THE CULTURE Entertainment, Media and Sports Legacy
The Great Football Blitz By Kristen Jones What started out as just a dream Lillard and Ray Kemp. Neither lasted has turned into a profitable area past the end of the season. In 1933, of business for many African NFL owners began implementing Americans—a business that turns a type of unofficial racial ban that billion-dollar profits yearly and is would last for about 13 years until loved by the masses regardless of 1946, probably to please racists—both their race. This is the business of fans and those involved in the sport. sports, which can’t be discussed That year, George Preston without mention of the alwaysMarshall, owner of the Boston controversial National Football Braves franchise, stepped on the League (NFL). scene blasting hateful comments Charles “The Black Cyclone” Follis toward African Americans and is often considered the first African ultimately causing a blackout among American to play professional the players by refusing to let them football, playing for the Shelby play on many teams. The Great Steamfitters or Shelby Blues from Depression increased the national 1902 to 1906. hatred for these men and not much The American Professional sympathy was felt. Football Association, the forerunner The sight of a successful African of the NFL, was started in 1920, American football player would not but few African Americans were be experienced again for quite some Frederick Douglass “Fritz” Pollard, one of two time. While other minorities were included among the rosters. In fact, first black players in the NFL, 1920 only a few players hit the field for being introduced to the NFL and its teams in the early years, with J. Mayo fans, the black players of the past Williams and Paul Robeson in that small number. either worked in a different profession or joined Fritz Pollard and Bobby Marshall were the first teams not affiliated with the blatantly racist NFL. African Americans to be a part of what is now After they were rejected by the NFL, blacks known as the National Football League. Pollard formed black teams of their own, which played recalled that fans at away games sometimes against semipro white teams. threw rocks at him and even fans of his own team The NFL would not sign another African sometimes booed him. Pollard also became the first American player until after World War II. All this African American coach and quarterback in the NFL would change in 1946, however. That year, a black in the early 1920s. player from UCLA named Kenny Washington In 1926, after several teams were booted from took America’s attention and broke the new NFL the league, many of the remaining teams switched color barrier when he was called on to join the out eligible African American players for the more NFL following the Rams’ move to Los Angeles, popular white players. Calif. When the commission was asked to sign Occasionally, over the next few years, a black Washington to the Los Angeles Rams, it caused an player would join a team and play for a short time, expected ruckus in the sports community. Woody but that was it. In 1928, Harold Bradley Sr. played Strode then became the second African American only one season with the Chicago Cardinals, and in player to be signed by the team in May 1946, and the 1931 and 1932, David Myers played for two different team entered the season with two standout black New York teams. players on its roster. 1933 saw the last attempt to integrate African No other NFL team chose to select African Americans into the game with the entrance of Joe American players until 1948 when the Detroit Lions
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BAVUAL:
The African Heritage Magazine
| Fall 2021
