Thomas Johnson (American football coach)

Thomas Johnson
Biographical details
Born(1917-03-10)March 10, 1917
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedMarch 21, 2007(2007-03-21) (aged 90)
Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.
Alma materSpringfield (MA)
Playing career
Football
1946New York Brown Bombers
Baseball
1940Philadelphia Stars
1950Indianapolis Clowns
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1953–1956Howard
Baseball
1949Howard
1957–1959Howard
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1963Pittsburgh Pirates (scout)
Head coaching record
Overall12–22–2 (football)
61–35 (baseball)

Thomas Fairfax Johnson (March 10, 1917 – March 21, 2007), nicknamed "Lil Professor", was a Negro league baseball player and American football coach.[1] He served as the head football coach at Howard University from 1953 to 1956.[2]

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Johnson received his undergraduate degree from Springfield College in 1940, and played for the Philadelphia Stars that summer, posting a 3–4 record over 41.1 innings. After serving in the USO during World War II,[citation needed] Johnson became a coach at Howard in 1946, and received a graduate degree from New York University in 1947. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in 1967, and served as a professor of physiology at Howard from 1962 to 1978.[3]

Johnson died in Silver Spring, Maryland in 2007 at age 90.

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Howard Bison (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1953–1956)
1953 Howard 3–5–1 3–5 8th
1954 Howard 2–6–1 0–5–1 17th
1955 Howard 3–6 2–4 12th
1956 Howard 4–5 1–5 16th
Howard: 12–22–2 6–19–1
Total: 12–22–2

References

  1. ^ "Thomas Johnson". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  2. ^ "Howard Professor Thomas Johnson". Washington Post. March 25, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  3. ^ "Thomas Johnson". nlbemuseum.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.