Fritz Pollard
Frederick Douglass “Fritz” Pollard 1894 - 1986
Once Frederick Douglass “Fritz” Pollard, the Ivy League All-American runningback kicked open the door, thousands after him walked through. After Pollard’s college career ended at Brown University, he joined the Akron Pros. While he was not the first Black professional football player, he had the most significant impact on the sport’s integration.
Like most Black men in the U.S., Pollard overcame extreme racial barriers. Pollard endured the shouting of racial slurs and death threats while competing in the Ivy League. One of the worst moments of his college career came when the Yale University Audience repeatedly sang “Bye Bye Blackbird” while Pollard took the field.
Pollard put this hate behind him and became the first Black player in Rose Bowl history. After turning professional, Pollard helped his Akron Pros transition from the American Professional Football Association to the National Football League.
The racial prejudice that Pollard experienced in college did not end simply with his turning pro. On the Akron Pros, some of Pollard’s teammates openly expressed disappointment with his spot on the team. But Pollard refused to allow racism to deter him from achieving his goals. He let the hate to fuel him and eventually earned the respect of his teammates and coaches who then advocated for Pollard during road trips.
Pollard was an instant star in Akron. Reporters and fans alike who witnessed his athleticism universally claimed they had never seen anything like it, when describing his speed. When Pollard touched the ball, it was not unwise to assume he would score. He was that dominant. Despite his slight frame, and light build, Pollard managed to lead the Akron Pros to a world championship in 1920, the first professional football title for any franchise.
Pollard broke through several glass ceilings professionally. He made history in his third season with Akron when he was named player-coach. This made him the first Black head coach in NFL history. When his new team the Hammond Pros moved him to quarterback in 1923, Pollard became the first Black quarterback in NFL history.
Pollard’s exhibition of leadership and understanding of the game while coaching Akron, allowed him to coach other franchises, including: the Milwaukee Badgers, the Hammond Pros, the Providence Steam Roller, and the Harlem Brown Bombers.
In recognition of his tireless campaigning for equal opportunities, and the league’s failure to provide adequate opportunities for racial diversity, the NFL established the Fritz Pollard Alliance in 2003. The group was dedicated to fostering an environment that creates opportunities for candidates of color seeking front-office positions.
