George Edward Morrison (October 11, 1894 – February 15, 1961) was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Howard University in Washington, D.C. from 1920 to 1922 and again in 1924, and Lincoln University in Pennsylvania compiling a career college football record of 21–14–5. His 1920 Howard Bison football team won the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) title and was recognized as a black college football national champion.
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 11, 1894 Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | February 15, 1961 (aged 66) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1916 | Tufts |
| Position(s) | Guard |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1920–1922 | Howard |
| 1924 | Howard |
| 1927–1928 | Lincoln (PA) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 21–14–5 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 black college national (1920) 1 CIAA (1920) | |
Early years
editGeorge Edward Morrison or Ted as family and friends called him, was born in Chelsea Massachusetts to George and Minnie Morrison. He was an only child.
Morrison played baseball and football at Everett High School. He then enrolled at Tufts University in 1915.
[1] As a player for Tufts University during the 1916 season, he was the target of significant racial discrimination. During a game against Princeton, he sustained injuries as the result of dirty play at that hands of Princeton players.
Later that season, the team had a game at Indiana University. The team's hotel initially denied Morrison and another black teammate a room. In response, Tufts coach Charles Whelan protested and said that if the black players weren't accommodated, he would take his team back to Massachusetts without playing. The hotel quickly acquiesced, and Tufts won the game, 12–10.[2]
Coaching career
editFrom 1918 to 1920, Morrison studied dentistry at Howard University in Washington, D.C.[1] He served as the head football coach at Howard from 1920 to 1922 and again in 1924, winning a black college football national championship in 1920.[3]
Morrison became the head football coach and taught dentistry at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1927.[4]
Later life
editHe was first married to Alice Washington, and then married CarLynne Payne in 1924. Dr. Morrison & Carlynne first resided in Washington, DC, where she taught at Paul Lawerence Dunbar HS.
In 1928, after coaching life Dr. Morrison relocated to Philadelphia with his family where he opened his dental practice in North Philadelphia. He resided there with his family for the remainder of his life. He died at his home on February 15, 1961. He was survived by his wife CarLynne, his children Evelyn, Edward, Patrica, William, and many grand and great-grandchildren.
Head coaching record
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Bison (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1920–1922) | |||||||||
| 1920 | Howard | 7–0 | 5–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1921 | Howard | 6–1 | 4–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1922 | Howard | 4–2 | 2–2 | T–3rd | |||||
| Howard Bison (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1924) | |||||||||
| 1924 | Howard | 2–1–3 | 1–1–1 | 7th | |||||
| Howard: | 19–4–3 | 12–4–1 | |||||||
| Lincoln Lions (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1927–1928) | |||||||||
| 1927 | Lincoln | 1–6 | 1–4 | 6th | |||||
| 1928 | Lincoln | 1–4–2 | 1–3–2 | 6th | |||||
| Lincoln: | 21–14–5 | 2–7–2 | |||||||
| Total: | 21–14–5 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
References
edit- ^ a b "New Football Coach of Howard University". The Dallas Express. October 2, 1920. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Trantanella, Charlie (December 12, 2016). "Integrating Football—in 1916, The Tufts gridiron squad featured two black players, and a determination to stave off opponents". Tufts University. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
- ^ "Howard Football: Legacy and Legends, 125 Years in the Making". Howard Bison. June 12, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
- ^ "Tuskegee Graduates in North Looking Forward To Tuskegee-Lincoln Game". The New York Age. New York, New York. August 6, 1927. p. 6. Retrieved July 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com
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