[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 120 (Tuesday, July 22, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1516-E1517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING NEWLY INDUCTED COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME COACH, COACH W.C. 
                                 GORDON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 22, 2008

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, it gives me immense 
pleasure to recognize the life and accomplishments of one of America's 
most prolific icons in college football history, Coach William ``W.C.'' 
Gordon.
  Coach Gordon's career in college football began at Tennessee State 
University, TSU, where he played wide receiver and earned All-Mid 
Western Conference honors. He was also a 4-year baseball letterman at 
first base and team captain for the TSU Tigers. After graduating from 
Tennessee State University in 1952, he went on to serve in the U.S. 
Army from 1953 to 1955.
  After serving in the military, Gordon returned to sports as athletic 
director and coach for Eva Gordon High School, in Magnolia, MS. He also 
served at Temple High School, in Vicksburg, MS, in 1966, where he 
coached his team to the High School Football Negro Big 8 Conference 
state championship with an 11-0 record in 1966.
  From 1967 to 1994, Coach Gordon led and mentored at Jackson State 
University in a multitude of coaching capacities. Though most known for 
football, Coach Gordon served as head baseball coach from 1971 to 1972, 
leading the Tigers to the Southwestern Athletic Conference, SWAC, 
baseball title in 1972.
  As interim and head football coach, Gordon became one of the most 
winning coaches in the history of college football with 28 consecutive 
league victories and a career record of 119-47-5. Gordon coached 65 JSU 
players into the National Football League. Gordon was inducted into the 
SWAC Hall of Fame in 1994.
  Gordon coached the Tigers to eight SWAC Championships and was awarded 
SWAC Coach of the Year honors six times. He has been inducted into 
Mississippi Conferences Hall of Fame & Museum in 1977 and most recently 
was enshrined in the National Football Foundation's College Football 
Hall of Fame in South Bend, IN on July 18-19.
  Again, it gives me great pleasure to recognize and honor one of 
America's finest legendary football icons and true patriots of the 
game, Coach W.C. Gordon. His legacy not only left a mark on Black 
college football but also on college football at-large.

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