By Alonzo Hardy
Mays Alumni Keep the Legacy Alive by giving honor and praise to the graduates and students of Mays High School of Goulds, Florida.
He was a standout two-sport athlete in football and track at Mays High School where he graduated in 1956. He was also an accomplished student leader and graduated with honors.
In football Louie was a throwback to the days of two-way players and an out-standing lineman on both sides of the ball. He was a key member of the 1955 Conference Championship Football Team. On the track and field team, Louie competed in the 100- and 440-yard dashes, the high and long jumps, the shot put and discus. He was a two-time State Champion in the discus at the State Track & Field meet. Louie was considered one of the finest lineman and leaders to ever play for HS.
Louie received a full scholarship to Morris Brown College. Louie played both ways on football: a guard on offense and a nose guard on defense. Louie also competed on the track team. Louie was a first team offensive guard and outstanding lineman on the Atlanta Daily World 1959 All City Football Team. He also earned First Team offensive guard and outstanding lineman on the Atlanta Daily World 1959 All Conference Football Team. He was also named to the Atlanta Daily World and Pittsburgh Courier All-America. He also was honored by the 100 Percent Wrong Club of Atlanta as the Athlete of the Year in 1959 and was also featured in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges that same year. In addition to being an excellent athlete, Louie was also an honor roll student. He was inducted into Morris Brown College Sports Hall of Fame in 1977.
He graduated from Morris Brown College in 1961 where he earned his Bachelors of Arts in Chemistry and Physical Education. He received a Master of Administration and Supervision from University of Northern Colorado.
He began his coaching and teaching career at his alma mater, Morris Brown College. There, he coached football and taught several different subjects including chemistry for one year before going to Carver High School located in Columbus, Georgia as a chemistry and physics teacher, head track and field coach and assistant football coach. He moved to Northwestern High School in Miami in 1962 and became the head track coach in 1967. That year the Northwestern team captured the state title. Coach Bing led the Northwestern track team to four track and field state titles. As an assistant, Louie helped lead Northwestern to its first four state titles. He also taught science and mathematics and was assistant football coach at Northwestern. In 1970, Bing taught mathematics and was assistant football and head track coach at North Miami High School located in North Miami, Florida. One year later, he returned back to Northwestern to serve as assistant coach for football and head track coach.
Bing has been named Regional Coach of the Year, Coach of the Year (track), and was a part of eight State Championships in track.
He compiled a 303-21 record including 13 District and 4 State titles in 17 years at Northwestern as Head Coach. During that time his teams won four State titles (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970). In 2001, the track at Northwestern was named the Louie Bing Track. Several of his athletes have gone on to become collegiate & professional athletes.
Coach Bing was inducted into the Florida Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1982 and also received the Jimmy Carnes Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 for his leadership as a track & field coach. He retired from Northwestern in 1982, following 18 years of teaching and coaching in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. He passed away in 2018 at the age of 79. Coach was called from labor to reward and the final whistle blew on June 12, 2018.
Bing’s awards and commendations are many. Here is a short list:
The 2007 Bob Hayes Invitational Hall of Fame
The 2001 Northwestern High School Track named in his honor
The 2001 Jimmy Carnes Lifetime Achievement Award
Bob Hayes Invitational Hall of Fame Inducted 2007
Northwestern High School Track named in his honor 2001
Jimmy Carnes Lifetime Achievement Award 2001
Atlanta University Center Hall of Fame Inducted 1990
Louie Bing Scholarship Fund (founded in 1988)
Louie Bing South Florida Invitational Track Meet (named in his honor) 1984
Florida Track and Field Hall of Fame Inducted 1982
Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) Hall of Fame Inducted 1982
FACA Meritorious Service Award 1981
Inducted into the Morris Brown College Sports Hall of Fame 1977
Regional National Track Coach of the Year 1974
Florida Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year (‘68, ‘69 & ‘70)
Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association (FIAA) Coach of the Year 1967
100 Percent Wrong Club Athlete of the Year
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity
Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges Award
Pittsburgh Courier Black College All-American Football Team
Atlanta Daily World All-American Football Team
All-Conference Football Team
All-City Football Team
Two-Time State Champion In Discus (1955 and 1956)
Member of 1955 Conference Championship Football Team
Mays Alumni Keep the Legacy Alive by giving honor and praise to the graduates and students of Mays High School of Goulds, Florida.
Please send information on any corrections, omissions or additions to Alonzo Hardy at uniteocala@yahoo.com
