Willie Thrower

Willie Thrower

No. 14
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Born:	March 22, 1930 New Kensington, Pennsylvania
Died:	February 20, 2002(2002-02-20) (aged 71) New Kensington, Pennsylvania
Career information
Undrafted:	1953
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Willie Lawrence Thrower (March 22, 1930 – February 20, 2002) was a American football quarterback. Born near Pittsburgh in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, Thrower was known as "Mitts" for his large hands and arm strength compared to his 5'11 frame. He was known to toss a football 60 yards. Thrower was a part of the 1952 Michigan State Spartans who won the national championship, But far and away, he is most notable for becoming the first African American quarterback to appear at the quarterback position in the National Football League (NFL), which he accomplished for the Chicago Bears in 1953. Thrower would often joke that even his neighbors did not believe this claim, as this is overlooked and not well-known as Jackie Robinson's breaking of the color barrier in 1947.

After brief stints in some Canadian football leagues, he later retired. Thrower then worked as a social worker in New York where he lived with his wife Mary and their three sons. He eventually moved back to his hometown of New Kensington, Pa., where he lived the remainder of his life as a tavern owner. In 2002 at the age of 71, he died of heart failure.

Early life

Thrower played halfback in the single-wing formation for New Kesington High (present-name: Valley High School) as a freshman just after the end of World War II in 1945. Single wing halfbacks received a direct center snap, and then had run, handoff, or pass options. The team lost 2 games. However, head coach Don Fletcher moved Thrower to quarterback. From his sophomore to senior yeas, New Kensington won 24 straight games, including the 1946 and 1947 Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) Class AA championships. He would only lose one game in his career. As a dual-threat qiarterback, Thrower was also a All-WPIAL and all-state first team honors, and he was named captain for an All-American scholastic selection covering the nation east of the Mississippi River. His final high school record was 35-3-1.

Despite his accomplishments, Thrower still experienced racism. In 1947, the Miami, Florida Peanut Bowl, featuring top high school teams around the country, actually rescinded the invitation it had extended to Valley High to play in the annual prep classic game when organizers saw a photograph of its star. In addition, many college opted not to extend Thrower a scholarship when they discovered his ethnicity.

College football

After graduating, Thrower chose to play collegiate football for the Michigan State Spartans alongside some of his high school teammates William Horrell, Joseph Klein, Renaldo Kozikowski, Vincent Pisano, and the Tamburo brothers, Harry and Richard. He would remain in East Lansing for three years from 1949-1952, competing with playing time for quarterback with All-Americans Al Dorow and Tom Yewcic. Under head coach Clarence "Biggie" Munn Thrower became the first black quarterback to play in the Big Ten Conference in 1950 in his first year of varsity eligibility (NCAA rules dictated no freshman on varsity preventing Thrower, who was a freshman in 1949, to play) although during the first two years of his varsity career, he had only attempted 14 passes.

During the 1952 championship season, Thrower was an integral part of the title run, completing 59 percent of his passes (29-of-43) for 400 yards and five touchdowns. In a crucial game with Notre Dame, Thrower stepped in for a injured Tom Yewcic and threw a touchdown in a 21-3 win. In his final game in a Spartan uniform, Thrower completed seven of his 11 attempts for 71 yards and a touchdown, and added a rushing touchdown in a dominating 62-13 win over Marquette that sealed the nation's No. 1 ranking, and championship, for Michigan State.

Professional career

National Football League (1953)

In the 10th minute of the period, (Joe) Perry fumbled and (Dick) Hensley recovered on the 49ers' 16. Willie Thrower, former Michigan State Negro quarterback star making his major league debut, passed 12 to (Jim) Dooley, putting the ball on the 4. (George) Blanda and (Fred) Morrison came into the game with a resounding razzberry. They wanted Willie to put it over. But Morrison did it on a blast off tackle. The boos changed to cheers.

- Oct. 19, 1952 execrpt of Thrower's first NFL game by Chicago Tribune sportswriter George Strickland

Although Thrower was not drafted in 1953, he was offered one year, $8,500 contract with the Chicago Bears. He became the backup quarterback and roommate to future Pro Football Hall of Famer George Blanda, who coincidentally grew up in Westmoreland County, the same area where Thrower lived.

The young quarterback did not play until October 18, 1953 against the San Fransisco 49ers. Bears coach George Halas was unhappy with Blanda's play and pulled him, sending in Thrower. He moved the team to the 15 yard line of the 49ers, but was denied a chance to scored a TD when Halas put Blanda back into the game. The Bears eventually lost the game 35-28. Thrower completed 3 out of 8 passes for 27 yards, and had one interception. He would only play one more game for the Bears, who released Thrower after the 1953 season. The NFL would not see another African-American under center until Marlin Briscoe of the Denver Broncos fifteen years later in 1968.

Canadian football

Contrary to what was published in the popular press, Thrower did not play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers or the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League.¹ He probably played with one of the many semi-pro teams in the Toronto and central Ontario region (these teams, though seldom remembered, were seen as a farm league for both the CFL and NFL) until a separated shoulder forced him to retire at age 27. After his retirement from football he became a social worker in New York City. In the late 1960s Willie worked as a child care counselor at the Hawthorne Cedar Knolls School (a residential treatment center) in Westchester County, New York.

Legacy

In 1979, he was elected to the Westmoreland County Sports Hall of Fame. In 1981, he was inducted into AK Valley Hall of Fame. In 2003, an official state marker was dedicated to him in his high school. In 2011, he was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame. In 2002, Thrower told The Valley News Dispatch of Tarentum, Pa, "I look at it like this: I was like the Jackie Robinson of football. A black quarterback was unheard of before I hit the pros,". Although, Thrower was the first African-American quarterback in the NFL, Fritz Pollard was the first African American to play on a championship team (1920), as well as the first Black quarterback (1923) and coach (1919).

Death

He died of a heart attack in New Kensington on February 20, 2002, at the age of 71. His funeral was held at the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in New Kensington, where 150 people mourned.

In 2006, a statue of Thrower was erected near Valley High School in New Kensington to honor his accomplishments. The statue was unveiled during a Valley High School football game in September attended by Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney as well as Thrower's family. Willie Thrower was also mentioned by former NFL quarterback Warren Moon in his Pro Football Hall of Fame acceptance speech. Moon thanked Thrower, among others, for giving him inspiration during a time when few African-Americans played the quarterback position in the NFL.

Notes

¹ There is no record for Willie Thrower in any of the all time rosters of the CFL teams he is often cited as playing with.

External links

• THE COFFIN CORNER: Vol. 8, No. 3 (1986): WILLIE THROWER: The First Black QB in the NFL by Robert B. Van Atta
• Willie Thrower Historical Marker
• Statue to be unveiled tonight by Tom Yerace
• Willie Thrower – 1st African American QB in the NFL
• Groundbreaking QB Willie Thrower honored with statue
• Trail blazer: Willie 'The Pro' Thrower opened door for black quarterbacks by Chuck Finder.
• Willie Thrower: Breaking Barriers
• http://www.williethepro.com/
• Willie Thrower at Find a Grave