- ^ "Ex-HSU coach Carpenter dies". The Baxter Bulletin. Mountain Home, Arkansas. Associated Press. February 17, 1990. p. 10. Retrieved November 5, 2019 – via Newspapers.com
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 6, 1930 |
| Died | February 16, 1990 (aged 59) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1954–1956 | Henderson State |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1967–1970 | Henderson State (assistant) |
| 1971–1989 | Henderson State |
| Baseball | |
| 1970–1975 | Henderson State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 119–76–5 (football) 106–68 (baseball) |
| Bowls | 1–0 |
| Tournaments | Football 1–2 (NAIA D-I playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 5 AIC (1973–1975, 1977, 1985) Baseball 2 AIC (1973–1974) | |
| Awards | |
| Football NAIA Division I Coach of the Year (1985) | |
Ralph L. "Sporty" Carpenter (August 6, 1930 – February 16, 1990) was an American football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas from 1971 to 1989, compiling a record of 119–76–5. Carpenter was also the head baseball coach at Henderson State from 1970 to 1975, tallying a mark of 106–68.
A native of Hamburg, Arkansas, Carpenter played college football at Henderson State from 1954 to 1956 under head coach Duke Wells. He returned to Henderson State in 1967 as assistant football coach. Carpenter died on February 16, 1990, at a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee from complications of a liver transplant.[1]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson State Reddies (Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference) (1971–1985) | |||||||||
| 1971 | Henderson State | 4–4–1 | 1–4–1 | 6th | |||||
| 1972 | Henderson State | 4–6 | 2–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1973 | Henderson State | 10–1 | 6–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1974 | Henderson State | 11–2 | 6–0 | 1st | L NAIA Division I Semifinal | ||||
| 1975 | Henderson State | 11–1 | 5–1 | T–1st | W Bicentennial | ||||
| 1976 | Henderson State | 8–2 | 4–2 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1977 | Henderson State | 9–2 | 5–1 | 1st | |||||
| 1978 | Henderson State | 7–2–1 | 4–1–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1979 | Henderson State | 5–5 | 4–2 | 2nd | |||||
| 1980 | Henderson State | 5–6 | 2–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 1981 | Henderson State | 7–3 | 3–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1982 | Henderson State | 4–5–1 | 3–2–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 1983 | Henderson State | 3–7 | 1–5 | 6th | |||||
| 1984 | Henderson State | 4–6 | 2–4 | 6th | |||||
| 1985 | Henderson State | 9–3 | 6–1 | T–1st | L NAIA Division I Semifinal | ||||
| 1986 | Henderson State | 2–7–1 | 2–4–1 | 6th | |||||
| 1987 | Henderson State | 5–5 | 3–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1988 | Henderson State | 4–5–1 | 2–3–1 | T–4th | |||||
| 1989 | Henderson State | 7–4 | 4–2 | 3rd | |||||
| Henderson State: | 119–76–5 | 65–46–5 | |||||||
| Total: | 119–76–5 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||