Tom Parry (American football)

Tom Jones "Black Tom" Parry Jr. (January 24, 1923 – November 21, 2017) was an American football coach. He was the head football coach at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington, from 1966 to 1982 and 1984 to 1986.

Tom Parry
Biographical details
Born(1923-01-24)January 24, 1923
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
DiedNovember 21, 2017(2017-11-21) (aged 94)
Yakima, Washington, U.S.
Playing career
1942Washington State
1946–1947Washington State
Position(s)Lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1949Langley HS (WA)
1950–1955Clarkston HS (WA)
1956–1957Wenatchee Valley College
1958Montana (assistant)
1959–1960Washington State (assistant)
1961–1965Wenatchee Valley College
1966–1982Central Washington
1983Los Angeles Express (assistant)
1984–1986Central Washington
1989Yakima Valley College
Head coaching record
Overall95–91–4 (college)
Tournaments1–1 (NAIA D-I playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
6 Evergreen (1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1984)
Awards
5× NAIA District 1 Coach of the Year (1968, 1970, 1972, 1973)

Early years

Parry was born in Seattle in 1923. He attended Queen Anne High School, graduating in 1941. He attended Washington State College (now known as Washington State University) where he was a lineman for the Washington State Cougars football team in 1942, 1946, and 1947. His college career was interrupted by service in the United States Navy during World War II. He was co-captain of the 1947 Washington State Cougars football team.[1] He received a degree in physical education from Washington State in 1949.[1][2]

Coaching career

Parry began his coaching career at Langley High School on Whidbey Island in 1949. He then coached at Clarkston High School in Clarkston, Washington from 1950 to 1955.[1]

Parry was the head football coach at Wenatchee Valley College in Wenatchee, Washington from 1956 to 1957 and again from 1961 to 1965, compiling a record of 30-22-3.[3] He also held assistant coaching positions at the University of Montana in 1958 and at Washington State in 1959 and 1960.[4][1][5]

Parry was hired as the head football coach at Central Washington University in March 1966.[3] He served in that role from 1966 to 1982 and 1984 to 1986, compiling a career college football coaching record of 95–91–4. He won the NAIA District 1 Coach of the Year award five times, and his teams won six conference championships.[6][7] He resigned as Central Washington's head coach at the end of the 1986 season.[8]

Parry left Central Washington for one year in 1983 to serve as an assistant coach of the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League (USFL).[6][7]

After retiring from Central Washington, he returned to head coaching at Yakima Valley College in 1989. He also served as an assistant coach briefly at Washington State.[6]

Later years

Parry died in 2017 in Yakima, Washington, at age 94.[9][6]

Head coaching record

College
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Central Washington Wildcats (Evergreen Conference) (1966–1982)
1966 Central Washington 2–5–22–2–23rd
1967 Central Washington 4–63–32nd
1968 Central Washington 6–36–01st
1969 Central Washington 3–63–33rd
1970 Central Washington 7–35–01st
1971 Central Washington 4–62–35th
1972 Central Washington 9–16–01st
1973 Central Washington 7–25–11st
1974 Central Washington 3–5–13–2–1T–2nd
1975 Central Washington 5–44–22nd
1976 Central Washington 3–63–34th
1977 Central Washington 3–63–34th
1978 Central Washington 0–9[n 1]0–6[n 1]7th[n 1]
1979 Central Washington 1–8–11–4T–5th
1980 Central Washington 2–71–45th
1981 Central Washington 6–32–23rd
1982 Central Washington 8–24–1T–1st
Central Washington Wildcats (Evergreen Conference) (1984)
1984 Central Washington 11–28–01stL NAIA Division I Semifinal
Central Washington Wildcats (Columbia Football League) (1985–1986)
1985 Central Washington 5–43–3T–3rd (Northern)
1986 Central Washington 6–34–2T–2nd (Northern)
Central Washington: 95–91–468–41–3
Total:95–91–4
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes
  1. Central Washington finished the 1978 season with an overall record of 3–6 and a mark of 3–3 in conference play, tying for third place in the Evergreen Conference.[10] In January 1979, Central Washington forfeit its three wins from 1978 because of ineligible player.[11]

References
  1. "Tom Parry Named Cougar Grid Aide". Spokane Daily Chronicle. June 18, 1959. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Tom Parry Honored". The Spokesman-Review. December 12, 1968. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Tom Parry New Central Coach". Bellingham Herald. March 18, 1966. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Jenkins Names Branby, Parry As Assistants". The Missoulian. April 18, 1958. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Parry to Return to JC Position". Spokane Daily Chronicle. May 17, 1961. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Legendary Football Coach Tom Parry Passes Away at 94". Central Washington University. November 22, 2017.
  7. "CWU's Parry resigns". The Daily News (Longview, Wash.). January 1, 1983. p. D3 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "CWU's Parry resigns". The Sun. November 20, 1986. p. C2 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Tom Parry". Brookside Funeral Home. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  10. "Evergreen Conference (Final standings)". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. November 19, 1978. p. 2D. Retrieved November 9, 2019 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  11. "Central to forfeit football victories". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. January 24, 1979. p. C4. Retrieved February 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
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