African Americans in college football, Part 1: The early years

Race and violence on the field

During the early 1920s, flags in the predominately black areas of New York and Chicago would fly with the words “A Negro was Lynched in the South” anytime the Klu Klux Klan murdered a black man or woman in the deep south. Unfortunately, violence and death found its way on the football field during this time as well. There is a myriad of stories of late hits, and other cheap shots to black football players during this time and no consequences for the white perpetrators.

Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa, is named after black football player Jack Trice. Not only was Trice the first black football player for Iowa State, but he was also the Cyclones’ first black athlete. What’s most notable about Trice was his keen self-awareness.

In fact, 1923 was his first year playing varsity and he was well aware of the weight of the moment as he wrote a letter before his first game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. His first varsity game, unfortunately, would be his last. He was trampled by Gopher players during the game and died as a result of his injuries.

Almost 30 years after Trice’s tragic death, Drake University halfback/quarterback Johnny Bright was maliciously attacked in a game against Oklahoma A&M — now Oklahoma State. After handing the ball off to teammate and fullback Gene Macomber, Bright was brutally hit with a forearm when he was no longer involved in the play.

Two things came out of this tragic play: First, a rule was created to disqualify a player for hitting another player with a forearm and second, the pictures of the incident would win a Pulitzer Prize.