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Wallace Triplett
Wallace ("Wally") Triplett (b. April 18, 1926) is a former professional American football player, the first African-American to be drafted by and play for a National Football League team.[1] For that reason, his portrait hangs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
With Dennie Hoggard, Triplett was one of the first African-Americans to take the field in a varsity football game for Penn State University. During the 1946 season, Penn State's Nittany Lions team voted to cancel a regular-season game at then-segregated University of Miami, rather than compromise by not bringing their black players. In 1948, Triplett became the first African-American to play in the Cotton Bowl, catching the tying touchdown in Penn State's 13-13 tie with Southern Methodist University.
Triplett was only the third African-American to be picked in the NFL draft, taken by the Detroit Lions in 1949, but he was the first of the draftees to take the field in a league game (other African-Americans had previously played in the league). The 5'-10", 173-pounder played running back and return specialist for the Lions from 1949-50.
Triplett holds the Lions' single-game record in kickoff return yardage with 294 (second highest total in NFL history), including a 97-yard touchdown return, against the Los Angeles Rams in 1950; his average of 73.5 yards per return in that game is also an NFL record. He also set the Lions' record for the longest run from scrimmage with an 80-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers.
Following the 1950 season, Triplett became the first NFL player drafted into military service for the Korean War. When he returned from active duty, the Lions traded him to the Chicago Cardinals. He retired from professional football in 1953.
| Harlon Hill |
 As a senior at Florence State Teachers College (now the University of North Alabama) in 1953, Hill caught only 12 passes for a ground-oriented, single-wing attack. Hill received small college All-America acclaim as an end, and was later drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 15th round of the National Football League Draft. The Bears felt they could afford to wait until the late rounds to draft Hill because even though they knew very little about him, the other NFL teams knew even less.As a rookie for the Chicago Bears, Hill caught 45 passes for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns to lead the club in all three categories. His performance helped take the Bears from a 3-8-1 record in 1953 to a 8-4 mark in 1954. |
On October 31, in San Francisco, Hill caught seven passes from quarterback George Blanda for 214 yards and four touchdowns, in a 31-27 win over the 49er's. Hill's fourth TD catch of the day was a game-winning 66 yarder with only 33 seconds left in the game. The four TD's in a game still stands as a Bear's club record. At the conclusion of the season, Hill was selected as All-Pro, played in the Pro Bowl in Los Angeles for the West squad that won 26-19. Hill was chosen as the National Football League Rookie of the Year.
In his second NFL season, Hill again led the Bears with 42 catches for 789 yards and nine touchdowns. He became the first winner of the Jim Thorpe Trophy--symbolic of the National Football Leagues Most Valuable Player. He also was captain for the West squad in the Pro Bowl, and again named All-Pro.
In 1956, Hill had 47 catches for 1,128 yards and 11 touchdowns. He helped Chicago to a 9-2-1 record, and a spot in the Championship Game against the New York Giants--where they were defeated 47-7. Hill was selected All-Pro for the third straight year, and made his third appearance in the Pro Bowl.
In 1958, a severe ankle injury blunted the speed which made Hill the NFL's most feared deep receiver. He eventually shifted from wide receiver to defensive back.
Harlon Hill still holds numerous receiving records for the Chicago Bears, including most 100-yard receiving games in a career with 19. Other records include, most 100-yard games in a season (7), consecutive 100-yard games (3), most seasons with 1,000 yards receiving (2), most yards receiving in a game (214), and most touchdowns in a game (4). Hill ranks second all-time in career yards with 4,616, is second in average yards per reception (24.98), and career touchdowns (40).
For more information go to www.harlonhill.com/who_harlon_hill
Dick Bass
Excerpts from an article by Lonnie White, Times Staff Writer
Bass was a three-sport standout at Vallejo High School, where he scored 68 touchdowns and ran for 3,690 yards in 18 games. He went on to play at the University of the Pacific — then College of the Pacific — where as a senior he led the nation in rushing with 1,361 yards. He once told a reporter that his best sport actually was baseball.
The Rams drafted him with the No. 2 overall pick in 1959, and he played in Los Angeles from 1960 to 1969, finishing with 5,417 yards rushing and 34 touchdowns.
At 5 feet 9 and 205 pounds, Bass used his compact size to his advantage. He told The Times in 1966, "I can get out of a lot of trouble, escape tackles, get an extra yard or so. That extra yard is the difference between retaining possession of the ball or punting. It is the big play any time, even with a pass receiver…. The big thing is to squirm for that extra yard."
Bass' hard-charging style and easygoing personality made him a favorite with fans and teammates. Although he played on poor teams early in his career, he was a bright spot for the Rams on and off the field. Nicknamed "the Scooter," Bass led the team in rushing four times and twice gained more than 1,000 yards in a season. He also was a premier pass receiver, with 204 receptions for 1,841 yards and seven touchdowns.
"He was probably the best-blocking running back I ever saw," said Don Hewitt, longtime equipment manager for the Rams. "He was just an outstanding player who always knew how to keep the team loose. He always had everyone laughing when he would pull tricks on guys."
Ricki Bass said his father "was a unique guy with a language all of his own," and his former wife, Barbara Bass, said, "He just had the world's greatest sense of humor."
Barbara, his second wife, also recalled: "I met Dick during his final year playing. After he retired, we went to look for a place to live in Santa Monica. But when we tried to get the apartment that I liked, the manager told us that blacks don't live north of Wilshire Boulevard. But the manager told us that he would let us move in because he was Dick Bass. We lived there for 12 years."After retirement, Bass was a radio analyst on Ram games for 13 years.
Norman Bass, Dick's brother, said he noticed a decline in his brother's health in his last year. "His knees were almost gone. You could see that he needed replacements, but he was trying to hide the pain." Dick Bass, a three-time NFL Pro Bowl running back died in 2006. "He had not been in good health. He's one of them strong, prideful guys who won't let nobody know what's wrong. "
