Fritz Pollard
Pollard in 1916 | |||||||||
| No. 9, 1 | |||||||||
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| Position | Back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | January 27, 1894 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | May 11, 1986 (aged 92) Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 165 lb (75 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Lane Tech (Chicago, IL) | ||||||||
| College | Brown (1915–1916) | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
Playing | |||||||||
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Coaching | |||||||||
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| Career statistics | |||||||||
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| Coaching profile at Pro Football Reference | |||||||||
Frederick Douglass "Fritz" Pollard (January 27, 1894 – May 11, 1986) was an American professional football player and coach. In 1921, he became the first African-American head coach in the National Football League (NFL). Pollard and Bobby Marshall were the first two African-American players in the NFL in 1920. He is also recognized as the first Black quarterback in NFL history, playing the position for the Hammond Pros in 1923. Football pioneer Walter Camp called Pollard "one of the greatest runners these eyes have ever seen."