Ernest Washington

Washington was a multi-sport athlete at Cobb Avenue prior to graduating in 1954.  He played halfback and quarterback in football, was a three-year starter in basketball, and was a sprinter on the track team. 

He joined the Army after high school where he played both football and basketball while stationed stateside and in Germany. 

In 1957, he enrolled at Alabama State, becoming a four-year letterman in football and running track. The first year, he scored the decisive touchdown in a 13-7 win over archrival Tuskegee on a 44-yard catch and run.

He had a 30-year coaching career that produced 534 wins for Tuskegee Institute High and two state championships.  He also returned home to win the 1972 Calhoun County Golf Tournament. 

He took the Baby Tigers to the state tournament 13 times in his tenure.  His 1973 team finished second in Class 3A, beating Cobb Avenue for the third time that season in the first round. Later that year he coached the South team in the 3A-4A North-South All-Star Game.

He broke through and won the first of his two state championships in 1985 by defeating Parker in the semi-finals and LeFlore in the 6A title game.  He won his second crown in 1991 in 5A by beating Southside of Dallas County in the final to finish 24-4.   

Washington was inducted into the AHSAA Hall of Fame in 1993.