# Gideon Smith
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{{Short description|American football player and coach (1889–1961)}}
{{about||the American physician and amateur entomologist|Gideon B. Smith|the vocalist and band leader|Gideon Smith & the Dixie Damned}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Gideon Smith
| image = Gideon Smith.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1889|7|13}}
| birth_place = [Norfolk County, Virginia](/source/Norfolk_County%2C_Virginia), U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1968|5|6|1889|7|13}}
| death_place = [Salem, Virginia](/source/Salem%2C_Virginia), U.S.
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1915
| player_team1 = [Michigan Agricultural](/source/Michigan_State_Spartans_football)
| player_years2 = 1916
| player_team2 = [Canton Bulldogs](/source/Canton_Bulldogs)
| player_positions = [Tackle](/source/Tackle_(gridiron_football_position))
| coach_years1 = 1919
| coach_team1 = [Virginia State](/source/Virginia_State_Trojans_football)
| coach_years2 = 1921–1940
| coach_team2 = [Hampton](/source/Hampton_Pirates_football)
| admin_years1 = 1955–1958
| admin_team1 = [EIAC](/source/Eastern_Intercollegiate_Athletic_Conference_(1939)) (president)
| overall_record = 104–46–13
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record =
| championships = 5 [CIAA](/source/Central_Intercollegiate_Athletic_Association) (1922, 1925–1926, 1928, 1931)
| awards =
| coaching_records =
}}
'''Gideon Edward Smith''' (July 13, 1889 – May 6, 1968), sometimes referred to as '''G. E. Smith''', was an American [football](/source/American_football) player and coach.
Smith played [college football](/source/college_football) at Michigan Agricultural College (MAC), now known as [Michigan State University](/source/Michigan_State_University), from 1913 to 1915. He was the first African-American varsity athlete in any sport at MAC.[{{cite web|title=Celebrating the Legacy of Gideon Smith|date=October 15, 2013|work=MSUSpartans.com|publisher=Michigan State University|url=http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101513aae.html|access-date=January 7, 2015|archive-date=January 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130084023/http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101513aae.html|url-status=dead}}]
Smith also played one game of professional football while still attending MAC. He appeared as a [tackle](/source/Tackle_(gridiron_football_position)) in one game for the [Canton Bulldogs](/source/Canton_Bulldogs) of the [Ohio League](/source/Ohio_League), becoming one of the first African-Americans to play professional football. He played for the Bulldogs as a late fourth-quarter substitute on November 28, 1916, against their rivals, the [Massillon Tigers](/source/Massillon_Tigers). During that game he made a game-saving [fumble](/source/fumble) recovery that preserved a 6–0 Canton victory over the Tigers for the "state championship." Smith was the last African-American to play professional football exclusively prior to the formation of the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League).[{{Cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/release.aspx?release_id=1381|title=Charles Follis led early black pioneers in pro football | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site}}][{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rCnbhSRZpgIC | title=Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football | first=Robert W. | last=Peterson | isbn=0-19-511913-4 | publisher=[Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press) | year=1997}}][{{cite journal|title=Early Black Professional |journal=Coffin Corner |publisher=Professional Football Researchers Association |pages=1–6 |url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/07-An-247.pdf |author=Joe Horrigan |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127041604/http://profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/07-An-247.pdf |archivedate=November 27, 2010 }}]
After graduating from MAC in 1916, Smith became a teacher at the West Virginia Collegiate Institute, now known as [West Virginia State University](/source/West_Virginia_State_University).[Draft registration card for G.E. Smith, born July 13, 1889 in northwest Virginia. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line].] He also served in 1920 as a teacher at the Virginia State College for Negroes—now known as [Virginia State University](/source/Virginia_State_University)—in [Matoaca, Virginia](/source/Matoaca%2C_Virginia).[Year: 1920; Census Place: Matoaca, Chesterfield, Virginia; Roll: T625_1885; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 13; Image: 372. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]]
In 1921, Smith became the head football coach at Hampton Institute, now known as [Hampton University](/source/Hampton_University), in [Hampton, Virginia](/source/Hampton%2C_Virginia).
Smith served as president of the [Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference](/source/Eastern_Intercollegiate_Athletic_Conference_(1939)) (EIAC) from December 1955 to December 1958.[{{cite news |author= |title=Friendship Admitted To EIAC; SCATS Grid Champs |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-journal-and-guide/195651085/ |newspaper=[Journal and Guide](/source/New_Journal_and_Guide) |location=[Norfolk, Virginia](/source/Norfolk%2C_Virginia) |date=December 17, 1955 |page=19 |access-date=April 15, 2026 |via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com) {{Open access}} }}][{{cite news |author= |title=Champion Scats' Joe Richie Named EIAC 'Coach of '58' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-journal-and-guide/195212742/ |newspaper=[Journal and Guide](/source/New_Journal_and_Guide) |location=[Norfolk, Virginia](/source/Norfolk%2C_Virginia) |date=December 20, 1958 |page=17 |access-date=April 9, 2026 |via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com) {{Open access}} }}] He died on May 6, 1968, at Veterans Administration Hospital in [Salem, Virginia](/source/Salem%2C_Virginia), following a long illness.[{{cite news |author= |title=Gideon E. Smith |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24789537/daily_press/ |newspaper=[Daily Press](/source/Daily_Press_(Virginia)) |location=[Newport News, Virginia](/source/Newport_News%2C_Virginia) |date=May 9, 1968 |page=50 |access-date=October 23, 2018 |via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com) {{Open access}} }}] He was inducted into the Hampton Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.[{{cite web|title=Hampton University Athletics Hall of Fame: Gideon Smith|work=Hampton Pirates|publisher=Hampton University|url=http://www.hamptonpirates.com/hof.aspx?hof=11&path=&kiosk=}}]
==Head coaching record==
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = [Virginia State Trojans](/source/Virginia_State_Trojans_football)
| conf =
| startyear = 1919
| endyear = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1919](/source/1919_college_football_season)
| name = Virginia State
| overall = 5–1–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Virginia State
| overall = 5–1–1
| confrecord =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = [Hampton Seasiders/Pirates](/source/Hampton_Pirates_football)
| conf = [Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association](/source/Central_Intercollegiate_Athletic_Association)
| startyear = 1921
| endyear = 1940
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1921](/source/1921_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 1–4
| conference = 0–4
| confstanding = 7th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = [1922](/source/1922_college_football_season)
| name = [Hampton](/source/1922_Hampton_Seasiders_football_team)
| overall = 6–1
| conference = 4–1
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1923](/source/1923_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 5–2
| conference = 4–2
| confstanding = 3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1924](/source/1924_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 5–2–1
| conference = 4–2–1
| confstanding = 3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = [1925](/source/1925_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 4–1–1
| conference = 4–1–1
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = [1926](/source/1926_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 7–0–1
| conference = 6–0–1
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1927](/source/1927_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 5–1–1
| conference = 5–1–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = [1928](/source/1928_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 8–1
| conference = 8–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1929](/source/1929_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 3–5
| conference = 3–4
| confstanding = T–4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1930](/source/1930_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 7–1–1
| conference = 6–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = [1931](/source/1931_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 8–0–1
| conference = 6–0–1
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1932](/source/1932_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 5–2–1
| conference = 5–2–1
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1933](/source/1933_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 7–1–1
| conference = 7–1–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1934](/source/1934_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 3–5
| conference = 3–5
| confstanding = T–7th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1935](/source/1935_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 7–1
| conference = 7–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1936](/source/1936_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 5–2–1
| conference = 5–2–1
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1937](/source/1937_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 3–6
| conference = 2–5
| confstanding = 10th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1938](/source/1938_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 4–3–1
| conference = 3–3–1
| confstanding = T–6th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1939](/source/1939_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 3–3–1
| conference = 3–3–1
| confstanding = 7th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = [1940](/source/1940_college_football_season)
| name = Hampton
| overall = 3–4–1
| conference = 3–4–1
| confstanding = 10th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Hampton
| overall = 99–45–12
| confrecord = 88–42–11
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 104–46–13
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
}}
[{{cite web |author= |title=NCAA Statistics; Coach; Gideon Smith |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/people/29440 |publisher=[National Collegiate Athletic Association](/source/National_Collegiate_Athletic_Association) |access-date=April 15, 2026 }}]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Find a Grave}}
{{Virginia State Trojans football coach navbox}}
{{Hampton Pirates football coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Gideon}}
Category:1889 births
Category:1961 deaths
Category:American football tackles
Category:Canton Bulldogs (Ohio League) players
Category:Hampton Pirates football coaches
Category:Michigan State Spartans football players
Category:Virginia State Trojans football coaches
Category:College athletic conference commissioners in the United States
Category:Coaches of American football from Virginia
Category:Players of American football from Virginia
Category:African-American coaches of American football
Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gideon Smith](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideon_Smith) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideon_Smith?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.