Tom Thorp Thomas J . " Tom " Thorp ( c . 1882 - July 6 , 1942 ) was an American football player and coach , sports writer , and football and horse racing official . He was the head coach for the Fordham University Rams ( 1912 – 13 ) and New York University Violets ( 1922 – 24 ) football teams . He compiled an overall record of 21 – 17 – 4 . Football player . Thorp was a native of New York , born and raised in the neighborhood known as the " Roaring Forties . " He enrolled at Columbia University where he played at the tackle position for the school ' s football teams in 1903 and 1904 . He was among the first non - Ivy League players to be named to Walter Camp ' s All - America team , and was selected as an All - American in both 1903 and 1904 . In October 1905 , amid the movement to eradicate professionalism from college football , Columbia ' s faculty dropped Thorp from the university . " The New York Times " wrote that Thorp had been " the backbone " of the team and reported that Thorp ' s expulsion was " the worst blow that Columbia football has received " and a move that " cast the gloom of despair " over the prospects for the Columbia football team in 1905 . Upon being expelled from Columbia , Thorp sought admission to Cornell , but he was not able to acquire advance standing . Thorp next went to the University of Virginia , where he was enrolled and played football . Sports writer . In the late 1900s , Thorp was hired as a sports writer for the " New York Journal " . He also worked for a time for the " New York American " and the " New York World " . He continued to work as a journalist until 1936 , when he became employed as a full - time official at horse racing tracks . Following his death in 1942 , he was remembered as " a bona fide newspaperman , which is to say . . . he was an able , news - chasing , news - writing reporter . " Coaching and officiating . Fordham . Thorp was head coach at Fordham for the 1912 and 1913 seasons , where he compiled a record of 7 wins , 7 losses , and 2 ties . New York University . Thorp was the 18th head coach for the New York University Violets located in New York , New York and he held that position for three seasons , from 1922 until 1924 . His career coaching record at NYU was 14 wins , 10 losses , and 2 ties . This ranks him fourth at NYU in total wins and third at NYU in winning percentage . Officiating . When he was not coaching , Thorp also worked as an official for college football games . He officiated at many of the significant eastern games and was the first easterner to be invited to officiate at a Rose Bowl game . He continued officiating at football games until 1940 . Horse racing steward . In his later years , Thorp lived in Rockville Centre , New York . When pari - mutuel was permitted in New England in 1933 , Thorp became employed in the horse racing business . He served as the presiding steward at several race tracks , including Suffolk Downs , the Pagodas at Rockingham Park , Narragansett Park , and Tropical Park in Florida . He was also the general manager at the Empire City track in Yonkers , New York for a time . When Seabiscuit was matched against War Admiral , Thorp was the presiding steward at the race . When post time passed for the race , a crowd of reporters gathered , and it was Thorp who finally delivered the news that " Seabiscuit scratched . " In late June 1942 , after presiding over the races at Suffolk Downs , Thorp suffered a heart attack at a Boston hotel ; he died a week later at Wyman House in Cambridge , Massachusetts . Thorp was unmarried and was survived by his mother and two brothers .