Ace Mumford facts for kids
 |
|
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 26, 1898 Buckhannon, West Virginia |
| Died | April 28, 1962 (aged 63) Scotlandville, Louisiana (now part of Baton Rouge, Louisiana) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1924–1926 | Jarvis Christian |
| 1927–1929 | Bishop |
| 1931–1935 | Texas College |
| 1936–1961 | Southern |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 233–85–23 |
| Bowls | 1–0 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 6 black college national (1935, 1948–1950, 1954, 1960) 12 SWAC (1934–1935, 1938, 1940, 1946–1950, 1955, 1959–1960) Basketball 1 black college national (1941) |
|
| College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 2001 (profile) |
|
Arnett William "Ace" Mumford (born November 26, 1898 – died April 28, 1962) was a famous American football coach. He coached college football teams at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for many years. From 1924 to 1961, he led teams in Texas and Louisiana.
Coach Mumford had an amazing career record of 233 wins, 85 losses, and 23 ties. He coached at Jarvis Christian College (1924–1926), Bishop College (1927–1929), Texas College (1931–1935), and Southern University (1936–1961). He is remembered as one of the best coaches in college football history. He has been honored in at least eight different halls of fame for his great achievements.
Contents
Who was Ace Mumford?
In 1924, Ace Mumford graduated from Wilberforce University. He was part of the Kappa Alpha Psi social fraternity. Soon after graduating, he started his coaching career.
What was his coaching style?
After a short time at Jarvis Christian, he coached football, basketball, and baseball at Bishop College. He first caught the eye of Southern University when his Texas College team beat Southern in a game. After the game, there was a misunderstanding about some missing items. Coach Mumford made all his players show their belongings until the items were found. Southern officials were very impressed by his coaching and his strong sense of discipline.
When he moved to Southern University, he was known for always stressing how important education was. On the field, he was a perfectionist. He would make his team practice the same play late into the night until it was perfect. He even used a white football so players could see it better in the dark! He also didn't like trying field goals. His teams rarely kicked them.
A newspaper article once described his coaching success:
Mumford's success came from his great organizing skills. Under his leadership, the Jaguars had a strong running and passing game. They used the tricky T-formation. This system focused on speed and quick moves, not just strength. Mumford also made sure his athletes were in top physical shape. He always demanded that they hustle and play hard.
How did he impact rivalries?
In those days, long before the famous Bayou Classic game, Mumford's Southern team had a great record against Grambling State. They won 8 out of 9 games, including 5 wins against the legendary coach Eddie Robinson.
Southern's biggest rivalry back then was with Xavier. These games became so intense that they had to be moved from college campuses to neutral fields. Mumford supported moving the games to raise money for charity. These "Glasses Bowl" games helped the local Lions Club fight vision problems. The first "Glasses Bowl" was held in 1939.
Ace Mumford passed away from a heart attack at age 63. He was directing a track meet at the time. People often say that "he died in his cleats," showing his dedication to sports.
Ace Mumford's Amazing Legacy
Ace Mumford was once the third winningest college football coach of all time. Only Pop Warner and Amos Alonzo Stagg had more wins. Today, he still has the fourth most wins among HBCU coaches. Only Eddie Robinson, Billy Joe, and "Big" John Merritt have more.
What championships did he win?
Mumford led Texas College to one black college football national championship. He then guided Southern University to five more black national championships. His teams also won the Southwestern Athletic Conference football championship 13 times (2 with Texas College and 11 with Southern).
From 1948 to 1951, his teams had an incredible 38-game unbeaten streak! He also coached Southern to the 1941 black national championship in basketball. He did this by winning the National Intercollegiate Invitational Tournament in Cincinnati. Besides coaching, he also served as the athletic director at Southern.
How did he influence players and coaches?
Coach Mumford's teams produced more than 40 All-American players. In 1960, it was estimated that over half of Louisiana's high school coaches were former players of his. This shows his huge impact on the sport.
By 1939, Mumford's football program was so successful that it even gained attention from the local white community. Southern University began to advertise special seating for white fans at their new stadium. When the stadium was finished in 1940, it had a 150-seat section for white patrons. Even famous white coaches like Frank Broyles and Bear Bryant visited Mumford to learn about his football strategies.
In 1948, Mumford's team made history. They played in the first game between an HBCU and a mostly white school at the Fruit Bowl. Southern defeated San Francisco State 30–0. They finished that year with a perfect 12–0 record. No other HBCU team has had a better single-season record since then.
How has he been honored?
Many people respected Ace Mumford. At his funeral, several past, present, and future college football coaches were among the pallbearers. This showed how much he was admired in the HBCU coaching world.
Mumford received many honors during and after his life:
- He was elected president of the SWAC.
- He became executive vice president of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
- In 1958, he was inducted into the NAIA–Helms Foundation Hall of Fame.
- In 1960, he was named "Coach of the Decade" for the 1950s by the 100% Wrong Club of Atlanta.
- In 1961, he received the Small College Service Award for his contributions to college sports.
- In 1962, shortly before he passed away, he was recognized for his outstanding achievements and social service.
- The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) even passed a special resolution to honor him in 1963.
- Southern University's stadium, A. W. Mumford Stadium, was renamed after him in 1982.
- He was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (1984).
- He joined the Southern University Sports Hall of Fame (1988).
- He was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame (1992).
- He was honored in the HBCU Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame (before or in 2000).
- In 2001, he was inducted into the prestigious College Football Hall of Fame.
- The American Football Coaches Association gave him the 2006 Trailblazer Award.
- In 2011, he was inducted into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
- In 2016, a plaque was put up in his hometown of Buckhannon, West Virginia, where his childhood home once stood.
- Also in 2016, a life-sized statue of him was unveiled at Southern University.
- Most recently, he was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
Head Coaching Record Summary
Ace Mumford had an impressive career as a head football coach. Here's a summary of his overall record at each school:
- Jarvis Christian: 6 wins, 8 losses, 3 ties
- Bishop: 22 wins, 7 losses, 1 tie
- Texas College: 26 wins, 9 losses, 6 ties
- Southern: 179 wins, 61 losses, 13 ties
His total career record was 233 wins, 85 losses, and 23 ties. He won one bowl game with Southern.
See Also
- List of college football coaches with 200 wins
