The title is a bit misleading, as this isn't a book at all, but a very lengthy two-part article in which the Deadspin staff try to compile a list of every black QB who ever played in the NFL:
http://deadspin.com/the-big-book-of-bla ... 1517763742
Has anyone here read it? Did they miss anybody?
The Big Book of Black Quarterbacks
Re: The Big Book of Black Quarterbacks
Two that could have been, but never were:
Willie Mays played quarterback in high school. Imagine how far ahead of his time he would have been had he gone that way and actually had the opportunity to play pro.
Vida Blue also played QB in high school -- rather well. This is from http://www.lasportshall.com/inductees/b ... vida-blue/
In the spring of 1967, Vida Blue Jr. had to decide between college football and professional baseball. In football, he passed for 3,484 yards and had 1,600 yards rushing in his senior season for 5,084 yards total offense—an average of slightly more than 423 yards per game. DeSoto High outscored its opponents 314-76 in a 10-2 season. “When he was pressed, he threw a few passes with his right hand. He threw 35 touchdown passes that season. He was my offense,” recalled Desoto coach Clarence Baldwin.
The University of Houston wanted Blue to run its Veer Option offense. Alcorn State, playing in the all-black Southwestern Athletic Conference, also made a serious pitch for the lefthanded quarterback, enrolling him in a summer school in Vicksburg, Miss., to make up a credit he needed for high school graduation.
One factor in Blue's decision was the death of the father during his senior football season. That left Vida as the man of the house. For whatever reasons, he accepted the A's $25,000 bonus (spread over two years) and was assigned to Burlington, Iowa, in the Class A Midwest League.
Willie Mays played quarterback in high school. Imagine how far ahead of his time he would have been had he gone that way and actually had the opportunity to play pro.
Vida Blue also played QB in high school -- rather well. This is from http://www.lasportshall.com/inductees/b ... vida-blue/
In the spring of 1967, Vida Blue Jr. had to decide between college football and professional baseball. In football, he passed for 3,484 yards and had 1,600 yards rushing in his senior season for 5,084 yards total offense—an average of slightly more than 423 yards per game. DeSoto High outscored its opponents 314-76 in a 10-2 season. “When he was pressed, he threw a few passes with his right hand. He threw 35 touchdown passes that season. He was my offense,” recalled Desoto coach Clarence Baldwin.
The University of Houston wanted Blue to run its Veer Option offense. Alcorn State, playing in the all-black Southwestern Athletic Conference, also made a serious pitch for the lefthanded quarterback, enrolling him in a summer school in Vicksburg, Miss., to make up a credit he needed for high school graduation.
One factor in Blue's decision was the death of the father during his senior football season. That left Vida as the man of the house. For whatever reasons, he accepted the A's $25,000 bonus (spread over two years) and was assigned to Burlington, Iowa, in the Class A Midwest League.
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Retro Rider
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Re: The Big Book of Black Quarterbacks
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but Karl Douglas of the CFL's B.C. Lions (shown on list) and Montreal's Jimmy Jones made history on September 11, 1973. This marked the first time that two black QB's started in a professional football game. Douglas completed 12 passes in 22 attempts for 195 yards with no td's & 1 int. Jones completed 10 passes in 15 attempts for 120 yards with 1 td & 1 int.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p ... 3%2C591157
Douglas did not start, but saw 2nd half action on Sept. 3, 1973 in a loss at Hamilton, led by another black QB: Chuck Ealey.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p ... 3%2C591157
- jimmy Jones Alouettes @ B.C. 9-11-73.jpg (27.3 KiB) Viewed 10220 times
- Karl Douglas 1974 Royal Bank Photo - Copy.jpg (52.31 KiB) Viewed 10220 times
- Chuck Ealey Shell Oil Promo (1973).jpg (43.21 KiB) Viewed 10220 times
Last edited by Retro Rider on Wed Dec 28, 2016 11:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: The Big Book of Black Quarterbacks
Packers have only had one black QB (Seneca Wallace) take a snap in a reg season game, right?
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rhickok1109
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Re: The Big Book of Black Quarterbacks
No, there was Charlie Brackins back in 1955.slats7 wrote:Packers have only had one black QB (Seneca Wallace) take a snap in a reg season game, right?
Re: The Big Book of Black Quarterbacks
Willie Mays would have been converted into a receiver or safety or corner back. The NFL was not into black QBs, especially ones that talented, at that time.
The same would have been probably towards Vida Blue, though maybe it might have been late enough for him to be a back-up.
The same would have been probably towards Vida Blue, though maybe it might have been late enough for him to be a back-up.
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rhickok1109
- Posts: 1477
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Re: The Big Book of Black Quarterbacks
I won't try to defend the NFL against possible charges of racism, because there's no doubt that it existed. But I will point out that there are a couple of ameliorating factors.
First, when college football went back to the one-platoon system from 1954 through 1964, many quarterbacks of both colors were primarily runners, not passers. Some outstanding white quarterbacks were also moved to other positions in the NFL. Paul Hornung and Tom Matte are probably the two most notable examples. Others went to the CFL, where a quarterback's running ability was much more highly valued. For example, Jackie Parker of Mississippi is considered one of the greatest players in Canadian football history. He chose to play with the Edmonton Eskimos rather than the New York Giants because he realized he was a much better fit in Canadian football than in American football.
Second, and perhaps most important, quarterbacks from the traditionally black colleges suffered greatly from a lack of coaching. This is not a knock on black coaches; the simple fact is that, at a time when there were usually four or five assistants a major college football staff, black colleges usually had just the head coach, maybe with a little help from a volunteer alumnus. For most of their great careers, Jake Gaither and Eddie Robinson coached alone, with no assistants whatever.
I know that the Packers were very high on Charlie Brackins' size and sheer physical skills, but they couldn't spend the time necessary to teach him how to be a quarterback. Jack Vainisi lamented having to cut him for the rest of his life (which, admittedly, was only about five years).
First, when college football went back to the one-platoon system from 1954 through 1964, many quarterbacks of both colors were primarily runners, not passers. Some outstanding white quarterbacks were also moved to other positions in the NFL. Paul Hornung and Tom Matte are probably the two most notable examples. Others went to the CFL, where a quarterback's running ability was much more highly valued. For example, Jackie Parker of Mississippi is considered one of the greatest players in Canadian football history. He chose to play with the Edmonton Eskimos rather than the New York Giants because he realized he was a much better fit in Canadian football than in American football.
Second, and perhaps most important, quarterbacks from the traditionally black colleges suffered greatly from a lack of coaching. This is not a knock on black coaches; the simple fact is that, at a time when there were usually four or five assistants a major college football staff, black colleges usually had just the head coach, maybe with a little help from a volunteer alumnus. For most of their great careers, Jake Gaither and Eddie Robinson coached alone, with no assistants whatever.
I know that the Packers were very high on Charlie Brackins' size and sheer physical skills, but they couldn't spend the time necessary to teach him how to be a quarterback. Jack Vainisi lamented having to cut him for the rest of his life (which, admittedly, was only about five years).