Eddie Flint
2025 Finalist
New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame
Football, 1946-2020
Xavier Prep/Xavier University/St. Augustine HS/Washington HS/Carver HS/McDonogh 35 HS
Eddie Flint was an outstanding high school athlete at Xavier Prep, graduating in 1949 after earning all-city honors in both football and basketball. He went on to a three-sport standout at Xavier University of Louisiana. While he lettered in basketball and baseball (and even earned a tryout with the St. Louis Cardinals), it was on the football field where he made his mark.
In four years as the starting quarterback, the Gold Rush posted a 22-11 record, including 7-1 in 1950 and 8-1 in 1951, the two winningest seasons in program history. Keep in mind that in its 29-year history with football, Xavier only won 51 percent of its games – with Flint directing the action on the field, it won 67 percent of its games. Flint’s XULA success began early as he delivered the game-winning touchdown pass to Lorenzo Merriweather on fourth down with one minute remaining in a 23-19 victory at city rival Dillard with over 7,500 fans in attendance. In 1951, Flint directed the Gold Rush to wins over both Grambling (25-7) and Southern (22-8).
That success as an athlete makes him worthy of New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame consideration. However, his biggest impact on the city came as a high school football coach.
He took over head coaching duties at Burglund High School in McComb, Miss., straight out of college. His youth and inexperience didn’t show as the Lions posted an 8-0-1 record and won the state championship for black schools in his first year (1953) with a 19-7 win over Greenville in the title game.
Flint returned to New Orleans to continue his coaching career and as the head football coach at St. Augustine High School in 1962 and he again wasted little time making his mark. He won three state championships (1963, 1965, 1966) in the Louisiana Interscholastic and Literary Organization (LIALO). His 1963 St. Aug team snapped Carroll’s 36-game win streak with a 20-0 victory in the LIALO semifinals, then won the school’s first state title (Class AAA) with an 18-9 victory over Xavier Prep on Dec. 8 before 12,000 fans at City Park Stadium (now Tad Gormley Stadium). The Purple Knights were unbeaten in 1965 and1966. He added a state semifinal effort in 1964 as his team finished 9-1-1.
During the 1970s, Flint served as the St. Aug defensive coordinator under New Orleans Sports Hall of Famer Otis Washington. He helped the Purple Knights win LHSAA state championships in 1975, 1978 and 1979 in the LHSAA’s highest classification at the time, AAAA – and Flint’s defense recorded 50 shutouts during the 1970s.
Following his time at St. Aug, Flint was instrumental in helping coach Wayne Reese rebuild football programs at Washington High School, Carver High School, and McDonogh 35 in New Orleans.
He was the 2010 recipient of the Eddie Robinson Award from the New Orleans Sports Awards Committee, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, and presented to an individual with outstanding achievement in athletics, academics, sportsmanship and citizenship while maximizing limited resources.
