Albert Bascom Elmore (November 19, 1904 â July 26, 1988) was an American college football coach and player, college basketball coach, and college athletics administrator. A graduate of the University of Alabama, Elmore led Troy State Teachers College (now known as Troy University) from 1931 to 1936, compiling a 31âÂÂ20âÂÂ2 record. He also coached basketball at Virginia Military Institute for one season in the late 1930s.
Following his graduation from University of Alabama, Elmore began coaching in 1931 at Troy State Teachers College. He is credited with changing the team nickname to "Red Wave" (this was a variation of Alabama's "Crimson Tide", and the current nickname is "Trojans"). In seven years at Troy State, five of which were winning seasons, Elmore compiled a 35âÂÂ30âÂÂ3 record.
Elmore then left for Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, Virginia, where he headed the school's freshman football team as well as the basketball team in the 1937âÂÂ38 season. The Keydets were 4âÂÂ11 in Elmore's lone season at the institute.
Elmore was born on November 19, 1904, in Reform, Alabama, to Silvanus and Ann Elmore. He grew up with eight brothers and two sisters. Elmore died on July 26, 1998, in Troy.