The Seven Steelers Who Rebroke The Colour Barrier

Editor’s Word: This text was initially written on Feb. 10, 2020. We’re working it once more in celebration of Black Historical past Month.

In 1933, linemen Ray Kemp grew to become the primary African American to ever put on a Pittsburgh Steelers (then the Pittsburgh Pirates) uniform, showing in three video games in its place sort out. On the time, he was certainly one of simply two Black gamers in skilled soccer. There was additionally Joe Lillard, halfback for the Chicago Cardinals, taking part in from 1932 to 1933.

The league by no means formally segregated however it was an owner-wide understanding to not signal Black gamers. No different African American would play within the NFL till 1946, when working again Kenny Washington rebroke the colour barrier for the Los Angeles Rams. Groups didn’t reintegrate abruptly both. The ultimate staff to do it, Washington, waited till 1962 when it signed Bobby Mitchell and Ron Hatcher.

So what about Pittsburgh? When did the franchise reintegrate? Historical past says little or no.

Examine the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame’s official listing and it notes that FB Jack Spinks performed for the Steelers in 1952. However he wasn’t the one one.

The truth is, there have been seven African-American gamers signed by Pittsburgh previous to the 1952 season. Spinks was certainly one of solely two to seem in a regular-season sport, however all had been trailblazers for his or her time, the primary steps of eroding away soccer’s historical past of racism and bigotry.

The seven Steelers are:

T Ted BensonT Charlie ThomasHB Invoice RobinsonFB Jack SpinksOG/T Ray NewmanHB “Suitcase” Willie SmithHB Clyde Atkins

All of them deserve particular recognition for his or her place in soccer historical past. That’s what we’ll do right this moment.

Ted Benson – 6-5/245 T Morris Brown

Benson ought to be credited as the primary Black participant signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The now defunct Pittsburgh Press, the clipping proven under, famous he was signed March 2, 1952. He starred for 4 years at HBCU Morris Brown. Credit score Kemp, the primary Black Steeler, for pushing Benson via the door. He really useful Benson to new Steelers’ head coach Joe Bach.

There was an actual alternative for him to make the staff as 1952 started with Ernie Stautner’s “don’t call it a holdout,” a time period the staff by no means formally used. Stautner owned a drive-in and a bus line again residence in New York, needing to seek out somebody to run these companies earlier than he may resume his soccer profession. He didn’t report back to camp till Aug. 5, lacking roughly per week’s value of practices. He wasn’t the one one. Star LB Jerry Shipkey hung out away from the staff for an unspecified private difficulty, returning Aug. 4, whereas finish Hank Manarik missed your complete season with a indifferent retina suffered the yr earlier than. It will in the end finish his soccer profession.

However Benson’s time in Pittsburgh was short-lived. Bach, putting in the T formation (Pittsburgh was the NFL’s final to change from the one wing), carried out bodily demanding practices. After a “light” session on July 28, the staff held its first actual follow the twenty ninth.

Benson, together with a number of others, had been minimize on the thirtieth, Bach declaring these gamers not bodily match sufficient to deserve a spot on the roster.

Switching sports activities, he briefly performed basketball within the Jap Basketball Affiliation. In 4 video games with the Hazelton Hawks, he averaged 12 factors and eight.5 rebounds per sport.

‘Suitcase’ Willie Smith – HB/West Virginia State

Some press clippings from the time solely point out 4 Black gamers as being a part of the ’52 camp roster: Benson, Thomas, Robinson, and Spinks. However earlier editions paint a special story. Like halfback “Suitcase” Willie Smith.

He grew up the place professional soccer principally started. Born in Massillon, Ohio, in 1930, the Massillon Tigers had been certainly one of professional soccer’s early powerhouses, going undefeated in 1904, 1905, and 1907.

He attended West Virginia State – the identical college as Invoice Nunn, by the best way – on athletic scholarship, taking part in basketball and soccer. His basketball staff received the convention championship all 4 years he attended, and he was co-captain of the soccer staff his senior yr.

That’s additionally the place he earned the nickname “Suitcase,” exhibiting up in school with nothing however a lone suitcase.

Smith’s time in Pittsburgh was much like Benson’s, certainly one of 12 minimize on July 30 for, in Bach’s thoughts, not being bodily able to compete.

“The new Steeler coach apparently has set minimum physical standards for his players. Those who did not measure up were released without further consideration.”

Though the timeline is unclear, he served as a second lieutenant within the Military throughout the Korean Battle earlier than returning stateside and opening a number of companies, together with Beeson’s Video Parlor and Buddy’s Flame Restaurant and Lounge within the West Virginia and Washington, D.C., areas.

He was inducted into the West Virginia State Corridor of Fame in 1986. Smith handed away Jan. 4, 2006, on the age of 75.

Ray Newman – OG/Central State (aka Wilberforce College)

Newman, like Smith, was a reputation I got here throughout alongside the best way. Data on him is terribly scarce. He made it via the primary week of Steelers practices however was launched by Bach on Aug. 7, the ultimate cutdown previous to the Steelers’ first preseason sport.

Jack Spinks/FB 6-0 238 Alcorn A&M

Spinks is probably the most well-known title on the listing and the participant the Corridor formally acknowledges as reintegrating the franchise. There’s some debate about which Black participant was a part of the Steelers first. As famous above, the Press says Benson was the primary on the staff in early March 1952. However Spinks and Invoice Robinson had been the primary African-American gamers drafted in franchise historical past. The draft that yr was held in January, two months earlier than Benson’s deal. It appears Spinks signed his contract after Benson in the midst of March however who was “first” is extra of a moot level right here.

The 1952 draft was a historic one. Throughout the league, 10 black gamers had been chosen, beginning with Ollie Matson, taken third general by the Cardinals. Matson could be certainly one of soccer’s best runners, ending his profession solely behind Jim Brown in all-purpose yards and inducted into Canton in 1972.

In line with reviews on the time, the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers had curiosity in Spinks however thought they might signal him after the draft. Groups had been shocked when Pittsburgh nabbed him within the eleventh spherical.

Spinks performed one season with Pittsburgh, that ’52 season, carrying the ball 22 instances for 94 yards whereas chipping in two receptions. Right here’s a clip of him, No. 37, taking this handoff earlier than lateraling it to HB Fran Rogel.

He would play for 3 extra groups throughout the remainder of his NFL profession: Chicago in 1953, Inexperienced Bay in 1955-1956, and the New York Giants in 1956-1957.

Right here is an superior, high-resolution picture of Spinks and Robinson, courtesy of the Carnegie Museum of Artwork. Robinson is on the left, Spinks on the proper.

Invoice Robinson – 6-0 205/HB Lincoln

Robinson was the second Black Steeler drafted, taken within the twenty fifth spherical. An area product from Pittsburgh, Nunn, writing for the Pittsburgh Courier, predicted the staff had curiosity in Robinson. Little doubt the group valued his columns and data, finally resulting in Nunn being satisfied to hitch the entrance workplace. The Chief additionally reportedly knew Robinson rising up because of their native ties. Kemp, as we’ve famous, was the AD at Lincoln, the place Robinson attended, and that will have had an affect in him getting drafted.

Pittsburgh launched him on Sept. 23, 5 days earlier than its first regular-season sport towards Philadelphia (the Steelers would lose, 31-25) because it whittled the roster all the way down to 37, 4 above the league’s max. However he lasted via the preseason, that means he logged precise snaps with the franchise.

He latched onto Inexperienced Bay later that yr for no less than a pair of video games. After spending time within the CFL with Winnipeg — Robinson would later say he most well-liked taking part in up north due its collegiate really feel — he circled again to the NFL eight years after getting into it, spending one season with the New York Titans of their inaugural yr in 1960.

Right here’s a photograph of Robinson and Spinks from Steelers coaching camp. The 2 confirmed up early to hit the bottom working, regardless of Bach solely mandating quarterbacks and facilities to report a few week beforehand to arrange for working the T formation.

Charlie Thomas – 6-2 245/T Alcorn A&M

At 6-2 ,245 kilos, he was one of many greater gamers on the roster throughout his transient keep on the staff.

Clyde Atkins – HB/William Penn

Curiously, Atkins wasn’t even included in that group of six Black gamers proven above. However there’s a reference to him when he was minimize by the staff on Aug. 6. It’s unknown when he was signed and attainable he was introduced onto the roster someday proper after coaching camp. That may clarify why he wasn’t within the picture, which was taken in late July.

Earlier than becoming a member of Pittsburgh, he spent a part of the 1951 preseason with the Chicago Cardinals however broke two ribs in a sport towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers, squashing his possibilities of making the roster.

He was additionally an completed boxer and all-around athlete. Publish-football, he married jazz singer Sarah Vaughan, although it lasted solely from 1958-1963.