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Former OU fullback, Lawton MacArthur coach Ronnie Hartline dies at 76

LAWTON — Ronnie Hartline, Lawton MacArthur’s football coach the first 24 years of the school’s existence, died Monday, his 76th birthday.

Hartline, a fullback at OU for Bud Wilkinson from 1958-60, was the 1956 state player of the year for Lawton High School.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Cameron Baptist Church in Lawton.

Hartline, born in Fort Sill, was a two-year starter for OU and a 1960 co-captain. He was one of the Sooners who famously suffered from food poisoning at Chicago’s Chez Paree club, the night before the 1959 Northwestern game.

Hartline led OU in rushing with 692 yards in 1960.