Harold “Buck” Earley is a graduate of Hagerstown High School and the University of Maryland. Buck was an outstanding football and track star at Hagerstown High. In the 1945 football season, he played guard on coach Eddie Semler’s varsity team, but in 1946 he was moved to tailback, and was a member of Hagerstown’s first undefeated and untied football team. Earley was moved to fullback his senior year and set a record for touchdowns, scoring five in one game against Allegany High of Cumberland. He was named to the All-Star High School Football team in 1947.

As a member of Hagerstown High’s first track team after World War II under coach Johnny Kerr, Buck pack the 1946 Hubs to the state championship by winning three state titles himself, in the 100-yard and 400-yard dashes and the running broad jump (long jump). During that season, he ran the 100 in 10 seconds flat to set a record in the Saint James School meet.

Earley received a football scholarship to Maryland, where he played running back as a freshman. In 1949 he was a running back and kick-return specialist on the varsity team under coach Jim Tatum. On Jan. 1, 1950, Buck played for the Terps in their 20-7 victory over Missouri in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla. He returned several punts and kickoffs and became the first Hagerstown High player to perform in a major college bowl.