Frederick Douglass "Fritz" Pollard was born Jan. 27, 1894. For his son, the Olympic hurdler, see. And believe us, Fritz got some service after that.". In the second quarter of the Cowboys-49ers divisional matchup, the Cowboys running back had his left ankle trapped underneath a . Tony Pollard OUT Again - But Dallas Cowboys Have Emergency Injury Plan So that played a big part too. Florence Griffith Joyner Jackie Joyner-Kersee Wilma Rudolph Althea Gibson. Aged 21, Pollard was only 5ft 8ins - small for football, even then. As a redshirt freshman, he appeared in 13 games, of which he started seven. Here are five things Cowboys fans might not know about the running back and special teams ace: Stayed home. He is closing in on 1,700 runs and receptions while just starting his sixth season. He repeated as the American Athletic Conference's Special Teams Player of the Year. Pollard was posthumously inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in . Race riots took place across the country. 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. Newspaper articles at the time, who described Pollard as a "colored" coach, praised his stellar football IQ. In 40 college games, Pollard recorded 941 rushing yards and 1,292 receiving yards. After leaving Brown, Pollard pursued a degree in dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania for two years. He attended Albert G. Lane Manual Training High School in Chicago where he played football, baseballand ran track. The Life And Career Of NFL Pioneer Fritz Pollard (Complete Story) "They threw rocks at me and called me all kinds of names. Pollard would probably recognize all of this as progress for both black people and the game, but chances are he would call on the NFL to do more to increase the number of black head coaches, front office executives and team owners. Pollard is severely underpaid as a mid-round draft pick. They'd then verify the information. Whatever Happened To Tiffany "New York" Pollard? - NickiSwift.com He also saw how it changed between then. Speaking of food, the running back's family owns a restaurant called "Pollard's BBQ" located in Memphis. "And it's not even close.". 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. "African-Americans have historically been drummed out of the quarterback position and shifted into more 'athletic' positions like wide receiver, defensive back or running back," says Professor N Jeremi Duru of American University in Washington DC, one of the leading experts in US sports law and discrimination. 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When the team went to sign in at the hotel, the front desk refused Pollard. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. He played college football at Memphis, and was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. And of the 12-year absence of blacks from the league from 1934 to 1946, Halas would say, Probably the game didnt have the appeal to black players at the time.. Coming out of the Reconstruction era which followed the American Civil War, the Pollards wanted to live free from the racial oppression of segregation laws in the south and had moved from Oklahoma in 1886. For decades the team owners claimed there was no unwritten agreement. His brother Terrion now carries on the family tradition, working with his dad at Pollard's. Yet the next summer Denver held quarterback meetings without him and he asked to be released. It's kind of weird to say, but I. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. That'sjust the way the times were back then," Pollard would say. By February 1933, there had been 13 black players in the NFL. In a decade during which hundreds of African-Americans were still being lynched, he was playing a 'white man's game' when the NFL was in its brutal infancy. Given all that we have seen, its a safe bet the winning wont continue forever for this club. How Cowboys RB Tony Pollard went from BBQ to budding NFL star Two days after he suffered a broken left fibula and high ankle sprain in Dallas' 19-12 loss against the San . But on Thursday night at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, as a sign of how far things have come since Pollards day, 70 percent of the players on the active rosters of the Bears and Packers were black, a statistic that mirrors the dominant presence of blacks on the field in a league that had $8.78 billion in revenue in 2018. He played college football at Memphis, and was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft . As a player, coach and team owner, he was as important as any single figure in helping to put the league on a course to become the sprawling multibillion-dollar juggernaut that it is today. Pollard grew up in Rogers Park, a community area on the north side of Chicago, Ill. Some sources indicate that Pollard also served as co-coach of the Milwaukee Badgers with Budge Garrett for part of the 1922 season. ), 31 carries for 159 yards (5.1-yard avg.) USA TODAY. Pollard. Frederick "Fritz" Pollard saw what the world was like in the 1890s and the 1980s. Growingup, Towns said his grandfather didn't complain or talk much about those trials. 1. The Bears recently unveiled statues of Halas and one of his great draft choices, Walter Payton, the Hall of Fame running back, who could not have played in the league were it not for the sacrifices of men like Pollard. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Still, some players didn't like that Pollard was playing and they despised even more that he was a star player in the NFL. Tony Randall Pollard (born April 30, 1997) is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). 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. The Dallas Cowboys selectedTony Pollard in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In 1916 Pollards outstanding play led Brown to a season of eight victories and one defeat, including wins over both Yale and Harvard. There was one Black head coach in the NFL in 1921 when a tiny, incrediblyfast running back named Fritz Pollard was hired to coach theAkron Pros at the same time he played for the team. Three years later, the National Football League hired its second black head coach, Arthur "Art" Shell of the Oakland ( California) Raiders. Bothered by an upset stomach, the running back ran a 4.52 40-yard dash at the combine, which was a slow time for him. He wanted the trails he blazed to change the future of the NFL. "But I'm not," he said. (I'd) just look at themand grin, and the next minute run 80 yards for a touchdown.". Pollard had died just three years before, at the age of 92, but so many people were only hearing his name for the first time. Remembering Fritz Pollard Jr.'s Olympic legacy - UND Today Pollard was the only Akron player named in the All-Pro side, but when the team received their championship trophy, he wasn't invited. Pollard was one of only two African-Americans at Brown in 1915 and the first to live on campus. It was a German-immigrant part of town. His brother Terrion now carries on the family tradition, working with his dad at Pollard's. "I kind of love it. "Members of the Akron Pros swear by Pollard," wroteJack Gibbons of The Akron Beacon Journal on Nov.30, 1920. Then a fateful meeting took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The new owner of a team there had got in touch with him. Pollard underwent surgery. Days later, Pollard played in abenefit game inPittsburgh and was greeted with a hero's welcome. Pollard attended Albert G. Lane Manual Training High School in Chicago, also known as "Lane Tech," where he played football, baseball, and ran track. He left Memphis as one of the most accomplish kick returners in NCAA history. Pollard left a legacy no one would soon forget in his years at UND. Cowboys RB Tony Pollard suffered broken leg, high ankle sprain in loss But its unlikely Zeke will get beyond 4.5 yards per carry, where he finished in 2019. "He was at a game and they thought he was a mascot because he was so tiny," she said. 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. The figure to keep Pollard from becoming a free agent is $10.1 million. When Pollard died in 1986, after careers with a talent agency, tax consultingand film and music production,his obituary noted he was still the league's only head Black coach. As Fritz Jr handed down his collection of memorabilia in the 1990s, Fritz III began contacting each member of the Hall of Fame's 48-person selection committee, stating his grandfather's case for inclusion. 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. 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. Flores suit came afterthe New York Giants hiredBrian Daboll over him as head coach. All the while, he faced death threats from students and opposing teams. NFL: Fritz Pollard's pioneering role in American football history Are you an NFL rookie? He's also caught 39 passes for 337 yards. (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of NFL Co-Founder Carl Storck (Story), The Life And Career Of Jim Thorpe (Complete Story), Top 20 Most Underrated Coaches In NFL History (Complete List), The Life And Career Of QB Jim Plunkett (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Deion Sanders (Complete Story). Black players began dominatingthe NFL. There was one Black head coach in the NFL in 1921. He had two returns for touchdown and was named the American Athletic Conference's Special Teams Player of the Year. [19] In Week 15 against the San Francisco 49ers, Pollard recorded 132 yards from scrimmage and two rushing touchdowns during the 4133 win. They lost the game through lack of rest." Fritz Pollard (1894-1986) - BlackPast.org His teammates took a stand. Brown finished with an 8-1 record, with their star player selected in the All-America team. Todd Brock. In 1921, he became the co-head coach of the Akron Pros, while still maintaining his roster position as running back. If I figured a hotel or restaurant didnt want me, I stayed away. Frederick Douglass "Fritz" Pollard (January 27, 1894 May 11, 1986) was an American football player and coach. For decades the team owners claimed there was no unwritten agreement. He has a better burst. There have been500 head coaches in the NFL's history 24 of them have been Black. Pollard's wins above replacement also ranks third in the NFL, behind Jacobs and Nick Chubb. Pollard and Thorpe were pro football's highest-paid players, the main attractions. Frederick Douglass " Fritz " Pollard (January 27, 1894 - May 11, 1986) was an American football player and coach. Some 27 years before Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier in baseball, Fritz Pollard was the best player for the first NFL champions in 1920. "My son is on TV playing for the Cowboys? Since Pollard got here in 2019, he has 10 runs of 20 yards or more in 203 carries about one every 20 rushing attempts. He averaged 30.1 yards per return. All Rights Reserved. It was only the beginning of Pollard breaking down racialbarriers. The opposing teams gave me hell too.". The 5-9, 165-pound back, who led Brown to the Rose Bowl in 1915, turned pro in 1919, when he joined the Akron (OH) Pros following army service during World War I. Pollard and Bobby Marshall were the first two African-American players in the NFL in 1920. Omissions? When Pollard comes in, the defense focuses on the passing game. Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com. "I don't need to get hit every Sunday. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Pollard's BBQ is back open on Sundaysbut you better have your Cowboys gear on. 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. Since that letter, Dungy says"not a lot has changed. The final was 13-0 with Robeson scoring both touchdowns in his finest pro football performance. Gibbons went on to describe an incident that happened atan Akron restaurant as Pollard sat with a group of teammates. Latest on Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN He produced Rockin' the Blues[11] in 1956, which included such performers as Connie Carroll, The Harptones, The Five Miller Sisters, Pearl Woods,[12] Linda Hopkins, Elyce Roberts, The Hurricanes, and The Wanderers. Teams would take kick-offs short, so that Pollard could be gang-tackled as soon as he received the ball. Is Dallas becoming unaffordable due to rising housing costs, inflation and stagnating pay? Pollard left a lasting impression in Providence. It's cheaper. 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. [6], As a junior, even though he shared the backfield with Darrell Henderson, he totaled 78 carries for 552 yards (7.1-yard avg. Pollard was small, even for. If they think they can't do something or belittle themselves. Alternate titles: Frederick Douglass Pollard, Sr. Regents Professor of History at Lamar University. 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. When Pollard played, the NFL was new, rough and tumble, a backyard type of experiment, said Towns. It was the first time a team had beaten them both in the same season, and Pollard won each game almost single-handedly. 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. His three older brothers all played the game and felt black players could do well - if they adhered to an unwritten code of conduct. This February, Sports Illustrated is celebrating Black History Month by spotlighting a different iconic athlete every day. 128th overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, Pollard finds himself in the midst of an ever-important contract year. Example video title will go here for this video. Fritz Pollard: The Small Running Back Who Broke Big Barriers "Fans have, perhaps, noticed that after staging one of his brilliant runs for a touchdown he seeks a place of seclusion sometimes even going so far to duck underneath the stands.". [7] By the fall of 1920, he had begun to play for Akron, missing key Lincoln losses to Hampton (014) and Howard (042), much to the consternation of the alumni and administration. Pollard becamethe first Black man to play in the Rose Bowl. Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here. Pollard and Bobby Marshall were the first two African-American players in the NFL in 1920. At that time, black players were banned from the sport. One opposing school'sfans would sing "Bye Bye Blackbird"when his grandfathercame on the field, Towns said. FRISCO, Texas At the age of 14, Tony Pollard started flipping burgers at his family's famous restaurant, Pollard's Bar-B-Que on Elvis Presley Boulevard, in Memphis, Tenn . The same players that shunned Pollard four months earlier were now bringing him food. "You couldn't eat in the restaurants or stay in the hotels," Pollard told the New York Times in 1978. But Fritz would get up laughing and smiling every time. In 1937, Fritz Pollard retired from pro football and pursued a career in business. USA TODAY NFL insider Mike Jones breaks down former Miami Dolphins' head coach Brian Flores' lawsuit against the NFL, Giants and Dolphins. The next year, he was named co-head coach as he continued to play for the Pros. Here's the latest on Pollard's injury: Tony Pollard injury update. 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). In 1917 he enlisted in the army, serving as a physical director in Maryland while coaching at the all-black Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. The former Memphis standout is currently earning a base salary of $965,000 while carrying a cap charge of $1.131 million, via Spotrac. A year ago when Pollard averaged 4.3 to Zekes 4.0, and when Pollard got a late-season start against San Francisco and ran for 69 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries, it was because the 49ers were injured and prepared to face Elliott. By Farrell Evans. I said 'yeah, I know, that's what I've been telling you'.". Cowboys believed in Tony Pollard, and now they are letting him cook In Akron, Pollard became the first black head coach and quarterback in the NFL and the most vocal advocate for black players in the formative years of the league. 'Feels Like Home:' electrical failure from a light fixture caused December fire that killed 1, Shelby County reporting an increase in drug-related overdoses, largely due to fentanyl, Severe weather threat is over | Prepare for a sunny weekend, Daylight saving time starts soon. Pollard wanted the same thing. Pollard played and coached at a time when restaurants wouldn't serve him and hotels shunned him. Surrounded by family and BBQ. Pollard's son Fritz Jr competed at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany, winning a bronze medal in the 110m hurdles before serving in the US army in World War II. Halas was involved with the Chicago Bears from their creation in 1920 until his death in 1983, first as a player, then coach and team owner. Pollard's family grew up Pittsburgh Steelers fans, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Fritz Pollard was born in Chicago in 1894, the seventh of eight children. On the train coming out, Pollard hadn't been allowed to sit with his teammates in the dining car. He played and coached when, despite being the highest paid player in the league $1,500 a game he wasn't allowed to dresswith his team. The Pollards have been Barbequing for four generations. He managed the Suntan Movie Studio in Harlem. Corrections? 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. is tony pollard related to fritz pollard - ega69.com 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. But not all teams were integrated until Bobby Mitchell joined the Washington (Commanders) in 1962. Don't let anyone tell you 'no'. Mark Wahlberg pours tequila for fans at Dallas restaurant during thunderstorm, Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving tandem clicks with joint 40-point displays in Mavs win vs. 76ers, Dallas Cowboys focused on adding another dynamic offensive weapon, 12 Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants that have closed in 2023, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones responds to Lakers star LeBron James comments. this year amid mounting pressure. Tony Pollard Is Worth the Price, and Cowboys Should Consider Paying It Imagine NFL stars of today like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson having to arrive moments before kick-off and being driven on to the field. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Updated January 24, 2023 3:22 PM. NFL's first Black coach Fritz Pollard faced racial discrimination . While Brown lost the Rose Bowl 14-0 to Washington State,it was a historic game. The Yale supporters also turned 'Bye Bye Blackbird', a popular song of the day, into a racially abusive anthem. He also worked as director of an army YMCAand coached football at Lincoln University. In 1923, while playing for the Hammond Pros, he became the first African American quarterback in the league. It was really important to us as a family to get that known. My father had taught me that I was too big to be humiliated by prejudiced whites. ProFootballHistory.com. 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. Rival fans would taunt Pollard with it throughout his career. His mother was Native American, his father an African American who boxed professionally during the Civil War. Pollard had a subpar game in a 140 defeat to Washington State, but he became the first African American to play in the Rose Bowl game. [21], In Week 2, against the Los Angeles Chargers, Pollard totaled 137 scrimmage yards in the 2017 victory. He never played quarterback again. Born Frederick Douglass Pollard in 1894 - after the abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass - his nickname Fritz reflected Rogers Park's predominantly German make-up. As a football player, entertainment promoter and social activist, Pollard might have applauded the leagues partnership with Jay-Z and his entertainment company to use musical events to build community relations. The rule is named for former Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who chaired the league's diversity committee. "The NFL has one fundamental beliefabout Black coaches. Cowboys' Tony Pollard disagrees with RB coach on maximum snap load Hundreds of black people were killed by white supremacists. Pollard got all of 13 carries and turned it into 109 yards, his second biggest day as a pro. Since this would be the second consecutive season on . Some of the worst violence took place in Pollard's home town of Chicago. [8] Paul Robeson was enlisted by Lincoln's alumni to coach the Thanksgiving 1920 game against Howard. Fritz Pollard: An African American founding father of the NFL - NBC News His is a story for too long left untold. That's 4.8%. He became their player-coach the following season.