The goal of the eminent person project is to demonstrate our chosen person's "giftedness" through multiple articles, creative diagrams, and learning devices. This section of my website exemplifies the specific skills and talents which I consider Harvey Nual Russell eminent.

Firstly, Harvey's most important quality was his leadership. He started developing his leading abilities back at Howard Payne University as the captain of the basketball and football teams. Then he continued his development as a coach for high school and university football, becoming one of the finest coaches of the century. We see the extent of his leadership in 1927 when he started a new football team at the Fort Worth Masonic Home and School orphanage. The orphanage did not have a lot of money, equipment, or training facilities. In addition, Harvey's band of orphans only had twelve players, while a regular high school team had around forty to fifty players. An ordinary leader would crumble under these conditions, but Harvey triumphed despite these obstacles and guided them to the Texas state semifinals in 1934.

The second aspect of Harvey's eminence was his perseverance. An example of this was in the WWI Battle of Saint-Mihiel, 1918. Harvey served as a medic back then and was sent into France with his platoon to assist their allies against the German Empire and the Austrian-Hungarian forces. Mid-battle, a container of mustard gas detonated right beside Harvey searing his eyes and his lungs. Still, he fought through the pain and treated his fellow soldiers. After the end of the battle, Harvey woke up in a Parisian hospital, unable to see. Somehow he stood firm in his belief that his faith would help bring his sight back. After six months, his eyesight returned.

Harvey Russell's eminence came from his ability to lead and his perseverance. These specific reasons are also why I chose him for my eminent person project. There are plenty of outstanding athletes with better physical abilities than him, but none of them quite had the initiative or strength of character that Harvey Russell did.