Sport(s) Football Name Marvin Bass | 1951 William & Mary 1940–1942 William & Mary | |
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Born August 28, 1919 ( 1919-08-28 ) 1944–1947 William & Mary (assistant) 1949–1950 William & Mary (assistant) 1952–1953 Washington Redskins (assistant) Died December 3, 2010, Blythewood, South Carolina, United States | ||
Education College of William & Mary | ||
Marvin Crosby Bass (August 28, 1919 – December 3, 2010) was the head coach of The College of William & Mary's football team in 1951. He also coached the South Carolina Gamecocks football team for five seasons.
Bass, a native of Petersburg, Virginia, was a member of the winningest football team in William & Mary history. Bass captained the 1942 Indians, which compiled a 9–1–1 record. He later was an assistant coach at his alma mater when the 1947 Indians were 9–1.
In 1974, Bass was an assistant football coach for the Birmingham Americans of the World Football League (WFL), a league formed in the early 1970s to rival the National Football League (WLF). He became head coach of the WFL's Birmingham Vulcans the following year. The league lured such NFL name players as Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield and Jim Kiick. It lasted 18 months, losing US$30,000,000.
In his 37-year coaching career, Bass coached in more football leagues than most coaches of his time. This included stints as head coach for teams in the Southern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Continental League, and the Canadian League. Bass was also assistant coach with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian League.
While at William & Mary, Bass was All-State and All-Southern Conference while helping the Indians to defeat the Oklahoma Sooners 14–7 in the final 1942 game. He served as head football coach at William & Mary as well as South Carolina and helped bring American football to Canada when he coached the Montreal Beavers in the Continental Football League.
Bass was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1981.