Lawrence E. Simmons (July 5, 1911 – October 9, 1994) was an American football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at Tennessee A&I State College—now known as Tennessee State University—in Nashville, Tennessee in 1939 and again from 1961 to 1962, and at the Colored Normal Industrial Agricultural and Mechanical College of South Carolina—now known as South Carolina State University—in Orangeburg, South Carolina from 1951 to 1952, compiling a career college football coach record of 20–18–3. Simmons also had two stints as the head baseball coach at Tennessee A&I, from 1947 to 1950 and 1953 to 1955.[1][2]

Lawrence Simmons
Biographical details
Born(1911-07-05)July 5, 1911
Oklahoma, U.S.
DiedOctober 9, 1994(1994-10-09) (aged 83)
Fairview Heights, Illinois, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1936–1937Tennessee A&I
Position(s)Fullback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1938Tennessee A&I (backfield)
1939Tennessee A&I
1948Tennessee A&I (backfield)
1951–1952South Carolina State
1953–1954Tennessee A&I (assistant)
1955–1960East St. Louis Lincoln HS (IL)
1961–1962Tennessee A&I
Baseball
1947–1950Tennessee A&I
1953–1955Tennessee A&I
Head coaching record
Overall20–18–3 (college football)
43–14 (high school football)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 MAA (1961)

Simmons was the head football coach at East St. Louis Lincoln High School in East St. Louis, Illinois from 1955 to 1960, tallying a mark of 43–14.[3]

Simmons and his wife Mildred celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in 1968.[4] He and his wife are interred alongside each other at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Missouri.[5][6]

Head coaching record

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College football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Tennessee A&I Tigers (Independent) (1939)
1939 Tennessee A&I 3–3–1
South Carolina State Bulldogs (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1951–1952)
1951 South Carolina State 5–2 4–2 T–5th
1952 South Carolina State 7–2
South Carolina State: 12–4
Tennessee A&I Tigers (Midwest Athletic Association / Midwest Conference) (1961–1962)
1961 Tennessee A&I 4–4–1 3–0 1st
1962 Tennessee A&I 1–7–1 1–1–1 3rd
Tennessee A&I: 8–14–3 4–1–1
Total: 20–18–3
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ "State Normal Opens Season With Alabama". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. October 9, 1939. p. 29. Retrieved December 16, 2018 – via Newspapers.com  .
  2. ^ Clanton, Earl S. III (August 18, 1961). "Lawrence Simmons Named Head Football Coach At Tenn. State". Alabama Tribune. Montgomery, Alabama. p. 7. Retrieved December 16, 2018 – via Newspapers.com  .
  3. ^ "College Hires Lincoln High Coach Simmons". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. August 15, 1961. p. 30. Retrieved August 16, 2018 – via Newspapers.com  .
  4. ^ "Mr., Mrs. Lawrence Simmons observe 25th anniversary". The Washington Afro-American. Washington, D.C. March 5, 1967. p. 9. Retrieved August 16, 2018 – via Google News.
  5. ^ "Mildred Simmons St. Louis MO Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery". Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  6. ^ "Lawrence e Simmons St. Louis MO Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery". Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
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