As a freshman in 1915, Pollard led Brown to the Rose Bowl against Washington State, becoming the first African-American to play in the Rose Bowl ... In 1916, he led Brown to an 8-1 record with 12 touchdowns ... Against Yale, Pollard gained 144 yards rushing, 74 on kickoff returns, and 76 on punt returns (1 TD) ... Versus Harvard, he gained 148 yards rushing, 44 on punt returns, and 51 as a pass receiver in Brown’s first victory over the Crimson (2 TDs) ... Brown was first college to defeat Yale and Harvard in the same season ... Pollard was named to Walter Camp’s All- American first team, the first African- American in the backfield ... In the 1930s he was named to Grantland Rice’s “Dream Team.”
Professional Football CareerInvolved in the American Professional Football Association for seven years (1919-26) ... Pollard began with Akron Pros, which became part of the APFA in 1920 ... Akron won the first professional football national championship in 1920 (unbeaten) ... One of the first three African American players in early pro football; Pollard and Jim Thorpe were the major gate attractions ... As a player/coach at Akron, he introduced formations used at Brown under E.N. Robinson ... Pollard was the first African- American head coach in NFL – Hammond, Ind., Pros ... In 1923, he was the first African- American quarterback in NFL ... He recruited prominent black players for APFA and NFL ... Pollard organized the first interracial all-star game in Chicago to showcase African American players; Pollard pressed for integrated competition in professional football ... He was the first African American to play in Pennsylvania Coal League ... Pollard was hired as a gate attraction for the Providence Steamrollers-Chicago Bears exhibition game at Braves Field, Boston, in December 1925 (Pollard -vs- Red Grange) ... He organized an All-Star African American team (Chicago Black Hawks) to promote interracial football, hired aspiring young players and NFL veterans ... Pollard coached all-black team in New York (Brown Bombers) from 1935 to 1938.
Business Ventures Fritz Pollard founded first black investment firm, F.D. Pollard and Co. ... He established first weekly black tabloid (N.Y. Independent News) ... Pollard managed Suntan Movie Studio in Harlem ... He founded coal delivery companies in Chicago and New York ... As a theatrical agent, Pollard booked black talent in white clubs in New York ... He served as a tax consultant.
Died: May 11, 1986For more about Fritz Pollard:Daniel Coyle, “Invisible Men.” Sports Illustrated, December 15, 2003 John M. Carroll, Fritz Pollard: Pioneer in Racial Advancement. (University of Illinois Press; 1992)
Professional Football CareerInvolved in the American Professional Football Association for seven years (1919-26) ... Pollard began with Akron Pros, which became part of the APFA in 1920 ... Akron won the first professional football national championship in 1920 (unbeaten) ... One of the first three African American players in early pro football; Pollard and Jim Thorpe were the major gate attractions ... As a player/coach at Akron, he introduced formations used at Brown under E.N. Robinson ... Pollard was the first African- American head coach in NFL – Hammond, Ind., Pros ... In 1923, he was the first African- American quarterback in NFL ... He recruited prominent black players for APFA and NFL ... Pollard organized the first interracial all-star game in Chicago to showcase African American players; Pollard pressed for integrated competition in professional football ... He was the first African American to play in Pennsylvania Coal League ... Pollard was hired as a gate attraction for the Providence Steamrollers-Chicago Bears exhibition game at Braves Field, Boston, in December 1925 (Pollard -vs- Red Grange) ... He organized an All-Star African American team (Chicago Black Hawks) to promote interracial football, hired aspiring young players and NFL veterans ... Pollard coached all-black team in New York (Brown Bombers) from 1935 to 1938.
Business Ventures Fritz Pollard founded first black investment firm, F.D. Pollard and Co. ... He established first weekly black tabloid (N.Y. Independent News) ... Pollard managed Suntan Movie Studio in Harlem ... He founded coal delivery companies in Chicago and New York ... As a theatrical agent, Pollard booked black talent in white clubs in New York ... He served as a tax consultant.
Died: May 11, 1986For more about Fritz Pollard:Daniel Coyle, “Invisible Men.” Sports Illustrated, December 15, 2003 John M. Carroll, Fritz Pollard: Pioneer in Racial Advancement. (University of Illinois Press; 1992)
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