Overcoming odds . . . .

 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12:1)

Our past is full of heroes who did not allow the past or present to influence their lives. They pushed through harsh circumstances and not only persevered, but set new marks for themselves and others. Frederick Douglass Pollard was such a man . . .

Did you know?

Frederick Douglass Pollard was born in an affluent neighborhood in Chicago on January 27, 1894, to John William, a barber, and Catherine Amanda Hughs Pollard, a seamstress. The seventh of eight children, he was affectionately called Fred, but later nicknamed "Fritz" by neighborhood residents, a name that stuck with him throughout life. He was, however, named after civil rights leader Frederick Douglass, a famous abolitionist whom his parents had heard speak the preceding year. Pollard attributed much of his success in life to his ancestors, who—through tremendous hard work, courage, and a pioneering spirit—thrived and prospered during the era of slavery. Even though his grandparents and great grandparents had been Virginia slaves, the family became free yeomen farmers after the Revolutionary War and through hard work overcame tremendous odds.

A highly successful football and track athlete, Fritz Pollard became the first African American to play in the Rose Bowl when he played for Brown University in 1916 and the first African American to coach in the National Football League (NFL) in 1922. During the early days of professional football, Pollard was an energetic promoter of integrated rosters, recruiting prominent black players to the NFL and organizing exhibition games to showcase their talents. He assembled and coached the all-black Chicago Black Hawks football team, which became one of the most popular teams from 1929 to 1932. After retiring from his successful coaching career, Pollard founded a number of businesses and established a weekly black tabloid. He then became a successful casting agent, producing videos and a film that featured African-American entertainers. Among his many honors, he was the first African American to be elected into the National College Football Hall of Fame as well as the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Brown University. Along with his own amazing athletic ability and accomplishments, Pollard was a courageous advocate for confronting racial barriers and creating opportunities for African Americans, both in the athletic and business world.

Read more: Fritz Pollard Biography - Football, African, American, and Brown - JRank Articles https://biography.jrank.org/pages/2817/Pollard-Fritz.html#ixzz6nO65wZ59