Fred T. Long
| Sport(s) | Football, baseball |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born |
January 22, 1896 Decatur, Illinois |
| Died | March 23, 1966 (aged 70) Texas |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1915–1917 | Millikin |
| Baseball | |
| 1916–1918 | Millikin |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1921–1922 | Paul Quinn |
| 1923–1947 | Wiley |
| 1948 | Prairie View A&M |
| 1949–1955 | Texas College |
| 1956–1965 | Wiley |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 227–151–31 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 3 Black college football national (1928, 1932, 1945) | |
Fred Thomas "Pop" "Pops" "Big" Long (January 22, 1896 – March 23, 1966) was an African 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 227–151–31. 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.
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 spring of 1915. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce and Finance in less than four years, becoming the first African American to graduate from Millikin University. He was a star athlete while at Millikin, lettering in football (1915–1917) and baseball (1916–1918). The Long-Vanderburg Scholars Program at Millikin University is named for him and Millikin's first African-American female graduate, Marian Vanderburg. 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 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.
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