Harry C. Graves

Harry C. Graves
Biographical details
Born	April 25, 1898; Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Died	January 3, 1966 (aged 67); Leonardtown, Maryland, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1918	Michigan Agricultural
1921–1922	Michigan Agricultural
Position(s)	Fullback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1923	Virginia Normal
1924–1933	Wilberforce
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1923–1924	Virginia Normal
Head coaching record
Overall	61–12–14 (football)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
	1 black college national (1931)

Harry Cornelius Graves (April 25, 1898 – January 3, 1966) was an American football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute—now known as Virginia State University in 1923, and Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio from 1924 to 1933. His 1931 Wilberforce Green Wave football team was undefeated and recognized as a black college football national champion.

Graves played high school football in Pratt, Kansas and college football at Michigan Agricultural College—now known as Michigan State University.^[1] He succeeded Harry R. Jefferson at Wilberforce in 1924.^[2] He earned a master's degree from Ohio State University in 1933.^[3]^[4]

Graves died on January 3, 1966, at St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown, Maryland.^[5]

Head coaching record[edit]


Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing
Virginia Normal Trojans (Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1923)
1923	Virginia Normal	4–3	3–3	T–4th
Virginia Normal:		4–3	3–3
Wilberforce Green Wave (Independent) (1924–1933)
1924	Wilberforce	3–1–2
1925	Wilberforce	7–2
1926	Wilberforce	6–2
1927	Wilberforce	5–1–2
1928	Wilberforce	4–1–4
1929	Wilberforce	7–1–1
1930	Wilberforce	7–1–1
1931	Wilberforce	8–0
1932	Wilberforce	4–0–3
1933	Wilberforce	6–0–1
Wilberforce:		57–9–14
Total:		61–12–14
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth

^ "Harry Graves Has Winning Team". The Pratt Republican. Pratt, Kansas. November 14, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Grid Mentors Change Posts". The Black Dispatch. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. September 4, 1924. p. 8. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Locker Room Gossip". The Galion Inquirer. Galion, Ohio. Associated Negro Press. September 20, 1933. p. 4. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Harry C. Graves, Coach At Wilberforce Resigns". Mansfield News-Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. May 10, 1934. p. 16. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Harry Graves Dies After Suffering Heart Attack". The Entreprise. Lexington Park, Maryland. January 6, 1966. p. 1. Retrieved November 1, 2022 – via St. Mary's County Library.