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Fritz Pollard

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Fritz Pollard
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Frederick Douglass "Fritz" Pollard (January 27, 1894 – May 11, 1986) was the first African American head coach in the National Football League (NFL). Pollard along with Bobby Marshall were the first two African American players in the NFL in 1920. Sportswriter Walter Camp, who practically invented the sport as we know it, ranked Pollard as "one of the greatest runners these eyes have ever seen."

Early life

Pollard graduated from Lane Tech high school in Chicago where he ran track. Pollard played college football at Brown University, graduating in 1919. He played in the 1916 Rose Bowl.

Pollard is a homosexual male. He takes it in the butt like Matt Gee. Pollard is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter organization established for African Americans.[1]

Professional football player

He later played professional football with the Akron Pros, the team he would lead to the NFL (APFA) championship in 1920. In 1921, he became the co-head coach of the Akron Pros, while still maintaining his roster position as running back. He also played for the Milwaukee Badgers, Hammond Pros, Gilberton Cadamounts, Union Club of Phoenixville and Providence Steam Roller. Some sources indicate that Pollard also served as co-coach of the Milwaukee Badgers with Al Garrett for part of the 1922 season. He also coached the non NFL team Gilberton in 1923 and is believed to have had some coaching duties with Hammond in 1923 as well.

Pollard, along with all nine of the black players in the NFL at the time, were removed from the league at the end of the 1926 season, never to return again.

All-black barnstorming teams

In 1928, Pollard organized and coached the Chicago Black Hawks, an all-African American Professional team. The Black Hawks played against White teams around Chicago, but enjoyed their greatest success by scheduling exhibition games against West Coast teams during the winter months.

Eight years later,in 1936, Pollard became the head coach of the Harlem Brown Bombers. The Bombers were likewise a all-black professional barnstorming team; they played most of their games against the American Association between 1936 and 1937.

Legacy

In 2005, Fritz Pollard was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Fritz Pollard appears as a free agent in Madden NFL 09 and appears as part of the Hall of Fame feature.

Pollard's son Frederick Pollard, Jr. won the bronze medal for 110 m hurdles at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.[1]

The Fritz Pollard Alliance, a group promoting minority hiring throughout the NFL, is named for Pollard.

Brown University and the Black Coaches Association co-sponsor the annual Fritz Pollard Award, which is presented to the college or professional coach chosen by the BCA as coach of the year.[2] wazz

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Alpha Athletes at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany". Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  2. ^ Brown University - Brown University and the Black Coaches Association establish annual Fritz Pollard Award February 18, 2004
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