Fred T. Long

{{short description|American professional baseball player}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Fred T. Long | image = Fred Pops Long.jpeg | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1896|1|22}} | birth_place = Decatur, Illinois, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|1966|3|23|1896|1|22}} | death_place = near Tyler, Texas, U.S. | alma_mater = | player_sport1 = Football | player_years2 = 1915–1917 | player_team2 = Millikin | player_sport3 = Baseball | player_years4 = 1914–1918 | player_team4 = Millikin | player_years5 = 1920–1921 | player_team5 = Detroit Stars | player_years6 = 1925 | player_team6 = Indianapolis ABCs | player_years7 = 1926 | player_team7 = Detroit Stars | player_positions = Right fielder (baseball) | coach_sport1 = Football | coach_years2 = 1921–1922 | coach_team2 = Paul Quinn | coach_years3 = 1923–1947 | coach_team3 = Wiley | coach_years4 = 1948 | coach_team4 = Prairie View A&M | coach_years5 = 1949–1954 | coach_team5 = Texas College | coach_years6 = 1956–1965 | coach_team6 = Wiley | overall_record = 222–148–32 | bowl_record = 3–5–1 | tournament_record = | championships = 3 black college national (1928, 1932, 1945)<br>12 SWAC (1922–1923, 1927–1930, 1932–1933, 1944–1945, 1956–1957) | awards = | coaching_records = }} '''Fred Thomas''' "'''Pop'''" "'''Pops'''" "'''Big'''" '''Long''' (January 22, 1896 – March 23, 1966) was an American professional baseball player in the Negro leagues and a college football coach. He was the head football coach at four historically black colleges and universities in Texas between 1921 and 1965, compiling a career record of 222–148–32. He was the head coach at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, for 35 years from 1923 to 1947 and again from 1956 to 1965. He led the Wiley Wildcats football team to three black college football national championships, in 1928, 1932, and 1945.

==Early life and education== Fred Long was born in Decatur, Illinois, to Hinton A. "Cook" Long and his wife Idlean Long. He graduated from Decatur High School in 1913 and entered Millikin University in Decatur in the fall of 1913.<ref>''The James Millikin University Bulletin'', Vol.XI No.4 May 1914</ref> He attended for the 1913-1914 academic year, and then took the fall 1914 semester off, re-entering Millikin in the spring of 1915. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce and Finance in June 1918, becoming the first African American to graduate from Millikin University.<ref>''The James Millikin University Bulletin'', Vol.XV No.5 May 1918</ref> He was a star athlete while at Millikin, lettering in football (1915–1917) and baseball (1914–1918). The Long-Vanderburg Scholars Program at Millikin University is named for him and Millikin's first African American female graduate, Marian Vanderburg.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.millikin.edu/cmsa/Pages/Long-VanderburgScholarsProgram.aspx |title=Long-Vanderburg Scholars Program |access-date=January 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130716095114/http://www.millikin.edu/cmsa/Pages/Long-VanderburgScholarsProgram.aspx |archive-date=July 16, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was joined at Millikin in the fall of 1915 by his brother, Harry Long, who had graduated from Decatur High School that spring. Fred entered the Army after graduation and served two years. In 1944 Long completed a Master's in Education from the University of Michigan.<ref>"Proceedings of the Board of Regents (1942-1945)." In the digital collection University of Michigan, Proceedings of the Board of Regents. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/u/umregproc/acw7513.1942.001/809. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 3, 2025.</ref>

==Professional baseball career== In 1920, Fred Long became an outfielder for the Detroit Stars of the newly formed Negro National League. He returned to the Stars again in 1921 and one more season in 1926 as a reserve outfielder. He also played outfield for the Indianapolis ABCs during the 1925 season, a total of four seasons in the Negro National League.<ref>''Pittsburgh Courier'' July 24, 1926 page 15 and ''The Chicago Defender'' "The Southwestern Wizard Maker of All-Americans" January 11, 1930 page 8</ref>

==College coaching career== Long's college football coaching career spanned 45 years, from 1921 to 1965. During that long career his teams captured several conference championships and at least a share of three black college football national championships in 1928, 1932, and 1945. During that same period he also served as athletic director for the colleges he worked for and often coached every sport those schools offered including track, baseball, basketball, tennis, and golf. He was elected to the presidency of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) on three occasions.<ref>''The Chicago Defender'' "Wiley Cats Ill; Call In 'Dr.' Long" 14 January 1956 page 18</ref> Long began his football coaching career at Paul Quinn College from 1921 to 1922, then continued at Wiley College located in Marshall, Texas, from 1923 to 1947. He coached at Prairie View A&M University in 1948 and at Texas College from 1949 to 1954. Long was fired from his post at Texas College in 1955 and succeeded by Vincent M. Gaines. In the fall of 1955, Long was working for the University Life Insurance Company of Dallas.<ref>{{cite news |author= |title=World Of Sports |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/alabama-tribune/126204692/ |newspaper=Alabama Tribune |location=Montgomery, Alabama |date=September 30, 1955 |page=7 |access-date=June 11, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}</ref>

Long returned to Wiley in 1956 as head football coach and athletic director.<ref>{{cite news |author= |title=Wiley Names Him Director Of Athletics |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-new-york-age/126222022/ |newspaper=The New York Age |location=New York, New York |date=January 15, 1956 |page=9 |access-date=June 11, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}</ref> His second stint there that lasted from 1956 to 1965. Long's overall record in 44 years as college football head coach was 223–148–32.{{#tag:ref|National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) records credit Long as head coach at Texas College in 1955.<ref>{{cite web |author= |title=Coaching Records |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/D2/2008/Coaching%20Section.pdf |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |page=189 |access-date=June 11, 2023 }}</ref><ref name=ncaacoachingrecord>{{cite web |author= |title=NCAA Statistics; Coach; Fred T. Long |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/people/28281 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=April 14, 2026 }}</ref>|group=n|name=overallrecord}}

In 1925, Long helped inaugurate the State Fair Classic during the State Fair of Texas matching his Wiley Wildcat team against the Langston Lions each year until 1929 when Langston was replaced by Prairie View. The game was always on Negro Day of the state fair and soon was drawing in excess of 20,000 fans to the Cottom Bowl. In 1948, after Long had left Wiley and was at Prairie View, he was honored at half-time of the game and given a Buick automobile by members of the Fred Long Anniversary committee to celebrate his then 25 years of coaching in the Southwestern Conference.<ref>''The Chicago Defender'' October 30, 1948, page 15</ref>

On November 11, 1961, Long, with 214 coaching victories at the time, coached Wiley against Southern, led by Ace Mumford, who had 223 coaching victories, in the first known college football match-up in which both coaches had over 200 victories. Long's Wiley team won, 21–19.

The Fred Thomas Long Student Union building at Wiley is named in his honor. 200px|right|thumb|<span style="font-size:100%;">The Fred Thomas Long Student Union building at Wiley College</span>

==Honors and death== In 1962, Long was inducted into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame. He died of a heart attack, on March 23, 1966, near Tyler, Texas.<ref>{{cite news |author= |title=Ex-Blue Athlete Fred Long Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-decatur-daily-review/126222722/ |newspaper=The Decatur Review |location=Decatur, Illinois |date=March 24, 1966 |page=14 |access-date=June 11, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}</ref>

Long became a charter member of the Millikin University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1970, the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 and Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2001. On January 11, 2010, he was honored with the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA)'s 2009 Trailblazer Award.<ref>[http://www.afca.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9300&ATCLID=204830710 AFCA Press Release]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Head coaching record== {{CFB Yearly Record Start |type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Paul Quinn Tigers | conf = Southwestern Athletic Conference | startyear = 1921 | endyear = 1922 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1921 | name = Paul Quinn | overall = 1–2 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1922 | name = Paul Quinn | overall = 7–0–1 | conference = 4–0–1 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Paul Quinn | overall = 8–2–1 | confrecord = }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Wiley Wildcats | conf = Southwestern Athletic Conference | startyear = 1923 | endyear = 1947 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1923 | name = Wiley | overall = 6–1 | conference = 4–1 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1924 | name = Wiley | overall = 5–3 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1925 | name = Wiley | overall = 5–1–1 | conference = 3–1–1 | confstanding = 2nd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1926 | name = Wiley | overall = 6–2 | conference = 3–2 | confstanding = 3rd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1927 | name = Wiley | overall = 5–1–1 | conference = 4–0–1 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | year = 1928 | name = Wiley | overall = 9–0–1 | conference = 5–0 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1929 | name = Wiley | overall = 6–1–1 | conference = 3–0–1 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1930 | name = Wiley | overall = 8–1–1 | conference = 4–0 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1931 | name = Wiley | overall = 6–3–1 | conference = 3–1 | confstanding = 2nd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | year = 1932 | name = Wiley | overall = 9–0 | conference = 5–0 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1933 | name = Wiley | overall = 9–2 | conference = 4–1 | confstanding = T–1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1934 | name = Wiley | overall = 5–4–1 | conference = 1–2–1 | confstanding = 5th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1935 | name = Wiley | overall = 8–0–3 | conference = 3–0–3 | confstanding = 2nd | bowlname = Prairie View | bowloutcome = W | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1936 | name = Wiley | overall = 6–3–1 | conference = 3–2–1 | confstanding = 3rd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1937 | name = Wiley | overall = 5–5–1 | conference = 2–3–1 | confstanding = 5th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1938 | name = Wiley | overall = 5–3–2 | conference = 2–3–1 | confstanding = T–4th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1939 | name = Wiley | overall = 6–5 | conference = 3–3 | confstanding = T–4th | bowlname = Orange Blossom Classic | bowloutcome = L | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1940 | name = Wiley | overall = 3–5–1 | conference = 1–4–1 | confstanding = 6th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1941 | name = Wiley | overall = 1–6–1 | conference = 0–5–1 | confstanding = T–6th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1942 | name = Wiley | overall = 3–4 | conference = 1–3 | confstanding = 4th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1943 | name = Wiley | overall = 3–1–2 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = Prairie View | bowloutcome = L | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1944 | name = Wiley | overall = 8–1 | conference = 5–1 | confstanding = T–1st | bowlname = Prairie View | bowloutcome = W | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | year = 1945 | name = Wiley | overall = 10–0 | conference = 6–0 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = Orange Blossom Classic | bowloutcome = W | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1946 | name = Wiley | overall = 6–3–1 | conference = 4–2 | confstanding = 2nd | bowlname = Angel Bowl | bowloutcome = T | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1947 | name = Wiley | overall = 5–3–1 | conference = 3–3–1 | confstanding = 5th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Prairie View A&M Panthers | conf = Southwestern Athletic Conference | startyear = 1948 | endyear = single }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1948 | name = Prairie View A&M | overall = 6–4–1 | conference = 4–2–1 | confstanding = 4th | bowlname = Prairie View | bowloutcome = L | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Prairie View A&M | overall = 6–4–1 | confrecord = 4–2–1 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Texas College Steers | conf = Southwestern Athletic Conference | startyear = 1949 | endyear = 1954 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1949 | name = Texas College | overall = 2–7–2 | conference = 2–4–1 | confstanding = 5th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1950 | name = Texas College | overall = 1–9–1 | conference = 1–5–1 | confstanding = 7th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1951 | name = Texas College | overall = 5–3–2 | conference = 4–1–2 | confstanding = T–2nd | bowlname = Steel | bowloutcome = L | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1952 | name = Texas College | overall = 4–3–1 | conference = 3–2–1 | confstanding = 3rd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1953 | name = Texas College | overall = 5–4 | conference = 4–2 | confstanding = 3rd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1954 | name = Texas College | overall = 4–6 | conference = 3–3 | confstanding = 4th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Texas College | overall = 21–32–6 | confrecord = 17–17–5 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Wiley Wildcats | conf = Southwestern Athletic Conference | startyear = 1956 | endyear = 1965 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1956 | name = Wiley | overall = 6–3–1 | conference = 5–1 | confstanding = T–1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1957 | name = Wiley | overall = 10–0–1 | conference = 6–0 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1958 | name = Wiley | overall = 5–5 | conference = 2–3 | confstanding = T–4th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1959 | name = Wiley | overall = 2–9 | conference = 0–7 | confstanding = 8th | bowlname = Prairie View | bowloutcome = L | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1960 | name = Wiley | overall = 2–7 | conference = 1–6 | confstanding = 7th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1961 | name = Wiley | overall = 4–4–1 | conference = 2–4–1 | confstanding = 6th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1962 | name = Wiley | overall = 3–5–1 | conference = 1–5–1 | confstanding = 8th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1963 | name = Wiley | overall = 4–5 | conference = 2–5 | confstanding = T–6th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1964 | name = Wiley | overall = 2–7 | conference = 0–7 | confstanding = 8th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1965 | name = Wiley | overall = 1–7 | conference = 0–7 | confstanding = 8th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Wiley | overall = 187–110–24 | confrecord = }} {{CFB Yearly Record End | overall = 222–148–32 | bowls = no | poll = no | polltype = }} <ref name=ncaacoachingrecord/>

==Notes== {{Reflist|group=n}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Baseballstats|mlb=818453|br=l/longfr01}} and [https://www.seamheads.com/NegroLgs/player.php?playerID=long-01fre Seamheads] * {{Find a Grave}}

{{Paul Quinn Tigers football coach navbox}} {{Wiley Wildcats football coach navbox}} {{Prairie View A&M Panthers football coach navbox}} {{Texas College Steers football coach navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Long, Fred T.}} Category:Place of death missing Category:1896 births Category:1966 deaths Category:Baseball outfielders Category:Detroit Stars players Category:Indianapolis ABCs players Category:Millikin Big Blue baseball players Category:Millikin Big Blue football players Category:Paul Quinn Tigers football coaches Category:Prairie View A&M Panthers football coaches Category:Texas College Steers football coaches Category:Wiley Wildcats athletic directors Category:Wiley Wildcats football coaches Category:Players of American football from Decatur, Illinois Category:Baseball players from Decatur, Illinois Category:Coaches of American football from Illinois Category:African-American coaches of American football Category:African-American college athletic directors in the United States Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen Category:20th-century American sportsmen