Written by K.Moreland-Lee –
via FlyPaperNews.com
Frederick Douglass Fritz Pollard was the first Black professional
quarterback for the Hammond Pros in the early 1920’s. He ran track and
played football in high school, and on a collegiate level at Brown
University.
As a freshman, he became the first Black man to play in the Rose Bowl when he led the team against Washington in 1915. Fritz set a world record running the low hurdles, and qualified for the Olympic team in 1916.
He also made strides in the NFL: as the first Black head coach, and by
organizing the first inter-racial all-star game to showcase Black players.
Pollard died in 1986 at the age of 92. Source
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