Sylvester R. "Sal" Hall (1910 – August 26, 1988) was an American football and basketball coach and educator.[1] He served as the head football coach at Virginia State College—now known as Virginia State University—from 1949 to 1953, compiling a record of 25–16–2.[2]

Sylvester Hall
Biographical details
Born1910 (1910)
DiedAugust 26, 1988(1988-08-26) (aged 77–78)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Playing career
Football
c.1930Howard
Basketball
c. 1930Howard
Football
c. 1930Howard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1942–1948Cardozo HS (DC)
1949–1953Virginia State
1954–1964Cardozo HS (DC)
Basketball
1934–1935Howard (assistant)
Head coaching record
Overall25–16–2 (college football)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 CIAA (1952)

Hall attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he competed in football, basketball, and track. He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Howard, as an assistant basketball coach. Hall coached football and track and served as the athletic director at Cardozo High School in Washington. He succeeded Harry R. Jefferson as head football coach at Virginia State in 1949, and was also appointed associate professor of physical education at the college.[3]

After this tenure at Virginia State, Hall returned to Cardozo High, where the coached football and track and taught physical education until 1964. He was then the principal at Woodson Junior High School prior to his retirement in 1975. Hall died of a pulmonary embolism, on August 26, 1988, at the District of Columbia General Hospital[4]

Head coaching record

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College football

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Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Virginia State Trojans (Colored/Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1949–1953)
1949 Virginia State 3–4–13–4–17th
1950 Virginia State 3–53–510th
1951 Virginia State 6–35–36th
1952 Virginia State 8–17–01st
1953 Virginia State 5–3–15–2–12nd
Virginia State: 25–16–223–14–2
Total:25–16–2
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

[5]

References

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  1. "Sylvester Hall". Cultural Tourism DC. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  2. "All-TIme Head Football Coaches". govsutrojans.com. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  3. "Sylvester Hall Named Coach At Virginia". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. June 24, 1949. p. 34. Retrieved April 21, 2026 via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. "Retired Woodson Principal Sylvester R Hall, 77, Dies". Washington Post. August 31, 1988. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  5. "NCAA Statistics; Coach; Sylvester R. Hall". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved April 21, 2026.