Jazz Byrd facts for kids
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1904 |
| Died | December 9, 1994 (aged 90) Wilmington, Delaware |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1922–1924 | Lincoln (PA) |
| Basketball | |
| c. 1924 | Lincoln (PA) |
| Track | |
| c. 1924 | Lincoln (PA) |
| Position(s) | Running back (football) Guard (basketball) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1926–1929 | Florida A&M |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1926–1930 | Florida A&M |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 3–13–2 |
Franz A. "Jazz" Byrd (born around 1904, died in 1994) was a talented American football player and coach. He also worked for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which is a part of the United States government that collects taxes. Jazz Byrd was the main football coach at Florida A&M University from 1926 to 1929. During his time as coach, his team had a record of 3 wins, 13 losses, and 2 ties.
Jazz Byrd's College Football Days
Jazz Byrd played college football at Lincoln University. This university is located in Chester County, Pennsylvania. In 1924, he helped his team, the Lincoln Lions, have an amazing season. They won 8 games, lost none, and tied only one. The team was incredibly strong, scoring 306 points while only letting opponents score 3 points against them.
Coaching at Florida A&M
After his playing career, Jazz Byrd became a football coach. He was the head football coach for the Florida A&M University team. He coached the team for four seasons, from 1926 to 1929.
Later Life and Public Service
After his coaching career, Jazz Byrd worked for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS is the government agency that collects taxes from people and businesses. Later, he made history by becoming the first African American state income tax collector. This meant he was in charge of collecting state income taxes. Jazz Byrd passed away on December 9, 1994, in Wilmington, Delaware, at the age of 90.
