The Hume Award was inaugurated in 1944. During an evening of watching a football game between two high school teams at West High School, Mr. William Hume, a prominent Nashville attorney and civic leader and Chairman of the City Board of Education, remarked to Mr. W. A. Bass, the then Superintendent of Nashville City Schools, that some recognition should be given to the fine young men participating in the game of football in the Nashville schools.

Mr. Bass gave this suggestion some thought and proposed that an award be set up recognizing the outstanding football player in the Nashville schools each year in the areas of sportsmanship, scholarship and football ability.

Mr. Hume agreed to provide a plaque to go to each boy and a trophy to be rotated to the winner’s school each year and the award was initiated. When the Nashville City School System and the Davidson County School System merged into the Metropolitan system, the former Davidson County schools were included.

Mrs. Hume carried on the project and set up a trust fund that has continued to provide the award for this coveted honor.

Each school in the Metropolitan Nashville Public School System submits a candidate chosen by the principal and football coach on the basis of scholarship, sportsmanship, individual performance and value to the team. A committee composed of a representative of the host club, the president of the Secondary Schools Principals Association, the president of the Middle Tennessee Football Officials Association and the sports writer covering high school football from each of our daily newspapers selets the five finalists and the winner from the candidates submitted by the schools.

The award presentation ceremony rotates annually among the participating community service clubs of Nashville, with the Economic Club hosting the 2022 Luncheon.