Harry Fulenwider Hitch
Died November 18, 1962
One of five occupants of an MG convertible, Harry was hurled from its rear deck when it struck the curb of New Haven’s rainslicked Prospect Street during the early Sunday morning hours of November 18, 1962. According to police reports, he died almost instantly from a fractured skull, although none of the vehicle’s other occupants were not seriously injured.
The son of Robert M. Hitch, Y’30, Yale Law ’32, and brother of Robert M. Hitch, III, Y’59, Harry came to Yale from the Taft School, where he was co-captain of the varsity wrestling team in his senior year and won the New England Inter- Scholastic wrestling championship in the 133 pound class. Harry was part of Yale’s freshman wrestling team and helped his team win the freshman Big-Three Championship.
At Yale, Harry lived in Branford and was a member of Fence Club.
A. Heaton Robertson remembers: Harry was a great friend and roommate. Full of life, possessing a gift of spontaneity, Harry was also blessed with an inquisitive mind, broad academic interests, and an athletic and competitive determination that always challenged his 160 pound stature. He was a southerner to his core, gracious, charming (to both the ladies and his classmates) and persuasive in his beliefs and ideals. I think all would remember him as enjoying the party, but would also recall his seriousness of purpose, leadership abilities, ambition to succeed, and many other talents that reflected Yale’s acceptance to our class.
Howard Morrison remembers: I remember the weekend Harry was thrown from a convertible downtown and was killed when his head hit the curb.
John Pinney remembers: My freshman roommates and I were part of a self-styled southern contingent and so naturally got to know Harry quickly. He was the quintessential wrestler, with the kind of easy self confidence that comes from pinning lots of people. He was also a charming and funny guy we all liked immensely. When we heard about his death, we sat around in shock and then for some unfathomable reason decided to go to the movies to see Ingmar Bergman’s Through a Glass Darkly, which added a whole other layer of depression. Harry would have made the succeeding years at Yale more enjoyable for sure.