 | This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. Find sources: "Freddie James" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1937 |
| Playing career | |
| late 1950s | Prairie View A&M |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1982–1995 | David W. Carter HS (TX) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 147–28–4 |
Freddie James (born 1937) is a former American football coach. He played college football under Billy Nicks at Prairie View A&M University in the late 1950s, before working in a steel plant for a couple of years, then as a physical therapist in Houston. His former coach Nicks later recommended him for high school football coaching. In 1982, James became head coach at David W. Carter High School in Dallas. In his first year, Carter reached the 5A state semifinals. In 1988, Carter won the title after one of the most dominant seasons in Texas high school football, but the title was later forfeited because of eligibility infringements. After a ban from the state playoffs in 1989, because James had played an ineligible player, Carter reached the state semis again in 1990. He retired after the 1995 season, having guided the Carter Cowboys to a 123–22–3 record in his 14 seasons, and having turned the program into a nationally recognized power. His overall coaching record stands at 147–28–4.
James was inducted to the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame with the inaugural class, in 1996. He was portrayed in the 2004 movie Friday Night Lights by actor Julius Tennon. He was also portrayed in the 2015 film Carter High by Charles S. Dutton, which portrayed Carter's 1988 Season.
References
- Booker, Joe (April 15, 2006). "Can Prairie View A&M University Restore Its Football Program Back To The Glory Years?". BlackAthlete Sports Network. Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
- Townsend, Brad (November 10, 2008). "Scandal taints memories of Carter's 'best ever' football team". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
- Bedell, Doug (November 14, 1996). "Texas Black Sports Hall inducts inaugural class". The Dallas Morning News.
- "Cast: Friday Night Lights". Allmovie. Retrieved January 31, 2011.