Sam B. Taylor facts for kids
Biographical details | |
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Born | Doswell, Virginia |
February 26, 1898
Died | April 1, 1966 Lexington, Kentucky |
(aged 68)
Playing career | |
Football | |
1921–1923 | Northwestern |
Baseball | |
1926 | Dayton Marcos |
Position(s) | End (football) First baseman (baseball) |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
Football | |
1924 | Virginia Normal |
1925–1929 | Clark (GA) |
1931–1943 | Prairie View |
1945–1948 | Virginia Union |
1949–1958 | Bluefield State |
1959–1962 | Kentucky State |
Basketball | |
1924–1925 | Virginia State |
Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
1949–1958 | Bluefield State |
Head coaching record | |
Bowls | 10–5 |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Championships | |
Football 1 SIAC (1928) 3 SWAC (1931, 1933) |
Sam B. Taylor | |
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First baseman | |
debut | |
1926, for the Dayton Marcos | |
Last appearance | |
1926, for the Dayton Marcos | |
Teams | |
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Samuel Brown Taylor (February 26, 1898 – April 1, 1966) was an important American educator, a baseball player in the Negro Leagues, and a college football coach. He coached football at several universities, including Virginia State University, Clark Atlanta University, Prairie View A&M University, Virginia Union University, Bluefield State University, and Kentucky State University. He also coached basketball.
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Playing Career
Sam Taylor was born in Doswell, Virginia. He went to Northwestern University. In 1926, he played baseball for the Dayton Marcos team in the Negro Leagues.
Educator and Civil Rights
In 1943, Sam Taylor became the "Supervisor of Negro Education" for the state of Kentucky. This meant he helped manage and improve schools for Black students.
He played a big part in ending segregation in Kentucky's public schools after the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954. This important court ruling meant that Black and white students could go to school together.
Coaching Career Highlights
Sam Taylor had a long and successful career coaching college sports. He was known for building strong athletic programs.
Virginia State University
Taylor started his coaching journey at the Virginia Normal School and Industrial Institute. This school is now called Virginia State University. He was their very first men's basketball coach in 1924–1925.
Clark Atlanta University
In 1925, Taylor moved to Atlanta to coach football at Clark College. This school is now known as Clark Atlanta University. He coached there until 1930.
Prairie View A&M University
From 1931 to 1943, Taylor was the head football coach at Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. He also started a great track and field program there. His track teams were very successful.
He coached talented athletes like Johnny Marion and Lewis "Jack Rabbit" Smith. These two even competed against the famous Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympic Trials. Sam Taylor was honored for his work and was inducted into the Prairie View Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987.
Virginia Union University
After World War II, Taylor became the head football and track coach at Virginia Union University in 1945. His former athlete, Lewis "Jack Rabbit" Smith, joined him again at Virginia Union.
In 1948, Taylor's Virginia Union football team won a big game. They defeated the Florida A&M Rattlers 39–18 in the Orange Blossom Classic.
Bluefield State University
In 1949, Taylor became the head football coach at Bluefield State University in Bluefield, West Virginia. He coached there for about ten years, until 1959.
Kentucky State University
From 1959 to 1962, Taylor was the head football coach at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky. He led the team to a record of 15 wins, 20 losses, and 1 tie.
Even after having hip surgery, which stopped him from coaching football, he continued to coach track. In 1965, he coached one of the fastest quarter-mile runners in the country.
Death and Honors
Sam Taylor passed away in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1966 at the age of 68, after being sick for a while. In 2009, he was honored again when he was inducted into the K-Club Athletic Hall of Fame.