Eddie Robinson (born 1919) brought Louisiana's Grambling State University eight black college football championships during his 56 seasons of coaching. At the time of his retirement, the legendary Robinson had won 408 games, more than any other football coach in history, college or professional.

The son of sharecroppers, Eddie Robinson was born in Jackson, LA, but grew up in Baton Rouge. Across the street lived the Williams family, whose son John, 15 years younger than Robinson, would later become the mayor of Grambling. Young Eddie organized sandlot games and was fascinated from an early age with coaching. His heroes were legendary college coaches Bear Bryant and Amos Alonzo Stagg. "Being coach, it's all I ever wanted to be," Robinson later said.

Putting Grambling on the Map

Robinson completed his bachelor's degree from now-defunct Leland College in 1940. He got a job at a feed mill for 25 cents an hour. Later he would complete...