Edward J. Hines had the unusual distinction of winning high school all-state football honors in two states, Iowa and West Virginia. He played at Cedar Rapids Washington high school under Hall of Fame coach Leo Novak and then came under Moral Eby's tutelage at Coe. He was Eby's field general and he quarterbacked three consecutive Midwest Conference football champions in 1928, 1929, and 1930. Those were fabulous days for Coe football. In 1928, for example, outside of a loss to Big Ten champion Illinois, Coe went undefeated and outscored their opponents 181 to zero.

Ed Hines was named to All-Conference and All-American teams as a result of his skilled performance, and was named as quarterback on Moray Eby's All-Time team.

Throughout his career Ed Hines has maintained his interest in sports as an official in football and basketball, as well as an organizer of sports teams. As a Senior Youth Counselor for the State of Wisconsin he coached delinquent boys and on retirement was the first to receive a merit award for dedicated service as a counselor to these young men.