Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I opened my e-mail today to find a Change.org petition to get Kenny Washington into the HOF. 5th grade students at Johnson Intermediary School in Johnson, NY are circulating "Liza's petition" in an effort to get the hall to induct Kenny for "breaking the color barrier & changing the face of the NFL". The 44 students of Mrs Turner & Mrs Rice, with support from the Kenny Washington Foundation are calling for his admittance to the hall. Anyone in the greater NY area want to go into Mrs Turner's class & give them the bad news?

JohnR wrote:I opened my e-mail today to find a Change.org petition to get Kenny Washington into the HOF. 5th grade students at Johnson Intermediary School in Johnson, NY are circulating "Liza's petition" in an effort to get the hall to induct Kenny for "breaking the color barrier & changing the face of the NFL". The 44 students of Mrs Turner & Mrs Rice, with support from the Kenny Washington Foundation are calling for his admittance to the hall. Anyone in the greater NY area want to go into Mrs Turner's class & give them the bad news?

Someone definitely needs to tell them about Duke Slater, at the very least. Besides, Washington only played three seasons, and if memory serves, you have to have played at least five years to be eligible for the HoF.

I agree that Slater should be in the Hall of Fame, but I think the reporting on this petition may have given the wrong impression that those behind it don't acknowledge players like Pollard and Slater. On the Kenny Washington Stadium Foundation Facebook page they note that Washington broke a barrier " that had been closed to African-American athletes for almost a decade and a half." https://www.facebook.com/KWSFoundation And the petition is being circulated by Joe Horrigan, so I will sign it - the 5 year rule could be waived in acknowledgement that, as the petition says, The color ban robbed Kenny Washington of valuable time in professional football. Maybe others would like to sign it at https://www.change.org/p/joe-horrigan-p ... ll-of-fame

Again, there is no doubt that Washington overcame tremendous racism during his short NFL playing career...no question about that. But it's no different than the racism that Slater, Lillard, Strode, Kemp, Willis, Motley, Pollard, etc. etc. etc. all faced. He's not the only guy who overcame hardships or blazed a trail for African-American players to follow. On the petition, the Kenny Washington supporters claim that Washington "first broke the color barrier in the modern day NFL"...but I'd still like someone to explain how the NFL in 1946 was inherently more "modern" than the NFL of 1931 in which Slater played. Do these folks believe racism didn't exist in 1931? Or was it only "pre-modern" racism?

If you want to waive the five-year rule for Washington because the color ban robbed him of several years of service time, why not waive it for Lillard? Or Kemp? Or Strode? Or the guys like Ozzie Simmons, who had his WHOLE CAREER - not just a portion of it - robbed by the ban? And if you're going to take into account careers shortened by the color ban, why not consider other career-shortening factors outside of an athlete's control...like injuries with Terrell Davis? Or noble causes like Pat Tillman's? Where does it end?

I don't want to minimize Washington's contributions - they're deserving of acknowledgment, recognition, and praise, when they're not being exaggerated - but the fact of the matter is that Duke Slater is a far more deserving African-American Hall of Fame candidate from that era in terms of, you know, actual play on the field - which is the only thing the Hall of Fame was ever supposed to take into account.

Hopefully petitions like this can be used as a moment to educate well-meaning but ignorant fans. I mean, just read the petition's comments, like this one from Donna Converse in Johnson City, NY: "Kenny Washington deserves recognition as the first African-American player in the NFL." Or this one from James Molyneaux in Binghamton, NY: "Kenny Washington SHOULD be in the HOF as the first black NFL player." Or this one from Aaron Kaspereit in Oklahoma City, OK: "How can the first African-American player NOT be a significant contribution?" Sigh. See how quickly the Washington supporters' "in the modern era" qualifier gets dropped?

Maybe the Hall of Fame will finally consider inducting Slater if only to remind folks like this that he existed. I'm only kidding. But it's important to let these people know that they've been misled to make comments like that, comments which are absolutely insulting to the legacies of folks like Slater and Pollard. Obviously, there's still much work to be done.

Rozehawk wrote: If you want to waive the five-year rule for Washington because the color ban robbed him of several years of service time, why not waive it for Lillard? Or Kemp? Or Strode? Or the guys like Ozzie Simmons, who had his WHOLE CAREER - not just a portion of it - robbed by the ban? And if you're going to take into account careers shortened by the color ban, why not consider other career-shortening factors outside of an athlete's control...like injuries with Terrell Davis? Or noble causes like Pat Tillman's? Where does it end?

I don't want to minimize Washington's contributions - they're deserving of acknowledgment, recognition, and praise, when they're not being exaggerated - but the fact of the matter is that Duke Slater is a far more deserving African-American Hall of Fame candidate from that era in terms of, you know, actual play on the field - which is the only thing the Hall of Fame was ever supposed to take into account..

Or career shortening factors like 4 years of playing time lost due to WW 2. The idea that great potential could somehow be formulated into a measure of actual deeds is absurd. (If it can be, then I'm circulating a petition for Burle Tolar.) If we're looking for an African-American NFL pioneer (contributor?), who would be most deserving?

Have seen the idea of baseball players getting "war credit" regarding their HoF case before, especially with Joe Gordon. There are NFL players who I guess could get some kind of military service credit -- Gene Brito, Dick Barwegen, Lou Rymkus, Mac Speedie (not in the HoF), Ace Parker, George McAfee, Dick Stanfel, Bill Dudley, Wayne Millner, Charlie Trippi, Tony Canadeo (all in the HoF). Not to mention Al Blozis.

I'm with Neal on this one and I don't usually disagree with Mike (Thanks for the links and adding more background on this though.). With Motley and Willis from the same era deservedly in the HOF regardless of what race they would have been, I don't see the need to push for Washington - I could probably be swayed if there was evidence that he was great in the PCFL, but no one seems to know that. I support Duke Slater, but not because of race - he just seems like a deserving candidate. It's pretty amazing that 2/4 were among the all-time greats - if they all had been just average players I think it would change the discussion.

Also, I went to the HOF site and I can't find a any statement of their criteria let alone confirm the mentioned 5 year minimum career requirement - can anyone point me in the right direction? That may also sway me if I read the criteria and Washington felt like a fit. Thanks.

I would gladly sign a petition for most of the under-appreciated players mentioned - and I make no value judgment on relative merits - but I am happy that someone cares enough to get a petition going and that the Kenny Washington Stadium Foundation is working on rebuilding a high school field and stadium. If they care about Washington, pretty soon they'll run into Slater, who would be tops on my list.