researching obscure college football player--1951 Topps Magic #65 Bill Matthews

[TanksAndSpartans]

Maris61, happy to add to the thread - glad you started it.

Mike, NFL Network is good news!, of course I had to downgrade when my promotion ran out a few months ago, but I'll try to find a way to catch it.

I get SCD second hand from a friend when they are done and there was a good article on 1950 Topps feltbacks recently - it mentioned Levi Jackson and Deacon Dan Towler as "among the black players" and the first thing that came to my mind was is Bill Matthews in there? Here is the article:

http://www.sportscollectorsdigest.co...pps-felt-backs

One last thing - I really like this chart that Neal Rozendall gives us:

1920 – 2 (Fritz Pollard and Bobby Marshall)
1921 – 4
1922 – 5
1923 – 5
1924 – 3
1925 – 5
1926 – 5

1927 – 1 (Duke Slater)
1928 – 2
1929 – 1 (Duke Slater)
1930 – 2
1931 – 2
1932 – 1 (Joe Lillard)
1933 – 2 (Joe Lillard and Ray Kemp)

It shows that participation by black players in the early NFL was never that great and after some teams folded before the 27 season, it was very limited. Football wasn't that different than Baseball after all. Images of these guys would make for a nice "pioneer" collection. Something else I learned - Duke Slater is a pretty solid HOF candidate - another player lost in the shuffle of history - I plan to read up some more on his career myself.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

John - I really enjoyed the felt back article. I picked up four at a local show a couple of weeks ago and in my 40 plus years of collecting they are the first I have ever owned.

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by DezHood

One last thing - I really like this chart that Neal Rozendall gives us:

1920 – 2 (Fritz Pollard and Bobby Marshall)
1921 – 4
1922 – 5
1923 – 5
1924 – 3
1925 – 5
1926 – 5

1927 – 1 (Duke Slater)
1928 – 2
1929 – 1 (Duke Slater)
1930 – 2
1931 – 2
1932 – 1 (Joe Lillard)
1933 – 2 (Joe Lillard and Ray Kemp)

It shows that participation by black players in the early NFL was never that great and after some teams folded before the 27 season, it was very limited. Football wasn't that different than Baseball after all. Images of these guys would make for a nice "pioneer" collection. Something else I learned - Duke Slater is a pretty solid HOF candidate - another player lost in the shuffle of history - I plan to read up some more on his career myself.

Fantastic stuff, John! Really enjoyed the links to Neal Rozendaal's blog entries about the Forgotten Four as well. Great, great stuff.

I just read Joe Carr's bio and recall there were some discussion in it about this issue and will have to go back now and see how well this discussion aligns with Neal's thoughts.

jeff

[Maris61]

This was a LOOONG time coming, but I wanted to share it after I dug a little deeper on Bill Matthews--largely with the encouraging help and support provided here at Net54--and the idea of the "common" card players who were nevertheless barrier breakers in their own rights. Also, one essential artifact that I found online (some scans from an ebay auction I believe) but sadly subsequently misplaced or mistakenly deleted on my computer was an inside page from a 1950 NYU vs. Fordham football game program that pictured and mentioned Matthews. If anyone here has that particular program or stumbles on it and wants to share, please do. I would love to add that to my sports ephemera blog post on this subject.
Be well!