Harry R. Jefferson
Biographical details
Born(1899-05-12)May 12, 1899
Parkersburg, West Virginia, U.S.
DiedApril 24, 1966(1966-04-24) (aged 66)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1917West Virginia State
1918–1921Ohio
Position(s)Guard, center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1922[1]Kelly Miller HS (WV)
1923Wilberforce
1924[2]Kelly Miller HS (WV)
1925–1929Bluefield
1930–1931North Carolina A&T
1932–1933Bluefield State
1934–1948Virginia State
1949–1956Hampton
Basketball
1924Kelly Miller HS (WV)
1934–1949Virginia State
Baseball
1924[3]Wilberforce
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1924–1925Kelly Miller HS (WV)
1925–1930[4]Bluefield State
1930–1932North Carolina A&T
1932–1934Bluefield State
1949–1957Hampton
1961–1965CIAA (commissioner)
Head coaching record
Overall173–92–25 (college football)
Bowls1–0
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 black college national (1927, 1928, 1936)
2 MAA (1927–1928)
4 CIAA (1936, 1938, 1939, 1945)
Awards
All-Ohio center (1921)[5]
NAIA Hall of Fame (1961)[6]
Virginia State University Hall of Fame (1980)[7]
CIAA Hall of Fame (1982)[8]
Bluefield State Hall of Fame (teams) (2008)[9]
AFCA Trailblazer Award (2010)[10]

Harry Rupert "Big Jeff" Jefferson (May 12, 1899 – April 24, 1966)[11] was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Wilberforce University (1923), Bluefield State College (1925–1929, 1932–1933), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (1930–1931), Virginia State University (1934–1948), Hampton University (1949–1959), compiling a career college football coaching record of 173–92–25. Jefferson led his teams to black college football national championships in 1927, 1928, and 1936.[12] Jefferson was the first chairman and charter member of the National Athletic Steering Committee (NASC) in 1951.[13] Later, Jefferson served as president of the NASC in 1957 and was honorary president in 1959. Jefferson was also honored by the NASC in 1958 for 35 years "contributed to the development of youth through athletic coaching and administration."[14] Jefferson was also the first commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in 1961.[15] In college, he was a founding member of the Phi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha at Ohio University.[16] Jefferson died of a heart attack, on April 24, 1966, at Mercy Douglas Hospital in Philadelphia.[17] His funeral was held at Arlington National Cemetery.[18]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Wilberforce Green Wave (Independent) (1923)
1923 Wilberforce 3–2
Wilberforce: 3–2
Bluefield Big Blue (Independent) (1925)
1925 Bluefield 2–2–1
Bluefield Big Blue (Midwest Athletic Association) (1926–1929)
1926 Bluefield 3–2
1927 Bluefield 8–0–11st
1928 Bluefield 8–0–11st
1929 Bluefield 6–2–1
North Carolina A&T Aggies[19] (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association[20]) (1930–1931)
1930 North Carolina A&T 3–6–13–5–17th
1931 North Carolina A&T 3–53–57th
North Carolina A&T: 6–11–16–10–1
Bluefield State Big Blues (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1932–1933)
1932 Bluefield State 4–4–13–25th
1933 Bluefield State 6–2–24–1–23rd
Bluefield / Bluefield State: 37–12–77–3–2
Virginia State Trojans[21] (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1934–1948)
1934 Virginia State 3–5–23–3–25th
1935 Virginia State 6–3–15–34th
1936 Virginia State 9–0–26–0–21st
1937 Virginia State 8–17–13rd
1938 Virginia State 7–0–16–0–11st
1939 Virginia State 7–1–17–0–11st
1940 Virginia State 3–3–22–3–27th
1941 Virginia State 5–2–14–2–13rd
1942 Virginia State 7–2–15–2–14th
1943 Virginia State 4–22–23rd
1944 Virginia State 7–1–14–1–12nd
1945 Virginia State 8–0–26–0–11stW Piedmont Tobacco
1946 Virginia State 7–25–23rd
1947 Virginia State 10–17–12nd
1948 Virginia State 5–35–36th
Virginia State: 95–26–1474–23–12
Hampton Pirates[22] (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association / Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1949–1956)
1949 Hampton 5–43–49th
1950 Hampton 2–72–513th
1951 Hampton 5–44–47th
1952 Hampton 4–54–48th
1953 Hampton 6–3–15–36th
1954 Hampton 4–5–14–5–19th
1955 Hampton 4–64–611th
1956 Hampton 2–7–12–7–112th
Hampton: 32–41–328–38–2
Total:173–92–25
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. ↑ Ohio University Bulletin, November 1922, Ohio University, November 1922, retrieved May 18, 2019
  2. ↑ "Jefferson Resigns Coach at Wilberforce", New York Age, p. 6, July 26, 1924
  3. ↑ "Kelly Miller Highly Favored to Win Title", Pittsburgh Courier, p. 7, March 21, 1925
  4. ↑ "Institute May Face Stiff Foe in Bluefield", Pittsburgh Courier, p. 14, October 3, 1925
  5. ↑ Athena, 1922, retrieved May 18, 2019
  6. ↑ NAIA Hall of Fame, retrieved May 18, 2019
  7. ↑ Virginia State University Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees, retrieved May 18, 2019
  8. ↑ CIAA Hall of Fame Members, retrieved May 18, 2019
  9. ↑ BSC Hall of Fame Inductees, retrieved May 19, 2019
  10. ↑ AFCA Awards, retrieved May 18, 2019
  11. ↑ "Jefferson, Harry Rupert". ANC Explorer. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Legendary BSC coach Jefferson honored by AFCA", Bluefield Daily Telegraph, November 18, 2010, retrieved May 18, 2019
  13. ↑ "Trailblazer Award Recipient For 2010 – Former HBCU Coach", HBCU Lifestyle - Black College Living, November 17, 2010, retrieved May 18, 2019
  14. ↑ "Jefferson Is Elected to NAIA Hall-of-Fame", Pittsburgh Courier, p. 40, December 16, 1961
  15. ↑ "Name Coach Harry Jefferson CIAA Commissioner", Jet, Johnson Publishing Company, July 13, 1961, retrieved May 18, 2019
  16. ↑ History of Phi Chapter, retrieved May 18, 2019
  17. ↑ "Jefferson Succumbs". Daily American. Somerset, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. April 25, 1966. p. 7. Retrieved January 12, 2018 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  18. ↑ "Arlington Rites Given Retired CIAA's "Big Jeff"", Jet, Johnson Publishing Company, May 12, 1966, retrieved May 18, 2019
  19. ↑ 2009 North Carolina A&T Media Guide History (PDF), p. 135, retrieved May 19, 2019
  20. ↑ 2017 CIAA Football Media Guide (PDF), pp. 125–128, retrieved May 19, 2019
  21. ↑ Virginia State University football All-Time Results (PDF), retrieved May 19, 2019
  22. ↑ 2018 Hampton Football Media Guide (PDF), p. 88, retrieved May 19, 2019
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