"Crack Lincoln University Team Coached by Fritz Pollard". Football pioneer Walter Camp called Pollard "one of the greatest runners these eyes have ever seen."[1]. When I started research for this story, I had assumed that Fritz Pollard was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 1921 the Pros named Pollard co-coach of the team, earning him the distinction of the first African American to coach in NFL history. Pollard became the first (and until 1989, only) black coach in 1921; during the early-to-mid-1920s, the league used player-coaches and did not have separate coaching staffs. Pollard’s name was not resurrected until 1989 – three years after his death – when Art Shell became coach of the Raiders. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. In 1916 Pollard’s outstanding play led Brown to a season of eight victories and one defeat, including wins over both Yale and Harvard. Born Fredrick Douglass Pollard on January 27, 1894 in Chicago, Ill., Pollard grew up in the German-Immigrant… The photo is Pollard and Paul Robeson in … degree on Pollard, recognizing his achievements as athlete and leader. The following year Pollard was the star player for the Akron Pros, who won the first NFL championship. He said, ‘I’m not. They said, ‘How do you feel to be the first black coach in the NFL? By the time the NFL's second black head coach was appointed in 1989, Pollard, who died in 1986, had long been written out of the history books. Fritz Pollard, the NFL's first African-American head coach, was a true pioneer of the sport. Fritz Pollard (January 27, 1894 – May 11, 1986) was an American football player and coach. After he was let go by Akron (which had changed its name to the Indians) in 1926, Pollard continued to promote integration in professional football as a coach of the barnstorming Chicago Black Hawks (1928–32) and the New York Brown Bombers (1935–37). Some people are destined to be coordinators and not head coaches. The group resolved to form an organization and took the name Fritz Pollard Alliance in honor of Fritz Pollard, the NFL’s first African American head coach. But his family’s quest finally came to fruition in 2005 when – two years after his son’s death – Pollard was inducted into the Hall of Fame. SUBSCRIBE NOW $39 for One Year. As Coach: 2 Yrs (Full Record) “They did an interview with him live. Corrections? Pollard played halfback on the Brown football team, which went to the 1916 Rose Bowl. In 1923, while playing for the Hammond Pros, he became the first African American quarterback in the league. “Art Shell knew” about Pollard, said Fritz Pollard III. Author of. After service in World War I, Pollard became head football coach at Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) and began playing professional football for Akron in the informal Ohio League in 1919. Reference: The National Collegiate Athletic Association 700 W. Washington Street P.O. Fritz Pollard, byname of Frederick Douglass Pollard, Sr., (born January 27, 1894, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died May 11, 1986, Silver Spring, Maryland), pioneering African American player and coach in American collegiate and professional gridiron football. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, 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). During 1923 and 1924, he played for the Gilberton Cadamounts, an independent pro team. Fritz Pollard: An African American founding father of the NFL Fritz Pollard made history as NFL's first black coach and quarterback Fritz Pollard, the Brown University halfback, in 1916. He later played pro football with the Akron Pros, the team he would lead to the NFL (APFA) championship in 1920. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Fritz Pollard When this story was published in February 2004, Fritz Pollard of Brown University had been passed over for the Pro Football Hall of Fame more than 40 times. Died: May 11, 1986 in Silver Spring, MD. Among Pollard's achievements, his most notable is the distinction he owns as the league's first Black coach. He was the first African American head coach in the National Football League (NFL). Professional football player, coach, businessman. both as a players and coach. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. [2] He was the first black football player at Brown. In 1919, while Pollard was coaching at Lincoln University, a black college near Philadelphia, he was recruited to play halfback for the Akron Indians in the informal Ohio league. For his son, the Olympic hurdler, see. To become a Coach After service in World War I, Pollard became head football coach at Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) and began playing professional football for Akron in the informal Ohio League in 1919. Thereof, when did Fritz Pollard become a coach? He was the first black football player at Brown. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. AP Photo “I … Fritz Pollard, 81, who was one of the first black head coaches in pro football history, reminisces at his home in New Rochelle, New York, on Feb. 12, 1975. After leaving Brown, Pollard briefly pursued other interests before taking a job as the football coach at Lincoln University (Pennsylvania). Box 6222 Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6222. 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. Fritz Pollard died on May 11, 1986 in Silver Springs, MD. As Player: 6 Yrs Pollard also facilitated integration in the NFL by recruiting other African American players such as Paul Robeson, Jay Mayo Williams, and John Shelbourne and by organizing the first interracial all-star game featuring NFL players in 1922. Fritz Pollard was.’ Former Iowa strength coach Chris Doyle resigned from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday night, head coach Urban Meyer announced. [7] By the fall of 1920, he had begun to play for Akron, missing key Lincoln losses to Hampton (0–14) and Howard (0–42), much to the consternation of the alumni and administration. Frederick Douglass “Fritz” Pollard was the first black quarterback in NFL’s history and later became the game’s first black coach in 1921. In 1923 and 1924, he served as head coach for the Hammond Pros.[2]. Fritz would go on to become one of the brilliant runners and important gate attractions in the American [9], In the 1930s, Pollard founded his own professional football team, the Brown Bombers. Regents’ Professor of History at Lamar University. [8], Pollard later criticized Lincoln's administration, saying they had hampered his ability to coach and had refused to provide adequate travel accommodations for the team. In 1954 Pollard became the second African American selected to the College Football Hall of Fame. "Pollard's Orange and Blue Juggernaut Crushes Camp Dix". Omissions? College: Bates, Brown (College Stats) High School: Lane Tech Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2005 . In 1923, he … Fritz Pollard was an early pioneer of professional football and was one of the first two Black players in the NFL. Frazier was 21-32 as a head coach. In 1916 Pollard’s outstanding play led Brown to a season of eight victories and one defeat, including wins over both Yale and Harvard. In 1923, he became the first Black professional quarterback. "No cabins were provided, nor were they given a place to sleep after reaching Hampton. Pollard attended Albert G. Lane Manual Training High School in Chicago, also known as "Lane Tech," where he played football, baseball, and ran track. In Pollard's time, the National Football League did not permit blacks to play or coach, following the lead of major league baseball. He also coached other NFL teams: the Milwaukee Badgers (1922), the Hammond Pros (1923 and 1925) and the Providence Steam Roller (1925) and the Brown Bombers (1935-1938). [3] He became the first black running back to be named to Walter Camp's All-America team. He became the first black running back to be named to Walter Camp's All-America team. 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. "I, myself, bought and paid $200 out of my pocket for football shoes for the team." Frederick Douglass “Fritz” Pollard (1894-1986) was the first African American head coach to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Canton, OH). Died: May 11, 1986 in Silver Spring, MD. Pollard remained the only black coach in NFL history until the Raiders hired Art Shell in 1989. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). As a member of the new league, Pollard immediately earned a place in pro football history as one of just two African Americans in the new league. In 1921, he became the co-head coach of the Akron Pros, while still maintaining his roster position as running back. He then went to Brown University, majoring in chemistry. He also coached the Gilberton Cadamounts, a non-NFL team. In 1921, Pollard became the NFL’s first Black head coach when he was named Akron’s player-coach. In August 2005, he finally found a home in Canton. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Frederick Douglass Pollard Position: TB-BB-WB 5-9, 165lb (175cm, 74kg) Born: January 27, 1894 in Chicago, IL. In 1919 when he was recruited to play for the Akron Pros, who joined the fledgling APFA in 1920. [12] Pollard also published the New York Independent News from 1935 to 1942, purportedly the first black-owned tabloid in New York City.[13]. He spent some time organizing all-black barnstorming teams, including the Chicago Black Hawks in 1928 and the Harlem Brown Bombers in the 1930s. During 1918–1919, he led the team to a victorious season defeating Howard University's Bisons 13–0[5] in the annual Thanksgiving classic as well as Hampton (7–0) on November 9, 1918, and teams of military recruits at Camp Dix (19–0) on November 2, 1918,[6] and Camp Upton (41–0). As the 2020 National Football League season gets into high gear it is good to remember, as one coach did today, Fritz Pollard, the first black NFL coach. He was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Fritz Pollard was one of the first African-Americans to play professional football and the first African-American coach, but most football fans have never heard his name. Pollard died in 1986 at the age of 92, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. They lost the game through lack of rest." This article is about the African American football pioneer. Maybe he just isn’t good at interviews. A highly successful football and track athlete, Fritz Pollard became the first African American to play in the Rose Bowl when he played for Brown Universityin 1916 and the first African American to coach in … This … College: Bates, Brown (College Stats) High School: Lane Tech Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2005 . After becoming a coach for the NFL, Pollard was known to coach up to four different teams in a single season. Fritz Pollard. Bieniemy did get several interviews. Contemporary accounts indicate that Pollard, an exciting elusive runner, was the most feared running back in the fledgling league. 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. In 2005, Fritz Pollard was posthumously inducted into the, In 2015, Pollard was posthumously inducted into the, This page was last edited on 5 March 2021, at 15:51. Pollard and Bobby Marshall were the first two African American players in the NFL in 1920. ''Akron was a factory town … "Fred Pollard Finishes as Coach for Lincoln", Racial issues faced by black quarterbacks, "Jim Muldoon inducted into Rose Bowl Hall of Fame", "Mark Brunell, Fritz Pollard, Tyrone Wheatley and Jim Muldoon to be Inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame presented by Northwestern Mutual", "Alpha Athletes at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany", Brown University and the Black Coaches Association establish annual Fritz Pollard Award, Fritz Pollard and early African American professional football players, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fritz_Pollard&oldid=1010458926, Players of American football from Illinois, African-American coaches of American football, African-American players of American football, Short description is different from Wikidata, NFL player missing current team parameter, Infobox NFL biography articles missing alt text and caption, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Some sources indicate that Pollard also served as co-coach of the Milwaukee Badgers with Budge Garrett for part of the 1922 season. He also blamed the school for not providing the proper equipment. Fritz Pollard was the only minority head coach in NFL history (which was during the league's early years in the 1920s) and by the time the rule was implemented, only Tom Flores, Art Shell, Dennis Green, Ray Rhodes, Tony Dungy, and Herman Edwards had ever held head coaching jobs. Reasons and Patrick, "Pollard Set Records as Black Football Player, Coach". While the NFL is under scrutiny for lack of minority hiring for coaches and GMs, the Fritz Pollard Alliance commended the Jaguars' process. Pollard attended Albert G. Lane Manual Training High School in Chicago, also known as "Lane Tech," where he played football, baseball, and ran track. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Pollard had a subpar game in a 14–0 defeat to Washington State, but he became the first African American to play in the Rose Bowl game. "Prior to the Hampton game, the team was compelled to go to Hampton by boat, sleeping on the decks and under portholes," he told a reporter. Fritz Pollard. The following year Pollard was the star player for the Akron Pros, who … Fritz Pollard and Bobby Marshall were the first black players in what is now the NFL in 1920. But he was not officially listed as a head coach until the 1923, 1924 and 1925 seasons with the Hammond Pros of Indiana. Updates? By the time the NFL’s second black head coach was appointed in 1989, Pollard, who died in 1986, had long been written out of the history books. He was the first African American selected to a backfield position on Walter Camp’s All-America team (1916) and the first African American head coach in the National Football League (NFL), with the Akron Pros in 1921. 1894-1986. Frederick Douglass Pollard Position: TB-BB-WB 5-9, 165lb (175cm, 74kg) Born: January 27, 1894 in Chicago, IL. Pollard coached Lincoln University's football team 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 played halfback on the Brown football team, which went to the 1916 Rose Bowl. In 1981 Brown University conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) [8] Paul Robeson was enlisted by Lincoln's alumni to coach the Thanksgiving 1920 game against Howard. 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. In 1921 he earned another distinction becoming the first African American head coach in NFL history when the Pros named him co-coach of the team. Only 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 metres) and 150 pounds (68 kg), Pollard won the grudging acceptance of his teammates at Brown University in Rhode Island in 1915, leading the team to a victory over Yale and an invitation to the Tournament of Roses game in Pasadena, California. He produced Rockin' the Blues[10] in 1956, which included such performers as Connie Carroll, The Harptones, The Five Miller Sisters, Pearl Woods,[11] Linda Hopkins, Elyce Roberts, The Hurricanes, and The Wanderers. Fritz Pollard. Pollard continued to play and coach in the NFL until 1926. In 1921 he earned another distinction becoming the first African American head coach in NFL history when the Pros named him co-coach of the team. First African American NFL Coach, Fritz Pollard (born January 27, 1894, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died May 11, 1986) 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. He was appointed the first African-American head coach in the National Football League coaching the Akron Pros (1920-1921) and (1925-1926).

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