Marvin Bass

Marvin Bass
Bass as a player for William & Mary (c. 1942)
Biographical details
Born(1919-08-28)August 28, 1919
Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
DiedDecember 3, 2010(2010-12-03) (aged 91)
Blythewood, South Carolina, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1940–1942William & Mary
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1944–1947William & Mary (assistant)
1948North Carolina (assistant)
1949–1950William & Mary (assistant)
1951William & Mary
1952Washington Redskins (assistant)
1953–1954North Carolina (assistant)
1955–1959South Carolina (line)
1960Georgia Tech (DC)
1961–1965South Carolina
1966–1967Montreal Beavers
1969–1972Buffalo Bills (assistant)
1973Richmond (assistant)
1974Birmingham Americans (assistant)
1975Birmingham Vulcans
1977–1978Buffalo Bills (assistant)
1979–1981Calgary Stampeders (assistant)
1982–1992Denver Broncos (assistant)
Baseball
1948William & Mary
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1961–1965South Carolina
1968San Francisco 49ers (scout)
Head coaching record
Overall24–32–4 (college football)
9–3 (WFL)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards

Marvin Crosby "Moose" Bass (August 28, 1919 – December 3, 2010)[1][2] 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 (NFL). 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 million.

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 (COFL).

Bass was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1981.

  1. ^ "Marvin Bass' obituary". Archived from the original on December 4, 2010. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  2. ^ Official NFL Record & Fact Book, 2002 Edition, page 150