Willie Thrower
Encyclopedia
Willie Lawrence Thrower (March 22, 1930 – February 20, 2002) was a American football
quarterback. Born near Pittsburgh in New Kensington, Pennsylvania
, Thrower was known as "Mitts" for his large hands and arm strength compared to his 5'11 frame. He was known to toss a football 60 yards. Thrower was a part of the 1952 Michigan State Spartans
who won the national championship, He became the first African American
to appear at the quarterback
position in the National Football League
(NFL), playing for the Chicago Bears
in 1953. Thrower would often joke that even his neighbors did not believe this claim, as his accomplishment was not as well-publicized as Jackie Robinson's breaking of the baseball
color barrier in 1947.
After brief stints in Canadian football leagues, Thrower worked as a social worker in New York, where he lived with his wife Mary and their three sons. He later relocated to New Kensington, where he lived the remainder of his life as a tavern owner. In 2002 at the age of 71, he died of heart failure.
) as a freshman just after the end of World War II
in 1945. Single wing halfbacks received a direct center snap, and then had run, handoff, or pass options. The team lost 2 games. However, head coach Don Fletcher moved Thrower to quarterback. From his sophomore to senior yeas, New Kensington won 24 straight games, including the 1946 and 1947 Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) Class AA championships. He would only lose one game in his career. As a dual-threat qiarterback, Thrower was also a All-WPIAL and all-state first team honors, and he was named captain for an All-American scholastic selection covering the nation east of the Mississippi River
. His final high school record was 35-3-1.
Despite his accomplishments, Thrower still experienced racism. In 1947, the Miami, Florida
Peanut Bowl, featuring top high school teams around the country, rescinded the invitation it had extended to Ken High to play in the annual prep classic game when organizers saw a photograph of its star. In addition, many colleges opted not to extend Thrower a scholarship when they discovered his ethnicity.
alongside some of his high school teammates William Horrell, Joseph Klein, Renaldo Kozikowski, Vincent Pisano, and the Tamburo brothers, Harry and Richard. He would remain in East Lansing for three years from 1949–1952, competing with playing time for quarterback with All-Americans Al Dorow
and Tom Yewcic
. Under head coach Clarence "Biggie" Munn Thrower became the first black quarterback to play in the Big Ten Conference
in 1950 in his first year of varsity eligibility (NCAA rules dictated no freshman on varsity preventing Thrower, who was a freshman in 1949, to play) although during the first two years of his varsity career, he had only attempted 14 passes.
During the 1952 championship season, Thrower was an integral part of the title run, completing 59 percent of his passes (29-of-43) for 400 yards and five touchdowns. In a crucial game with Notre Dame, Thrower stepped in for a injured Tom Yewcic and threw a touchdown in a 21-3 win. In his final game in a Spartan uniform, Thrower completed seven of his 11 attempts for 71 yards and a touchdown, and added a rushing touchdown in a dominating 62-13 win over Marquette that sealed the nation's No. 1 ranking, and championship, for Michigan State.
sportswriter George Strickland
Although Thrower was not drafted in 1953
, he was offered one year, $8,500 contract with the Chicago Bears. He became the backup quarterback and roommate to future Pro Football Hall of Famer George Blanda, who coincidentally grew up in Westmoreland County
, the same area where Thrower lived.
The young quarterback did not play until October 18, 1953 against the San Fransisco 49ers. Bears coach George Halas
was unhappy with Blanda's play and pulled him, sending in Thrower. He moved the team to the 15 yard line of the 49ers, but was denied a chance to scored a TD when Halas put Blanda back into the game. The Bears eventually lost the game 35-28. Thrower completed 3 out of 8 passes for 27 yards, and had one interception. He would only play one more game for the Bears, who released Thrower after the 1953 season. The NFL would not see another African-American under center until Marlin Briscoe
of the Denver Broncos
fifteen years later in 1968.
or the Toronto Argonauts
in the Canadian Football League
.1 He probably played with one of the many semi-pro teams in the Toronto and central Ontario region (these teams, though seldom remembered, were seen as a farm league for both the CFL
and NFL
) until a separated shoulder forced him to retire at age 27. After his retirement from football he became a social worker in New York City
. In the late 1960s Willie worked as a child care counselor at the Hawthorne Cedar Knolls School (a residential treatment center) in Westchester County, New York.
In 2002, Thrower told The Valley News Dispatch of Tarentum, Pa, "I look at it like this: I was like the Jackie Robinson of football. A black quarterback was unheard of before I hit the pros,". Although, Thrower was the first African-American quarterback in the NFL, Fritz Pollard was the first African American to play on a championship team (1920), as well as the first Black quarterback (1923) and coach (1919).
in New Kensington on February 20, 2002, at the age of 71. His funeral was held at the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in New Kensington, where 150 people mourned.
In 2006, a statue of Thrower was erected near Valley High School
in New Kensington to honor his accomplishments. The statue was unveiled during a Valley High School football game in September attended by Pittsburgh Steelers
owner Dan Rooney
as well as Thrower's family. Willie Thrower was also mentioned by former NFL quarterback Warren Moon
in his Pro Football Hall of Fame
acceptance speech. Moon thanked Thrower, among others, for giving him inspiration during a time when few African-Americans played the quarterback position in the NFL.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback. Born near Pittsburgh in New Kensington, Pennsylvania
New Kensington, Pennsylvania
New Kensington is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania situated along the Allegheny River northeast of Pittsburgh. The population was 14,701 at the 2000 Census. The mayor of New Kensington is Tom Guzzo , elected in 2009. He succeeded Mayor Frank E. Link , elected in 2001.-History:New...
, Thrower was known as "Mitts" for his large hands and arm strength compared to his 5'11 frame. He was known to toss a football 60 yards. Thrower was a part of the 1952 Michigan State Spartans
1952 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 1952 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1952 college football season. The Spartans had an undefeated season and won the National Championship.-Schedule:-Rivalries:...
who won the national championship, He became the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to appear at the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
position in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL), playing for the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1953. Thrower would often joke that even his neighbors did not believe this claim, as his accomplishment was not as well-publicized as Jackie Robinson's breaking of the baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
color barrier in 1947.
After brief stints in Canadian football leagues, Thrower worked as a social worker in New York, where he lived with his wife Mary and their three sons. He later relocated to New Kensington, where he lived the remainder of his life as a tavern owner. In 2002 at the age of 71, he died of heart failure.
Early life
Thrower played halfback in the single-wing formation for New Kesington High (present-name: Valley High SchoolValley High School (New Kensington, Pennsylvania)
For schools of the same name, see Valley High SchoolValley High School is a public school in New Kensington, Westmoreland County in the U.S...
) as a freshman just after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1945. Single wing halfbacks received a direct center snap, and then had run, handoff, or pass options. The team lost 2 games. However, head coach Don Fletcher moved Thrower to quarterback. From his sophomore to senior yeas, New Kensington won 24 straight games, including the 1946 and 1947 Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) Class AA championships. He would only lose one game in his career. As a dual-threat qiarterback, Thrower was also a All-WPIAL and all-state first team honors, and he was named captain for an All-American scholastic selection covering the nation east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. His final high school record was 35-3-1.
Despite his accomplishments, Thrower still experienced racism. In 1947, the Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Peanut Bowl, featuring top high school teams around the country, rescinded the invitation it had extended to Ken High to play in the annual prep classic game when organizers saw a photograph of its star. In addition, many colleges opted not to extend Thrower a scholarship when they discovered his ethnicity.
College football
After graduating, Thrower chose to play collegiate football for the Michigan State SpartansMichigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
alongside some of his high school teammates William Horrell, Joseph Klein, Renaldo Kozikowski, Vincent Pisano, and the Tamburo brothers, Harry and Richard. He would remain in East Lansing for three years from 1949–1952, competing with playing time for quarterback with All-Americans Al Dorow
Al Dorow
Albert Richard "Al" Dorow was an American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback. He played collegiately for Michigan State and professionally in the National Football League and the American Football League....
and Tom Yewcic
Tom Yewcic
Thomas J. Yewcic is a former American football quarterback and punter and Major League Baseball player. He attended Michigan State University, where, as a baseball player, he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1954 College World Series despite his team not reaching the championship game...
. Under head coach Clarence "Biggie" Munn Thrower became the first black quarterback to play in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
in 1950 in his first year of varsity eligibility (NCAA rules dictated no freshman on varsity preventing Thrower, who was a freshman in 1949, to play) although during the first two years of his varsity career, he had only attempted 14 passes.
During the 1952 championship season, Thrower was an integral part of the title run, completing 59 percent of his passes (29-of-43) for 400 yards and five touchdowns. In a crucial game with Notre Dame, Thrower stepped in for a injured Tom Yewcic and threw a touchdown in a 21-3 win. In his final game in a Spartan uniform, Thrower completed seven of his 11 attempts for 71 yards and a touchdown, and added a rushing touchdown in a dominating 62-13 win over Marquette that sealed the nation's No. 1 ranking, and championship, for Michigan State.
National Football League (1953)
- Oct. 19, 1952 execrpt of Thrower's first NFL game by Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
sportswriter George Strickland
Although Thrower was not drafted in 1953
1953 NFL Draft
The 1953 National Football League Draft was held on January 22, 1953.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
, he was offered one year, $8,500 contract with the Chicago Bears. He became the backup quarterback and roommate to future Pro Football Hall of Famer George Blanda, who coincidentally grew up in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County may refer to:In Australia:* Westmoreland County, New South Wales* the former name of Westmoreland Land District, Tasmania, AustraliaIn the United Kingdom* WestmorelandIn the United States:* Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania...
, the same area where Thrower lived.
The young quarterback did not play until October 18, 1953 against the San Fransisco 49ers. Bears coach George Halas
George Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...
was unhappy with Blanda's play and pulled him, sending in Thrower. He moved the team to the 15 yard line of the 49ers, but was denied a chance to scored a TD when Halas put Blanda back into the game. The Bears eventually lost the game 35-28. Thrower completed 3 out of 8 passes for 27 yards, and had one interception. He would only play one more game for the Bears, who released Thrower after the 1953 season. The NFL would not see another African-American under center until Marlin Briscoe
Marlin Briscoe
Marlin Oliver Briscoe is a former American collegiate and Professional Football wide receiver/quarterback who played professionally for nine years...
of the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
fifteen years later in 1968.
Canadian football
Contrary to reports published in the popular press, Thrower did not play for the Winnipeg Blue BombersWinnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
or the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
.1 He probably played with one of the many semi-pro teams in the Toronto and central Ontario region (these teams, though seldom remembered, were seen as a farm league for both the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
and NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
) until a separated shoulder forced him to retire at age 27. After his retirement from football he became a social worker in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In the late 1960s Willie worked as a child care counselor at the Hawthorne Cedar Knolls School (a residential treatment center) in Westchester County, New York.
Legacy
In 1979, he was elected to the Westmoreland County Sports Hall of Fame. In 1981, he was inducted into AK Valley Hall of Fame. In 2003, an official state marker was dedicated to him in his high school. In 2011, he was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame.In 2002, Thrower told The Valley News Dispatch of Tarentum, Pa, "I look at it like this: I was like the Jackie Robinson of football. A black quarterback was unheard of before I hit the pros,". Although, Thrower was the first African-American quarterback in the NFL, Fritz Pollard was the first African American to play on a championship team (1920), as well as the first Black quarterback (1923) and coach (1919).
Death
He died of a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in New Kensington on February 20, 2002, at the age of 71. His funeral was held at the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in New Kensington, where 150 people mourned.
In 2006, a statue of Thrower was erected near Valley High School
Valley High School (New Kensington, Pennsylvania)
For schools of the same name, see Valley High SchoolValley High School is a public school in New Kensington, Westmoreland County in the U.S...
in New Kensington to honor his accomplishments. The statue was unveiled during a Valley High School football game in September attended by Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
owner Dan Rooney
Dan Rooney
Daniel Milton "Dan" Rooney is the United States Ambassador to Ireland. He is chairman emeritus of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team in the National Football League , which was founded by his father, Art Rooney. Rooney was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 for his contributions...
as well as Thrower's family. Willie Thrower was also mentioned by former NFL quarterback Warren Moon
Warren Moon
Harold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
in his Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
acceptance speech. Moon thanked Thrower, among others, for giving him inspiration during a time when few African-Americans played the quarterback position in the NFL.
External links
- http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:6oBIKvjZdkgJ:www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/08-03-261.pdf+willie+thrower+high+school&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESh-R31MwmuFZUVlKwEnnh7_hqHAE4WGvL9Uhqsf2AIxzu5ZOd_2Og2i4qR9KjZ1zXTpfgnKelRCbGysHqq3vDFC2esXthvZI5ZQGc8RwhaA5xwmwi58aL01JRFroM1w_ASjq_PW&sig=AHIEtbTd-00vMDPqdcb7BRHgYi5UUvozlwTHE COFFIN CORNER: Vol. 8, No. 3 (1986): WILLIE THROWER: The First Black QB in the NFL ] by Robert B. Van Atta
- Willie Thrower Historical Marker
- Statue to be unveiled tonight by Tom Yerace
- Willie Thrower – 1st African American QB in the NFL
- Groundbreaking QB Willie Thrower honored with statue
- Trail blazer: Willie 'The Pro' Thrower opened door for black quarterbacks by Chuck Finder.
- Willie Thrower: Breaking Barriers
- http://www.williethepro.com/