Art Haley was born October 17, 1895, in Beaver Falls, PA. His family moved to Ohio, where he graduated from Cuyahoga Falls High School in 1915.

A multi-talented athlete who starred in football, basketball, track and field, and baseball, Art was a four-sport letterman. As a quarterback he popularized the forward pass. Legalized in 1906, the forward pass was rarely seen; however, in the Akron area, Art perfected the pass.

Art enrolled in Akron University, where he earned 12 letters in four sports and, in his senior year in 1919, was named captain of the football team. Akron's star quarterback was considered among the best forward passers in the Ohio Conference, if not in the entire state. Akron finished 6-1-1 that season.

In 1919, Art quarterbacked the Akron Indians, a semi-pro football team in the Ohio League's final year before joining the American Football Professional Association (AFPA) as the Akron Pros. Art would play three different years in six professional football games for three different teams. He was named first team All-Ohio-Conference Football in 1919 and played on the 1919 Ohio Conference Championship basketball team.

In 1920, Art played for the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots, an independent professional basketball team. Art was so talented that, in 1920, he was recruited by legendary coach Jim Thorpe to play professional football for the APFA's Canton Bulldogs. In 1921, Art played for the APFA's Dayton Triangles. Then, in 1923, Art returned to the Akron Pros of the newly established National Football League.

During World War I, Art enlisted in the Naval Officers Training School and played for their football squad. Although there were many college All-Americans on the team, again Art was considered the star.

A 1920 graduate of Akron University, Art was inducted into the Akron University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979. Art was inducted into Cuyahoga Falls High School Football Hall of Fame in 1997.

Arthur "Art" Read Haley died February 14, 1946, at age 50 in Zanesville, OH.