Washington, Strode, and Robinson starred on the 1939 UCLA Bruins football team, in which they made up three of the four backfield players. Raised primarily by his grandmother Susie and his uncle Rocky, Washington grew up in Los Angeles’ Lincoln Heights neighborhood and studied at the Abraham Lincoln High School, where he excelled both as a football and baseball player. Kenneth Stanley Washington, the first African-American to have played in the American National Football League (NFL) in the post-World War II modern era, was born on August 31, 1918, in Los Angeles, California, United States of America. The first African American football player in the NFL’s modern, post-WW II, era. 1918. Football player. He studied accounting before signing a deal with Arista Record. He went to school with Jackie Robinson Washington (born August 31, 1918, Los Angeles, California, U. Kenny Washington age is around 101,as Kenny Washington was born on the 31th of Aug, 1918 in Los Angeles. Kenny Washington (0) Guard - 2019-20: Scored a season-high 12 points at Akron-Wayne (12/14/19) ... grabbed Kenny Washington - 2020-21 - Men's Basketball - Indiana University South Bend Skip To … Other images from the same period show Washington photographed with his fellow black teammates, Robinson and Woodrow Strode. Before the Bruins play Memphis on Sept. 6, Kalai Strode, son of Woody Strode, and Karin Washington Cohen, daughter of Kenny Washington and an alumna, will take on the role of honorary captains during the coin toss. In college at UCLA, he rushed for 1,914 yards in his college career, a school record for 34 years. “In the 1930’s the UCLA jersey was a navy blue with gold lettering accents, and pants were gold as well,” says Emily Knox, Senior Art Director at UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame. © 2021 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Kenny Washington played halfback and defensive back. Kenny Washington was mainly raised by his grandmother and his Uncle Rocky. Washington died in 1971, aged 52. new releases, Christian McBride, Nubya Garcia, Gregory Porter, Immanuel Wilkins, Kenny Washington, Bill Frisell, John Beasley, Chick Corea, Matt Wilson Quartet. But Kenny Washington was the Jackie Robinson of the National Football League (NFL). But one year earlier, two of his UCLA team mates, Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, made their NFL debuts, becoming the first Black NFL players in the modern era (post WWII). Kenny Washington, byname of Kenneth S. Washington, (born August 31, 1918, Los Angeles, California, U.S.—died June 24, 1971, Los Angeles), one of the first African American college gridiron football stars on the West Coast and one of two black players to reintegrate the National Football League (NFL) in 1946. Biography. Reeves also instituted the famed "Free Football for Kids" program, providing the groundwork for today's successful TV policies, and became the first to employ a full-time scouting staff. Kenneth S. Washington (August 31, 1918 – June 24, 1971) was a professional football player who was the first African-American to sign a contract with a National Football League team in the modern (post-World War II) era. The first African American football player in the NFL's modern, post-WW II, era. All Rights Reserved. Los Angeles Rams signed Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, ending a 12-year-old embargo on the entry of the Black players in the NFL. 1933. while Kenny Washington was showing his worth playing for the UCLA football team, entry into the National Football League was barred for all the Black African-American players. His playing days were interrupted severely by a recurring knee injury for which he had to undergo surgery five times in his career. “The Kingfish” was an athletic phenomenon. Kenny Washington rejoined LAPD after his retirement and also represented a whiskey distributor as well as a grocery store chain. But in 1939 he was a star, plain and simple. Kenny Washington had an eventful–and in some ways contradictory–life ahead of him. Kenneth S. Washington (August 31, 1918 – June 24, 1971) was an American professional football player who was the first African-American to sign a contract with a National Football League (NFL) team in the modern (post-World War II) era. Today his pathway would be clear: from college legend to NFL draft to stardom, endorsement deals and riches. Kenny Washington led the nation in total offense in 1939 to become the school’s first ever consensus All-American football player. He played in the league from 1941 to 1945 and became the highest earning footballer of the league. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Bit-part Hollywood star. In 1939, he achieved the rare feat of being the first UCLA player to be named an All-American. Bio Kenny Washington thrills audiences across the globe with his soulful interpretations, seemingly limitless range, and rapid-fire scatting. Kenny Washington had to remain content with coaching the UCLA team initially immediately after his graduation. Kenny Washington Biography Completed Bomb as High Schooler, Snubbed in All-American Balloting. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins The NFL had banned black players six years earlier. He was a professional football player who was the first African-American to sign a contract with a National Football League team in the modern (post-World War II) era. One of the first African American college football stars, Kenny Washington was one of two Black athletes to reintegrate the NFL in 1946. Who Was Kenny Washington? He was the first person to ever dance with African American … So Washington graduated from UCLA, coached a little and joined the LA police department, where his uncle Rocky was the highest-ranking black officer. Confronted by Harding with the facts, and facing a financial crisis if he could not obtain permission to use the Coliseum, Walsh promised he would give Black athletes a fair shot to make the team. The 58 year old Brooklyn born, Staten Island-bread drummer has played behind Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Ahmad Jamal and a never-ending list of amazing players. Kenny Washington Biography, Life, Interesting Facts Kenneth Stanley Washington, the first African-American to have played in the American National Football League (NFL) in the post-World War II modern era, was born on August 31, 1918, in Los Angeles, California, United States of America. He was roughhoused and targeted on the field. Facts About Kenny G 3: Breathless (2012) Sold Out For 12 Million Copies UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff – Appellee, v. KENNY WASHINGTON, Defendant – Appellant. The helmet is made from leather with a lighter brown shade.”. This was a rarity to have so many African Americans when … American football player and actor Kenny Washington, 1918–1971. The first BLACK football player in the NFL’s contemporary, post-WW II, era. (Strode followed two months later.). Breaking down barriers Kenny Washington along with three other black footballers including Jackie Robinson, Woody Strode, and Ray Bartlett, saw the representation of four Black athletes in a single team, a never seen before phenomenon in the context of the prevailing situation at that time. Basic education dept revises promotion requirements for grades 10,11 due to impact of Covid-19 | News24 Kennedy won the presidency on November 8, 1960, at the age of 43 to become the 35th president of the United States. In all of them, Washington and his comrades exude the athleticism and confidence of preternaturally talented young athletes. Nevertheless, he had broken the so-called “color barrier” in the NFL a full year before his one-time teammate Robinson first crossed baseball’s color line by walking out to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Kenny Washington is a Jazz Legend. (Photo by Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images), The photograph His father Edgar Washington was a baseball player and played mostly in Negro League Baseball during his playing days. The youngest person to assume the presidency was Theodore Roosevelt, who succeeded to the office at the age of 42 years, 322 days after the assassination of William McKinley. After the Second World War ended the NFL was compelled to abandon its discriminatory policies: the LA Rams, the 1945 champions newly relocated from Cleveland, were required to sign African American players or lose their lease on the LA Memorial Coliseum. Kenny Washington had an eventful–and in some ways contradictory–life ahead of him. He led Lincoln High School to the city title his freshman year and then six months later to the football championship his senior season. 21. Have you ever heard that Kenny was enrolled accounting program in University of Washington? Kenny Washington (1918-1971) was the first African American to sign with an NFL team after a 13-year unspoken pact among owners to bar black football players from teams.. Kenny Washington signed with the Los Angeles Rams in 1946, pre-dating baseball legend Jackie Robinson’s 1947 signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers.Jackie Robinson’s What position did Kenny Washington play? But in 1939 that wasn’t an option. His jersey number 13 was retired by UCLA in 1956, and his name also was inducted into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in the same year. His uncle Rocky was having the unique distinction of being the first Black uniformed lieutenant in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). He bided his time during the Second World War playing part-time minor league football—trashing the cartilage in his knees in the process. Kenny Washington - Biography. After we vacated Kenny Washington's sentence, eight years elapsed before the district court re-sentenced him. There was no championship title, and Washington did not repeat the stardom he had enjoyed at college level a decade earlier. He appeared in some movies as well including the likes of ‘Pinky’ (1949), ‘Rope of Sand’ (1949) and ‘The Jackie Robinson Story’ (1950). He rushed for a total of 9,975 yards during his collegiate career, a record that stood at … 1918-1971. Kenny Washington: Pos: HB-DB, Career: 27 G, 9 TD, 859 Yds, 6.1 Y/A, Rams 1946-1948, born CA 1918, died 1971 FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. When the NFL started, in the 1920s, a handful of African Americans played in the new league. A firm Republican Party loyalist, he favored the 1950 U.S. Senate campaign by Richard Nixon. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. His college days from 1937 to 1939 saw the emergence of Black players as a significant force in the UCLA football team. Kenny Washington. He enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) after his high school graduation and played both baseball and football for the UCLA team. This image of Washington was taken at the height of his college career, when he wore 13 on his chest and played 580 minutes out of 600. But in 1939 he was a star, plain and simple. He was one of four African American players on the 1939 UCLA Bruins football team, the others being Woody Strode, Jackie Robinson and Ray Bartlett. Education Facts. How Popular Kenny Washington is * 101 is AGE #698 * 1918 is the Birth Year #96 * 8 is the Birth Month #658 * 31 is the BirthDay #352 * Los Angeles is the birth Place #170. He was an athletic phenomenon who broke the NFL's "color barrier.". LAPD officer. Washington and Strode will also be honored on the field. Went to UCLA and played on the same team as … Today would have been Ella Fitzgerald's 100th birthday. Won the high school state football championship 2. won the high school national championship 3. (He also played baseball for UCLA alongside Jackie Robinson—averaging .454 in 1937 and .350 in 1938.). The Chicago Bears’ George Halas tried to sign him out of college, but he was blocked by NFL owners. The Past in Color features the work of colorist Marina Amaral, bringing to life black and white photos with color applied digitally. The colors of the uniform have been recreated in consultation with UCLA. He associated himself with the Los AngLos Angeles Dodgers, else Dodgers where his son Kenny Jr. played, as their talent hunter. Home NFL Career Breaking the Race Barrier College Early Life Bibliography Timeline Gallery Quotes Timeline 1. August 31, Kenny Washington was born on August 31, 1918 in Los Angeles, California, United States. What he would have made of the NFL today, with its #takeaknee protests and ongoing racial disquiet, is unknowable. High school for Kenny In 1933, school, Washington was an athletic force. Help Celebrate Ella Fitzgerald's Centennial. He was born on August 31, 1918 in Los Angeles, CA. No. However, he could not do so due to the presence of the ban which was not waived off in spite of his repeated pleadings. Yet each regularly faced racial taunts and discrimination on and off the pitch: they could not play in Texas, for example, because hotels and restaurants would not serve them. He joined the Los Angeles Police Department and started playing in the Pacific Coast Professional Football League on behalf of the Hollywood Bears football team. The UCLA Bruins left halfback set a college record of 3,206 yards for total offense over his career, won the Douglas Fairbanks trophy for the best college player in the U.S. and was named to an American college all-star team in August 1940. His final game was attended by 80,000 enthusiastic supporters with the entire stadium giving him a standing ovation. Nixon supporter. 20. He was a star running back at Abraham Lincoln High School in Los Angeles. Washington played tailback and was both a skilled rusher and passer. On March 21st 1946 Washington became their marquee signing: the first black player to sign an NFL contract in the postwar era. He was the youngest to become president after having been elected.He was also the very first Roman Catholic elected to the presidency. The ban on entry of the Black players into the NFL finally was overturned in 1946, when facing the prospect of losing its lease in the publicly owned Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum unless their team is racially integrated. His mortal remains are interred in Evergreen Cemetery situated in the east side neighborhood of Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California. Undoubtedly, though, his story is a key part of the journey toward equality and integration in American sports. “The shoes were black. Washington played three seasons on knees that had been surgically rebuilt and he held his own, averaging over six yards per carry before his retirement in 1948. Facts About Kenny G 2: He Is An Accounting Student In University Of Washington. He was a star running backa Abraham Lincoln High School in Los Angeles In college at UCLA, he rushed for 1,914 yards in his college career, a school record for 34 years. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Jackie Robinson became a trailblazer for breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier, when he made his debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1947. A standout operating back again at UCLA, he rushed for any college record 1,914 back yards during his period with … Home NFL Career Breaking the Race Barrier College Early Life Bibliography Timeline Gallery Quotes Quotes Kenny wasn,t much of a talker but he would occasionally say something "Records are made to be broken" Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Kenny Washington, byname of Kenneth S. Washington (born August 31, 1918, Los Angeles, California, U.S.—died June 24, 1971, Los Angeles), one of the first African American college gridiron football stars on the West Coast and one of two black players to reintegrate the National Football League (NFL) in 1946. Among the many small hard bop revivalists to get arrived in the past due ’70s and early ’80s, Kenny Washington has been around particular demand by much older music artists, using such legendary veterans seeing that Lee Konitz, Betty Carter, Johnny Griffin, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, and Tommy Flanagan. Washington played for the Los Angeles Rams for three seasons and retired from the game in 1948. (John D. Kisch/Separate Cinema Archive/Getty Images) In 1946, the Cleveland Rams moved to Los Angeles, still a nascent sports town then. … Kenny Washington is best known as a Football Player. 14–10623 Decided: February 01, 2016 Before DAVIS, ELROD, and HAYNES, Circuit Judges. “The Kingfish” was an athletic phenomenon. The ban was started in 1933 at the behest of the then Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall. Trailblazer for racial integration. The cause of his death is attributed to a disease called polyarteritis nodosa. 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