Throwback Thursday: Branch Rickey's Blueprint

I always enjoy finding connections between people thoughout football history. Whether it's coaches that worked together at an earlier time. Or players that were high school teammates or rivals. I often find these links fascinating. I've long known that Charles Follis became the first black professional football player when he played for the Shelby Athletic Club in 1904. Shelby was a solid team in the Western Pennsylvania professional leagues at that time. Like all minorities in the unfortunate "white man's world," Follis saw his share of abuse. He experienced it in life and he experienced it on the football field. On the field and off, Follis had a self-confidence and an inner serenity that helped him through both. He dealt with taunts without ever retaliating. He was always at peace despite the often brutal treatment. This would be difficult anywhere. It's unbelievable in the violent world of football. This example of temperament was apparent to observers at the time and it would make an impact later. When Follis played baseball for the College of Wooster in Ohio in 1901 and 1902, he also encountered physical and verbal abuse. He never retaliated with words or violence. A fellow named Branch Rickey just happened to play baseball at nearby Ohio Wesleyan, and he witnessed Follis' play. Rickey was impressed with Follis' athletic ability. He was even more impressed with Follis' temperament. Years later, it was the model of Charles Follis that Branch Rickey tried to impress onto Jackie Robinson.