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Gaston F. Lewis

Gaston Frederick "Country" 'Lewis (August 4, 1903 – November 28, 1989) was an American Negro league baseball player and a college football, college basketball, track, and cross country coach. He served as the head football coach at Alabama State University (1929–1933), Wilberforce University (1934, 1938–1946), and Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio (1947–1956).

Biography

A native of Clinton County, Ohio, Lewis grew up on a farm in Caesarscreek Township, Greene County, Ohio, graduated from Wilberforce University, and earned a master's degree at Ohio State University. He played for the Bacharach Giants in 1922 and for the Dayton Marcos in 1926.[1][2]

1935, Lewis was succeed as head football coach at Wilberforce by Hank Corrothers, but remained as an assistant coach for the team.[3] After the resignation of James McCrary in 1938, Lewis was once again appointed head coach of the team.[4]

Lewis served as the manager of the track and field competition at the 1967 Pan American Games, and was an assistant track and field coach for the 1968 United States Olympic team. Lewis died in Xenia, Ohio in 1989 at age 86.[5][6][7]

Head coaching record

Football

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Alabama State Hornets (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1929–1933)
1929 Alabama State 5–2–2
1930 Alabama State 6–5
1931 Alabama State 8–3
1932 Alabama State 6–1–1
1933 Alabama State 6–2–1
Alabama State: 31–13–4
Wilberforce Green Wave () (1934)
1934 Wilberforce 6–3
Wilberforce Green Wave () (1938)
1938 Wilberforce 3–2–1
1939 Wilberforce 5–2
1940 Wilberforce 6–1–2 T Orange Blossom Classic, L Vulcan
1941 Wilberforce 3–4
1942 No team—World War II
1943 No team—World War II
1944 Wilberforce 4–3–1
1945 Wilberforce 6–3
1946 Wilberforce 6–2–2
Wilberforce: 39–20–6
Wilberforce State Green Wave / Central State Marauders (Midwest Athletic Association) (1947–1956)
1947 Wilberforce State 10–1 3–1 3rd W Fruit, W Vulcan
1948 Wilberforce State 9–1–1 3–0 1st W Prairie View
1949 Wilberforce State 5–4 2–1 2nd
1950 Wilberforce State 6–4 3–0 1st W Orange Blossom Classic
1951 Wilberforce State 7–2 3–0 1st
1952 Central State 4–4 1–2 5th
1953 Central State 1–5 0–3 T–6th
1954 Central State 4–4 1–2 5th
1955 Central State 4–4 0–3 T–5th
1956 Central State 4–3–1 1–1–1 T–2nd
Wilberforce State / Central State: 53–32–2 17–12–1
Total: 123–65–12
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. ^ "Gaston Lewis". seamheads.com. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  2. ^ "Gaston Lewis". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  3. ^ "Corrothers Named Wilberforce Coach". Dayton Daily News. Dayton, Ohio. June 29, 1935. p. 9. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. ^ "Lewis Named Wilberforce Grid Mentor". The Dayton Forum. Dayton, Ohio. September 9, 1938. p. 7. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  5. ^ Baxter, Joan (February 3, 2017). "A little history on Country Lewis". Xenia Daily Gazette. Xenia, Ohio. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  6. ^ Jackson, Marion E. (June 15, 1956). "Meet The Coach". Alabama Tribune. Montgomery, Alabama. p. 7. Retrieved May 21, 2019 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  7. ^ Quanita Fair. "History of Wilberforce University: Gaston Lewis". Wilberforce-Payne Unified Library. Retrieved August 28, 2021.