Herschel Curry Smith
Encyclopedia
Herschel Curry Smith is best known as an American athletic coach in the sport of track and field at Compton Jr. College
. He is also populary known as the founder of the Compton Invitational, and the co-founder of the Los Angeles Invitational
, both track meets located in Southern California, the United States of America.
Herschel was also well known as a sprint athlete and world record holder. As a team member of the University of Southern California
(USC) track team, in 1927 his team broke the world record in the 800-meter and 880-yard relay.
Herschel was the head coach of Compton College from 1928 to 1968 and was the founder of the Compton Invitational and its director from 1936-1969.
Herschel was also the co-founder, with Al Franken, and the meet director of the first indoor track meet on the west coast. Known as the Los Angeles Invitational (1959), its name later (1969) developed into the primary sponsors name, the Sunkist Invitational.
Herschel coached many world class athletes including record high-jumpers Cornelius Johnson and Charles Dumas
.
. In 1922 he won the California High School
100 yard championship and the California State 100 meter at 10.4 seconds. In 1923 he went on to win both Southern California, CIF sprint titles including the 100 meter at 10.2 seconds and the National Interscholastic 220 yard title.
After high school, he continued his sprint career for 4 more years at the University of Southern California
as a member of the famous Dean Cromwell
’s track team. While at USC, Herschel’s freshmen year provided him with a 1st place win at the Western Olympic trials
in the 100 meter at 10.8 seconds and a 2nd place finish in the 200 meter. Initially expected to make the 1924 Olympic team, illness prevented Herschel from participating at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games
. The following year 1925, Herschel won the Junior National AAU Championship 100 yard dash in 9.8 seconds. Continuing in 1926 with the Spartans track team, Herschel enjoyed a winning season helping the team win the ICAAAA National Championship. The following year was the peak of Smith’s on field running accomplishments. As part of a relay foursome, (Smith, House, Lewis, Borah) Herschel participated in breaking the world record in the 800 meter and 880 yard relay(4x220) at 1:25.8 seconds, in Los Angeles on May 14, 1927.
Herschel recruited the best athletes he could find from across the country and coached his protégé to top performance levels helping win many championships for the college.
In 1946, Herschel was the coach of high jump-Olympic record holder and gold medalist, Cornelius Johnson. Later (1956) Herschel was the coach of world record holder and Olympic gold medalist, Charles Dumas
; whom was the first person to high-jump over 7 feet (7’ 1/2”). Compton's coaching program fostered and produced many other champions including later Olympic gold medalist Simeon Iness
, Earlene Brown
, Herman Ray Stokes, Jerome Walters, George Henry Brown, Jr. and George Jefferson
. Other notable athletes’ from Compton’s program included Bill Bugbee, Wilbur Miller, Vic Williams, Bill Fell, Willie Attenberry, and Adrian Davis.
During Herschel’s 41 year tenure of coaching at Compton Collage he accomplished a commendable list of achievements including:
in 1936, and was it’s director for 33 years until 1969.
In 1959, when the Los Angeles Sports Arena opened its doors, Herschel Co-founded the first indoor track meet on the West Coast, The Los Angeles Invitational
. The Los Angeles Invitational later (1969) became the Sunkist Invitational . Smith was also the meet director for the L.A. Invitational for seveal years. Both the Compton Invitational and the Los Angeles Invitational have featured many world class athletes and recofrd holders, including John Woodruff, Mal Whitfield, Herb McKenley, Wes Santee, and many others.
Other awards Herschel Smith received include:
Compton Community College
El Camino College Compton Center operates as a "center" of El Camino College. Under an agreement with El Camino College, Compton Center is open and offers accredited El Camino College courses to residents of Compton, Carson, Lynwood, Paramount and parts of North Long Beach...
. He is also populary known as the founder of the Compton Invitational, and the co-founder of the Los Angeles Invitational
Los Angeles Invitational
The Los Angeles Invitational was an elite level Indoor track meet, held in the Los Angeles Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. For 25 years the event was sponsored by the hometown Sunkist Growers, Incorporated who assumed title sponsorship and the event was known as the Sunkist Invitational....
, both track meets located in Southern California, the United States of America.
Herschel was also well known as a sprint athlete and world record holder. As a team member of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(USC) track team, in 1927 his team broke the world record in the 800-meter and 880-yard relay.
Herschel was the head coach of Compton College from 1928 to 1968 and was the founder of the Compton Invitational and its director from 1936-1969.
Herschel was also the co-founder, with Al Franken, and the meet director of the first indoor track meet on the west coast. Known as the Los Angeles Invitational (1959), its name later (1969) developed into the primary sponsors name, the Sunkist Invitational.
Herschel coached many world class athletes including record high-jumpers Cornelius Johnson and Charles Dumas
Charles Dumas
Charles Everett Dumas was an American high jumper, the 1956 Olympic champion, and the first person to clear 7 ft....
.
Early Sprint Life
Herschel started his track and field career as a sprinter at San Fernando High SchoolSan Fernando High School
San Fernando High School, located in San Fernando, California, is a secondary school that is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District....
. In 1922 he won the California High School
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
100 yard championship and the California State 100 meter at 10.4 seconds. In 1923 he went on to win both Southern California, CIF sprint titles including the 100 meter at 10.2 seconds and the National Interscholastic 220 yard title.
After high school, he continued his sprint career for 4 more years at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
as a member of the famous Dean Cromwell
Dean Cromwell
Dean Bartlett Cromwell , nicknamed "Maker of Champions", was an American athletic coach in multiple sports, principally at the University of Southern California...
’s track team. While at USC, Herschel’s freshmen year provided him with a 1st place win at the Western Olympic trials
United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
The United States Olympic Trials for the sport of Track and Field is the quadrennial meet to select the United States representatives at the Olympic Games. Since 1992, the meet has also served as the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Because of the depth of competition in some events,...
in the 100 meter at 10.8 seconds and a 2nd place finish in the 200 meter. Initially expected to make the 1924 Olympic team, illness prevented Herschel from participating at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games
Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics
At the 1924 Summer Olympics held in Paris, 27 athletics events were contested, all for men only.-Medal table:-Medal summary:-Participating nations:657 athletes from 40 nations competed. Ten nations competed in athletics for the first time...
. The following year 1925, Herschel won the Junior National AAU Championship 100 yard dash in 9.8 seconds. Continuing in 1926 with the Spartans track team, Herschel enjoyed a winning season helping the team win the ICAAAA National Championship. The following year was the peak of Smith’s on field running accomplishments. As part of a relay foursome, (Smith, House, Lewis, Borah) Herschel participated in breaking the world record in the 800 meter and 880 yard relay(4x220) at 1:25.8 seconds, in Los Angeles on May 14, 1927.
Track Coach
In 1928 Herschel became a coach at Compton Jr. College and High School (both included as one organization at the time) and began nourishing and producing world class track and field athletes. As a Jr. College, Compton provided a stepping stone for athletes to train and develop before progressing onto a major 4 year collage. To some back in the day, Compton J.C. was affectionately known as the farm team for USC, hence Herschel’s roots at USC; although many athletes went to other schools such as University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) , Pepperdine and others.Herschel recruited the best athletes he could find from across the country and coached his protégé to top performance levels helping win many championships for the college.
In 1946, Herschel was the coach of high jump-Olympic record holder and gold medalist, Cornelius Johnson. Later (1956) Herschel was the coach of world record holder and Olympic gold medalist, Charles Dumas
Charles Dumas
Charles Everett Dumas was an American high jumper, the 1956 Olympic champion, and the first person to clear 7 ft....
; whom was the first person to high-jump over 7 feet (7’ 1/2”). Compton's coaching program fostered and produced many other champions including later Olympic gold medalist Simeon Iness
Sim Iness
Simeon Garland Iness was an American discus thrower and Olympic gold medalist....
, Earlene Brown
Earlene Brown
Earlene Brown was a U.S. African American athlete notable for her careers in the sports of track and field and roller games. Brown was born in Laredo, Texas.-Track and Field Career:...
, Herman Ray Stokes, Jerome Walters, George Henry Brown, Jr. and George Jefferson
George Jefferson (athlete)
George Jefferson was an American athlete who competed mainly in the pole vault...
. Other notable athletes’ from Compton’s program included Bill Bugbee, Wilbur Miller, Vic Williams, Bill Fell, Willie Attenberry, and Adrian Davis.
During Herschel’s 41 year tenure of coaching at Compton Collage he accomplished a commendable list of achievements including:
- 5 National Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships: 1939, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951
- 14 Conference Championships
- 9 Southern California Titles
- 2 Track and Field State Championships (California Community College Athletic Association)1954, 1956
Invitational Founder and Meet Director
Herschel was the founder of The Compton Invitational Track Meet, held at the new Olympic venue the Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
in 1936, and was it’s director for 33 years until 1969.
In 1959, when the Los Angeles Sports Arena opened its doors, Herschel Co-founded the first indoor track meet on the West Coast, The Los Angeles Invitational
Los Angeles Invitational
The Los Angeles Invitational was an elite level Indoor track meet, held in the Los Angeles Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. For 25 years the event was sponsored by the hometown Sunkist Growers, Incorporated who assumed title sponsorship and the event was known as the Sunkist Invitational....
. The Los Angeles Invitational later (1969) became the Sunkist Invitational . Smith was also the meet director for the L.A. Invitational for seveal years. Both the Compton Invitational and the Los Angeles Invitational have featured many world class athletes and recofrd holders, including John Woodruff, Mal Whitfield, Herb McKenley, Wes Santee, and many others.
Awards and Honors
In 1991 Herschel was inducted into the California Community Colleges Hall of Fame, under the category of Track & Field/Cross Country.Other awards Herschel Smith received include:
- Herschel was a USC Trojan Track and Field Lettermen for the years 1925, 1926, and 1927.
- Herschel has been recognized by the Southern California Track Writers with the Jess Mortenson Award
- Herschel was the recipient of the Helms Athletic Foundation Award for contributions to the sport
- Herschel was the recipient of the Trojan Coaches Club, Achievement Award, 1955 Cross Country