This year, the NFL is celebrating its 100th season and a heritage that began when 11 teams met on Aug. 20, 1920, in Canton, Ohio, to form the American Professional Football Association. Pollard felt that he never received the credit or recognition for his contributions to the early years of the NFL. He opened the Sun Tan Studios, where the likes of Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole rehearsed, and produced music videos called 'soundies'. '", RELATED: Cordova High School alum Quinton Bohanna makes Dallas Cowboys 53-man roster. A memorial for Marshall outside Washington's stadium was removed in June, along with all other references to him, after it was spray-painted with the words "change the name". [25] In Week 11, Pollard had 80 rushing yards, and six catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-3 win over the Vikings, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week. It was the best game I'd ever seen.". Pollard was one of the first two along with Bobby Marshall African-Americans in the National Football League in 1920. Tony Randall Pollard (born April 30, 1997) is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). "Even if it helps just one person in the same situation as my great-grandfather, with the odds stacked against them, to persevere and make something of themselves, then it was worth it. In 1937, Fritz Pollard retired from pro football and pursued a career in business. Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here. Doyel: 100 years ago, the NFL took its first baby steps in Indiana. They knew he'd be targeted because of his size and skin colour. Race riots took place across the country. Pollards has been recognized by the Travel Channel as 1 of 10 Memphis BBQ places to visit! ", Glittering drama based on the audacious Brinks-Mat security depot heist, A corrupt copper and a Leeds gangster are bound together by decades of dishonesty. It is remarkable to watch the hoops that people will jump through, the injuries they will risk to avoid stating the rather obvious fact that Tony Pollard is a better runner than Ezekiel Elliott. For the game at Yale, Pollard had been smuggled into the stadium via a separate gate. He played college football at Memphis, and was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Pollard was carted to the X-ray room with an air cast on his leg. 128th overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, Pollard finds himself in the midst of an ever-important contract year. There was one Black head coach in the NFL in 1921. His three older brothers all played the game and felt black players could do well - if they adhered to an unwritten code of conduct. https://t.co/5repnhdcW4. They lost the game through lack of rest." For his son, the Olympic hurdler, see. "Pollard's Orange and Blue Juggernaut Crushes Camp Dix". "Becausethey didn't want him in the locker room.". The Pollards were well known in Rogers Park, a suburb on the north side of Chicago. Pollard and Bobby Marshall were the first two African-American players in the NFL in 1920. In 1919, as more than 25 race riots erupted in major U.S. cities, Fritz Pollard, a former Brown University All-American running back, joined the Akron Pros, a pro football team that would later become a charter member of the NFL. The race to compete in Super Bowl 57 is under way - how many winners since 2000 can you name? "It's terribly ironic that we live in a time that Fritz Pollard's own coaching experience in the NFL isn't really that different from today," said Aron Solomon, chief legal analyst with Today's Esquire, which provides comprehensive legal analysis on news stories of the day. That's how good the 5-9 Pollard was. But he combated such treatment with tricks he learned from his brothers. It's a game thatalmost didn't happen. In his seven-year pro career, Pollard played for four NFL teams plus two in rival leagues in Pennsylvania. Pollard himself was now in the factory town of Akron, Ohio. "(I) didnt get mad and want tofight them. From there, Black players joined the league and began dominating on the field. In 2020, there are three black coaches - the same as when the rule was instituted. At one game, a competitor started mocking Pollard's curly hair. This article is about the football pioneer. Tony Pollard Is a Special Runner. Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow. And they would state this as if it were simply true, end of story. He became their player-coach the following season. Pollard played and coached at a time when restaurants wouldn't serve him and hotels shunned him. Gibbons went on to describe an incident that happened atan Akron restaurant as Pollard sat with a group of teammates. Pollard and Co. In 40 college games, Pollard recorded 941 rushing yards and 1,292 receiving yards. He was so swift and agile that even those who scoffed -- and worse -- at a Black player, couldn't help but cheer when he ran for three50-yard touchdowns in one game. ", Tony Dungy, who became the first Black coach to win a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006, said this month the Flores suitmight be "just the tip of the iceberg. "He always let his skills on the field, and his actions off it, define who he was. Pollard left a legacy no one would soon forget in his years at UND. The Pollard family tells ABC24 how it took a village to help the former Memphis Tiger achieve his dreams. Here are five things Cowboys fans might not know about the running back and special teams ace: Pollard was raised in Memphis and decided to stay in the city when he made his college choice. He called the team Redskins in 1933, a racial slur that was only. [24] In Week 8, against Chicago, Pollard had 13 carries for 141 yards and three rushing touchdowns in the 4929 win, and was named Ground Player of the Week. That's because Pollard was an exceptional return man for Memphis. I never saw him angry.". Pollard's legacy lives on through his grandson Fritz D Pollard III (and children Meredith Pollard Russell and Marcus Pollard) his other grandson Dr Stephen Towns and granddaughter Stephanie Towns. In 2003, in response to criticism over the lack of Black coaches in the league, the NFL created the Rooney Rule, a policy that requires teams to interview at least one ethnic-minoritycandidatefor vacant head coaching jobs. He attended Albert G. Lane Manual Training High School in Chicago where he played football, baseballand ran track. He also saw how it changed between then. Pollard's magic on the field created a following for the NFL. He later worked as a tax and public relations consultant. The former Memphis standout is currently earning a base salary of $965,000 while carrying a cap charge of $1.131 million, via Spotrac. Pollard and Bobby Marshall were the first two African-American players in the NFL in 1920. He averaged 30.1 yards per return. Bleacher crowds and outside towns jeerhim and taunthim about his color," read anarticle in the Akron Evening Times December 5, 1920. Pollard was one of only two African-Americans at Brown in 1915 and the first to live on campus. Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard is on the mend. When he began playing football aged 15 in 1909, he measured 4ft 11ins and weighed 89 pounds. After leaving Brown, Pollard pursued a degree in dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania for two years. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas, 5 things to know about Cowboys RB Tony Pollard, including his connection to highly acclaimed BBQ, The Cowboys are closer than you think to a total makeover at running back, Why Rangers cautious approach with pitchers in spring training could still be risky, Jerry Jones talks Dak Prescotts Tom Brady-esque qualities and more from the NFL combine, Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving duos on-the-fly rapport gets test from Kevin Durant, Suns, A week after torching the Stars, Max Domi joins Dallas in its march toward the playoffs, DeSotos chase for third straight title continues after rout of Pearland in 6A semifinals, UIL boys basketball playoffs (6A): Tre Johnson, Lake Highlands shine; DeSoto defense rises, 2023 UIL girls state basketball: Schedule, previews and more for Dallas-area teams, 2023 UIL girls basketball state tournament pairings: See schedule for semifinal matchups, 2023 UIL boys basketball regional tournament pairings: See schedule for Dallas-area teams, A day after powerful thunderstorms, North Texas surveys the damage, 3 children killed, 2 wounded at Ellis County home; suspect in custody, How a Texas districts reaction to school shooting fears highlights discipline concerns, Carrollton man advertised pills on social media to entice teens to buy fentanyl, feds say. He feared he had squandered any chance of playing professional football. He proved me wrong.". 38. Thats Tennessees Derrick Henry, Minnesotas Dalvin Cook and Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson. On November 19, 1922, Pollard and Paul Robeson lead the Badgers to victory over the great Jim Thorpe and his Oorang Indians. At that time, black players were banned from the sport. Is Dallas becoming unaffordable due to rising housing costs, inflation and stagnating pay? Pollard's wins above replacement also ranks third in the NFL, behind Jacobs and Nick Chubb. Five of the 11 men who had agreed to ban black players were, however. During high school Pollard was actually a better baseball player, but he knew he wouldn't be able to progress. Pollard's Barber Shop was a popular neighbourhood hang-out and the Pollard boys played football for hours in the local park. As we head into the Super Bowl, here are 10 amazing facts on the incredible journey of Fritz Pollard, one of the first African-American players to play professional football and also the first to become a head coach. Subjects: Do you find this information helpful? I dont know what guidance, if any, he gives offensive coordinator Kellen Moore when it comes to using his two backs. They'd then verify the information. The Rooney Rule, however, doesn't require hiring of Black coaches, only interviewing them, said Solomon. He founded two coal delivery companies in Chicago and New York. Your email address will not be published. It was Halas, who in 1922, suggested to the other owners that the name of the league be changed from the American Professional Football Association to the National Football League. It's cheaper. Then they leapt from their chairs, grabbed the waiter and proceeded to artistically maul him until he consented to wait on Pollard. The Depression ended the Brown Bombers' run in 1938, and Pollard went on to other ventures, including a talent agency, tax consulting, and film and music production. He has amassed 1,279 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns while sharing load with Elliott. They were the suburb's only black family. In those times, Memphis-area trainers and coaches like Tim Thompson stepped up to do their part. Pollard's family grew up Pittsburgh Steelers fans, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. I said 'No you're not, sit down.' In 1954 Pollard became the second African American selected to the College Football Hall of Fame. "They threw rocks at me and called me all kinds of names. In his freshman year, he was the only black player in the Ivy League and Brown's win over Yale saw them earn an invite to the Rose Bowl in January 1916. "It was bad for white people to come and watch Black people who have jobs.". He registered 29 receptions for 298 yards (10.3-yard avg. Pollard coached Lincoln University's football team in Oxford, Pennsylvania during the 1918 to 1920 seasons [4] and served as athletic director of the school's World War I era Students' Army Training Corps. Pollard tied an NCAA record with seven kickoff returns for touchdowns. He founded a newspaper, and set up an investment fund and a company trading coal. His imprint on this issue is felt daily through the work of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, an organization that advocates for diversity and equality in coaching, scouting and the front office in the NFL. He has a better burst. Courtesy of Brown University, Providence, R.I. (1894-1986). That's 4.8%. When returning kick-offs, he often dived to the floor, leaving the tacklers to collide with each other, before getting back to his feet to continue running. Yet the social revolution that Pollard led in the professional game is largely responsible for the sports endurance as the countrys most popular spectator sport. "They couldn't find anything so I said 'you're looking in the wrong papers'," says Fritz III. In 1919, he signed on to play for the Akron Pros in the American Professional Football Association, which was renamed the NFL in 1922. He coached and managed all-black teams in exhibition games, giving them a chance to showcase their talent. When Pollard played, the NFL was new, rough and tumble, a backyard type of experiment, said Towns. Since Pollard got here in 2019, he has 10 runs of 20 yards or more in 203 carries about one every 20 rushing attempts. Tony Randall Pollard (born April 30, 1997) is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). The Dallas Cowboys selected Tony Pollard in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. said his grandson Dr. Stephen Towns, a dentist in Indianapolis. The NFL has now acknowledged it did exist.external-link. The US summer of 1919 was known as the Red Summer. Yet he welcomed Pollard with a highly abusive racial slur, saying he was going to kill him. Mother Amanda was a respected seamstress while father John was a successful businessman. The opposing teams gave me hell too.". Pollard. Days later, Pollard played in abenefit game inPittsburgh and was greeted with a hero's welcome. He is the sonof a despised race. [1] He helped the team reach the playoffs, while making over 1,200 receiving yards, 20 touchdowns and being named All-District 16-AAA. 3: See photos from DeSoto's Class 6A state semifinal win over Pearland, A day after powerful thunderstorms, North Texas surveys the damage, 3 children killed, 2 wounded at Ellis County home; suspect in custody, How a Texas districts reaction to school shooting fears highlights discipline concerns, Carrollton man advertised pills on social media to entice teens to buy fentanyl, feds say. He wanted the trails he blazed to change the future of the NFL. January 26, 2023 11:18 am CT. NFL pioneer Fritz Pollard's life story more relevant than ever Published: Jun 17, 2020 at 05:18 PM Anthony Smith "Fritz Pollard: A Forgotten Man", directed and produced by NFL Network senior. Pollard established theNew York Independent News, the first weekly black tabloid. [9], On January 11, 2019, Pollard declared for the 2019 NFL Draft. "I kind of love it. Pollard ended his playing career in 1926, aged 32. "He's the one that taught everybody how to barbeque.". He also blamed the school for not providing the proper equipment. Since that letter, Dungy says"not a lot has changed. Pollard continued to play and coach in the NFL until 1926. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [11], Pollard was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (128th overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft. The family had prospered. Today, SI looks back on the legacy of Fritz Pollard. "The NFL has one fundamental beliefabout Black coaches. With the US in the depths of the Great Depression and millions of white people unemployed, he argued that paying black men to play football would be bad for business. His Black fans "were so wild over having him in their midst that they arranged a parade and met him at the railroad depot," wrote Gibbons. When he was tackled, he'd flip on to his back and pedal his feet in the air to stop opponents piling on to him. When the Los Angeles Raiders hired Art Shell as head coach in 1989, he was asked in a live broadcast how it felt to be the NFL's first black coach. Omissions? With his last words, spoken to his family in 2003, he said: "Don't forget your quest.". "And it has been discouraging to see that in the last three hiring cycles of head coaches, things have not been much different. 0:00. He also worked as director of an army YMCAand coached football at Lincoln University. But the fleet-footed running back quickly became the team's star player, dubbed 'the human torpedo' because he ran so low to the turf. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. There have been 24 in total, with three currently among the 32 teams, despite about 70% of NFL players being from ethnic minorities. Rival fans would taunt Pollard with it throughout his career. BBC Sport looks at some of the stories that make Super Bowl LVII one of the most exciting yet as the Kansas City Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles. As he faced criticism and discrimination, Pollard didn't fight back, not off the field. Pollard got all of 13 carries and turned it into 109 yards, his second biggest day as a pro. Pro Football Hall of Fame (inducted 2005), https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fritz-Pollard, Ohio History Central - Biography of Frederick D. Pollard, Pro Football Hall of Fame - Biography of Fritz Pollard, Fritz Pollard - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. ", "I will never tell a child again to sit down. Given all that we have seen, its a safe bet the winning wont continue forever for this club. He missed the 1920 Howard game, he said, because his Lincoln salary was so low that he was compelled to augment it with pay from Akron.[9]. During 19181919, he led the team to a victorious season defeating Howard University's Bisons 130[5] in the annual Thanksgiving classic as well as Hampton University (70) on November 9, 1918, and teams of military recruits at Camp Dix (190) on November 2, 1918,[6] and Camp Upton (410). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. "They said no African Americans, period, because it was bad for business," said Towns. He played college football at Memphis, and was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft . Be the smartest Cowboys fan. Its a safe bet that Elliotts numbers will go up, and that he will eventually get so many more chances than Pollard that he will pass him in yards. degree on Pollard, recognizing his achievements as athlete and leader.