Bus Thompson facts for kids
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1912 Gary, West Virginia |
| Died | August 29, 2001 (aged 89) Opelika, Alabama |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1935–1936 | Bluefield State |
| 1937 | New York Brown Bombers |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| c. 1940 | Morristown |
| 1950–1955 | Fisk |
| Basketball | |
| c. 1940 | Morristown |
| 1945–1950 | Morris Brown |
| 1950–1970 | Fisk |
| Baseball | |
| c. 1940 | Morristown |
| Track | |
| 1956–1960 | Fisk |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| c. 1940 | Morristown |
| 1954–1977 | Fisk |
Herbert B. "Bus" Thompson (1912 – August 29, 2001) was an important figure in American college sports. He was a coach for American football, basketball, and track. He also worked as an athletic director at a college.
Thompson was the head football coach at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee from 1950 to 1955. He also led Fisk's basketball team from 1950 to 1970. From 1956 to 1960, he was the head track coach. Later, he became the athletic director at Fisk from 1954 to 1977.
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Who Was Bus Thompson?
Early Life and Playing Days
Bus Thompson was born in Gary, West Virginia, in 1912. He loved sports from a young age. He played college football at Bluefield State College in Bluefield, West Virginia.
He was a very good player. In 1935 and 1936, he was named a Black All-American. This meant he was one of the best Black college football players in the country. In 1935, he led the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in scoring. Today, this league is known as the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
After college, Thompson played professional football. He played for the New York Brown Bombers in 1937.
Coaching Career Highlights
Thompson started his coaching journey at Morristown College in Morristown, Tennessee. There, he was the athletic director and coached football, basketball, and baseball. He helped many young athletes grow.
From 1945 to 1950, he was the head basketball coach at Morris Brown College in Atlanta. After that, he moved to Fisk University. At Fisk, he coached football for six seasons, from 1950 to 1955. His football teams had an overall record of 26 wins and 24 losses.
He also coached basketball at Fisk for a long time, from 1950 to 1970. He led the track team from 1956 to 1960. Thompson was a dedicated coach who helped his student-athletes succeed in sports and in life.
A Leader in College Sports
Beyond coaching, Bus Thompson was also a college administrator. He served as the athletic director at Fisk University from 1954 to 1977. As athletic director, he was in charge of all the sports programs at the university. This role involves managing teams, coaches, and facilities.
He worked hard to make sure the sports programs ran smoothly. He helped create a good environment for student-athletes. His leadership helped shape the athletic department at Fisk for over two decades.
Remembering Bus Thompson
Bus Thompson passed away on August 29, 2001. He was 89 years old. He died from pneumonia at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, Alabama.
Thompson is remembered as a pioneering coach and athletic director. He made a big impact on the lives of many young people. His dedication to college sports, especially at historically Black colleges and universities, left a lasting legacy.
