.

Goree Johnson, assistant athletic director for the Dallas Independent School District, knew Mr. Hitchcock from a parent's perspective. Mr. Johnson had a son on Mr. Hitchcock's team for four years.

"He was a good man," Mr. Johnson said. "He was fair with my son. He kept me up on the do's and don'ts about him. I was impressed."

Born in Barry, Texas, Mr. Hitchcock served in the Navy aboard the aircraft carrier Saratoga during World War II. After the war, he attended Navarro Junior College and earned a bachelor's degree from North Texas State Teachers College, now the University of North Texas, in 1952.

Mr. Hitchcock started his football coaching career as an assistant in Terrell. He began coaching in Dallas when Kimball High School opened in the mid-1950s. He was named head football coach at Kimball in 1972. He retired in 1987 after 35 years in education.

Mr. Hitchcock is survived by his wife, Margaret Hitchcock of Duncanville; a daughter, Nancy Allen of Arlington; a brother, W.C. Hitchcock of Shreveport, La.; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 560089, Dallas, Texas 75356-0089, or a charity of choice.

E-mail jsimnacher@dallasnews.com