Big Bertha Edwards

George "Big Bertha" Edwards[1] was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Kentucky State College—now known as Kentucky State University from 1951 to 1956, compiling a record of 27–27–2.

Big Bertha Edwards
Biographical details
Alma materKentucky State College (bachelor's 1939, master's 1951)
Playing career
1934–1938Kentucky State
194?Harlem Brown Bombers
194?Patterson Panthers
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1944DuSable HS (IL)
1947–1950Kentucky State (backfield)
1951–1956Kentucky State
Head coaching record
Overall27–27–2

Football career

Edwards played football at Englewood High School in Chicago, where he earned All-City, All-Chicagoland, and All-State honors.[2] He played college football at Kentucky State College from 1934 to 1938, and the team won national championships in 1934 and 1937.[3][4] He was selected for the 1938 All-Star team that lost to the professional Chicago Bears by a score of 51-0.[4] He was selected for All-American honors in 1934 and 1938. He was captain of the 1938 Kentucky State and All-American teams.[2] He also played on the school's basketball team from 1934 to 1937, and in 1999, he was selected as a member of that team's all-time second team.[5]

He went on the play two years of semi-professional football, one with the Harlem Brown Bombers, and one with the Patterson Panthers.[2] Edwards coached the DuSable High School football team for two seasons, including 1944.[6] He coached basketball at Russellville High School in Kentucky, compiling a 64-11 record and winning a tri-state championship.[2]

Edwards returned to Kentucky State in 1947 to be the school's boxing coach and the football backfield coach. He was also head baseball coach in 1950.[7][2] He was named head football coach on December 1, 1950.[1] Edwards was the 11th head football coach at Kentucky State, and he held that position for six seasons, from 1951 until 1956. His career coaching record at Kentucky State was 27–27–2. He resigned his coaching position effective June 30, 1957.[8]

He was an inaugural inductee to the Kentucky State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1975.[9]

He was married and had three sons as of 1950.[2]

References
  1. "Name Coach At Kentucky State". The Daily Times (New Philadelphia, Ohio). 1950-12-02. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  2. ""Big Bertha" Edwards Named Kentucky State Coach". Alabama Tribune. 1950-12-08. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  3. "'Force is Halted by Kean's Eleven". The Pittsburgh Courier. 1934-10-20. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  4. "Bears Much Too Much". The Pittsburgh Courier. 1938-10-01. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  5. "Kentucky State All-Time Team". The Courier-Journal. 1999-11-14. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
  6. "Central Game Seems Sellout". The Courier-Journal. 1944-11-21. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  7. "Golden Gloves Finalists Meet Tonight To Decide 15 Championships". The Lexington Herald. 1950-01-24. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
  8. "'Big Bertha' Resigns as Ky. Mentor". The Pittsburgh Courier. 1957-04-07. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  9. "Hall of Fame". Kentucky State University Thorobreds. Retrieved 2021-12-08.


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