Herschel Curry Smith

Herschel Curry Smith (1903–1983) was an American athletic coach in the sport of track and field at Compton Jr. College. He is also popularly known as the founder of the Compton Invitational, and the co-founder of the Los Angeles Invitational, both track meets located in Southern California, the United States of America. Smith was also a sprint athlete and world record holder. As a team member of the University of Southern California (USC) track team, in 1927 his relay team broke the world record in the 800-meter and 880-yard relay. Smith was the head coach of Compton College from 1928 to 1968 and was the founder of the Compton Invitational and its director from 1936 to 1969. Herschel was also the co-founder, with Al Franken, and the meet director of the first indoor track meet on the west coast. Known as the Los Angeles Invitational (1959), its name later (1969) developed into the primary sponsors name, the Sunkist Invitational. Smith coached many world-class athletes including record high-jumpers Cornelius Johnson and Charles Dumas. From 1940 to 1942, Smith served as president of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Herschel started his track and field career as a sprinter at San Fernando High School. In 1922 he won the California High School 100-yard championship and the California State 100 meters at 10.4 seconds. In 1923 he won both Southern California, CIF sprint titles including the 100 meters at 10.2 seconds and the National Interscholastic 220-yard title.

After high school, he continued his sprint career for four more years at the University of Southern California as a member of Dean Cromwell’s track team. While at USC, Smith's freshman year provided him with a first-place win at the Western Olympic trials in the 100 meter at 10.8 seconds and a 2nd-place finish in the 200 meter. Initially expected to make the 1924 Olympic team, illness prevented Smith from participating at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games. The following year 1925, he won the Junior National AAU Championship 100-yard dash in 9.8 seconds. Continuing in 1926 with the Trojans' track team, he enjoyed a winning season, helping the team win the ICAAAA National Championship. The following year was the peak of Smith’s on-field running accomplishments. As part of a relay foursome (Smith, House, Lewis, Borah), Smith participated in breaking the world record in the 800 meter and 880-yard relay (4×220) at 1:25.8 seconds, in Los Angeles on May 14, 1927.

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