these skills had to rank second to his reputation as a power Follis' on-field achievements, combined with his poise in the face of racial pressures, impressed Rickey, planting a seed for his determination years later to integrate baseball. Found inside Page 532was Charles Follis, who from 1902 until 1906 played running back for the would help break major league baseball's color barrier with the signing of He played for the Shelby Blues of the "Ohio League" from 1902 to 1906.On September 16, 1904, Follis signed a contract with Shelby making him the first black contracted to play professional football. Charles W. Follis was the first African American to receive pay as a professional football player. In 1885, the family moved to Wooster, Ohio where Walter Joseph (b. In 1902, he left Wooster University and by 1909 he was catching for the Cuban Giants. In 1899, Follis helped . Folliss baseball exploits as the talk of the Ohio The Akron Beacon Journal reports Follis was born on Feb. 3, 1879, and grew up in Wooster helping to organize the first varsity football team at his high school in 1899. Wooster Cemetery, Wooster, OH, More Charles Follis Pages at Baseball Reference, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, September 4, 9:45AM. In 1907 Charles Follis signed a contract with the all black Cuban Giants of professional baseball where he would go on to play nearly four seasons as the team's all star catcher. Students, second to fifth grades, hosted the biographical interactive wax museum, honoring African-Americans from past to present. Found inside Page 58Yet as exceptional as Follis ' football talent was , even more startling were his baseball skills . He was truly major league material . Charles Follis was a racial pioneer. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. Rickey and Follis were also teammates on the Shelby Athletic Club pro football team. [4], One of Follis' Shelby teammates during the 1902 and 1903 seasons was Branch Rickey. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Charles Follis developed pneumonia while playing baseball in Cleveland, and passed away on April 5, 1910 at the age of 31. FOLLIS PASSES AWAY-----Well Known Popular Wooster Ball Player Passes Away In Cleveland Charley Follis, one of the greatest baseball players that ever lived, is dead. In professional football, Charles W. Follis, a.k.a. briefly. professional those seasons, in the Sept. 16, 1904, edition of the Fitness Center. Follis was also the first Black catcher to move from college baseball into the Negro leagues. Copyright 2000-2021 Sports Reference LLC. After hours of examining the tattered newspapers, researchers finally came across an article in the September 16, 1904 edition that announced Follis had signed a contract for the upcoming season. "The Black Cyclone," (February 3, 1879 - April 5, 1910) was the first black professional American football player. Shelby Daily Globe, the headline read, Charles Follis has The story relives Follis' life, football career, and family. Found inside Page 119rosters in the various major baseball leagues that existed at the time. Club professional football team includes a black player, Charles Follis. [3], While Follis professionalism was reported by the local press, his role as the first Black professional football player was not known by sports historians until many years later. He played for the Shelby Blues of the "Ohio League" from 1902 to 1906. During the 1902 and 1903 seasons, Follis played for Shelby. In 1904, he helped lead the Blues to an 811 record. Sister Laura Alice and brother [] The inductees were (front, from left) Heidi Filippi Haas, Gary Jensen, Mary Beth Thompson McKinney, Mike Smith, Joe Tomlinson; (back) Tom Reusser, Derek Jackson, Don Hershey, Nate . On September 16, 1904, Follis, a six-foot, 200 pound athlete in both football and baseball, signed a contract with Shelby making him the first black contracted to play professional football. In 1947, this man, Branch Rickey, recalling the "ability, talent and character of Charles Follis," sought out a player like him and signed Jackie Robinson to his Major League Baseball Club, finally integrating "America's Game" and changing sports and the country forever. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Charles W. Follis, a.k.a."The Black Cyclone," (February 3, 1879 - April 5, 1910) was the first Black professional American football player. His legacy was almost lost to history, as Charles tragically died of pneumonia in 1910, at the young age of 30. . Charles W. Follis, also known as "The Black Cyclone," was the first black professional football player.He played for the Shelby Blues of the "Ohio League" from 1902 to 1906. SHELBY- Many gathered together to celebrate and honor Charles Follis, the first African American professional football player in America, on Friday morning . However Follis as the lead-off batter in the first inning, first ball hit a home run off the former major league star's first pitch. He played for the Shelby Blues of the Ohio League from 1902 to 1906. The original play, written by local resident and performer Jim Stoner, highlights the career of Follis, a local football legend. He also played baseball for the Original (aka Genuine) Cuban Giants of negro league baseball fame. but being elected team captain by his white schoolmates and Charles Follis is a true American Hero. "The Black Cyclone", an original play by local resident Jim Stoner, is being presented by the Mansfield, Ohio, community, Mansfield and Richland County students, and the Northeast Community Improvment Collaborative (NECIC). After not only helping organize Wooster High Schools Are you a Stathead, too? He played for the Shelby Blues of the "Ohio League" from 1902 to 1906. Do you have a sports website? 1.Charles "Chuck" Cooper 2.Earl Lloyd 3.Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton. series in 1901 between Wooster A.A. and the Shelby Athletic Club, Found inside Page 173He was a 6-foot, 200-pound halfback named Charles W. Follis, He was a power-hitting catcher on the college's baseball team that spring and again in 1902 1888) and Lucy Jane (b. We have dramatically expanded our coverage of the Negro Leagues and historical Black major league players. Charles W. Follis, also known as "The Black Cyclone," was the first black professional football player.He played for the Shelby Blues of the "Ohio League" from 1902 to 1906. bases, double plays, and even two triple plays in his career, but their toll, and he limped off the field for the last time on Found inside Page 242Occasionally they hired an outside ringer such as Charles Follis , a black halfback , or Branch Rickey , who had played football and baseball for Ohio Mr. Found inside Page 2 Charles Follis in bringing it to an end.3 In his book Outside the Lines, Baseball and football were not alone in the segregation of players by race. James Henry (b. Follis, like every other black athlete Rickey had known, played under the pressure of racism. Finally, on Thanksgiving Day 1906, while playing against the Franklin Athletic Club of Cleveland, he suffered another injury, though this one ended his career. (portrayed by Damien Beauford, of Mansfield, veteran of 3 productions of TBC) Mayor Steven Schag: Introduce Follis Family Members (Sandra Smith, niece of Charles Follis. 1848 d.1922) were married in Virginia in 1873. It is the story of Charles Follis, the first black professional football player in America. He completed the day with four-for-six against Buttons. After graduation, Follis played with an amateur Wooster team and in 1904 he signed a . In 1904, Follis became the first African-American professional football player when he signed a contract with the Shelby Athletic Club. Throws: Unknown, Born: Then, moving to Shelby, stops include Seltzer Hardware, where Charles Follis worked, while playing for the Shelby Blues; Weber's Bar, which initially supported Mansfield. Charles Follis Overview. "Charles was one of the few black men playing in the league and the only one paid to play, and he was a force to be reckoned with on the field." Follis and Rickey went their separate ways in 1906 when Follis went to play baseball in the Negro Leagues. He was willing, as the only African American young man in Wooster High School, to step forward and be a leader in an unknown sport in 1898: American football. Follis also played baseball for the Cuban Giants in the Negro League. February 3, 1879 Follis Field, named in honor of Charles Follis, and used by the current Wooster High School football team; & the College of Wooster, where Charles Follis was a standout baseball player. 1879-1910) signed a contract to play football for money on September 16, 1904, becoming the sport's first black professional. Found inside Page 104The first black person I ever saw was during a Hot Stove League baseball game in The first known black professional football player, Charles W. Follis, Found inside Page 67 in the mid-1940s when it came to a decision point in integrating baseball? professional football, a Virginia-born halfback named Charles Follis. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Born: February 3, 1879 in Cloverdale, Virginia, USA Died: April 5, 1910 (31 years old) College: Wooster Total Cards: 16 Tweet Find out more. Buried: Wooster Cemetery, Wooster, OH. star for Shelby in 1905, however in 1906, injuries started to take However, he had a better reputation as a power hitter. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. He was a Black professional American football player. Charles Follis was the first professional football player, and if Robinson had been an average player my gut says he would have about the same historical profile as someone like Follis. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Larry Doby. It was called The Black Cyclone, after honors among the Ohio colleges, took notice. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Found inside Page 116 including one terrific action shot showing Charles Follis, in 1947 broke through major league baseball's color barrier by signing Jackie 116 CHAPTER Rickey, of course, would make history much later (1945) when as Apparently, they were the two top catchers in the area, in addition to overlapping on . John Kasich signed the legislation designating Feb. 3 as Charles Follis Day. "The Black Cyclone, " (February 3, 1879 - April 5, 1910) was the first black professional football player. Charles W. Follis was born on February 3, 1879, in Virginia. Charles W. Follis, a.k.a."The Black Cyclone," (February 3, 1879 - April 5, 1910) was the first black professional football player. Rickey also played against Follis on October 17, 1903, when he ran for a 70-yard touchdown against the Ohio Wesleyan football team. Branch Rickey was an American Baseball and Football player and Baseball executive. Many thanks to him. Found inside Page 39 forceful columns denouncing Major League Baseball's refusal to admit black players. Charles Follis was the first black professional football player, Visitors were able to "meet" historical and modern day figures . During the 1901 and 1902 seasons, while playing for Wooster University, Follis became well known in the Ohio college circuit. Found inside Page 5The teams were comprised of numerous professional baseball players and Connie The first black professional players included Charles Follis of Shelby, In 1907 Charles Follis signed a contract with the all black Cuban Giants of professional baseball where he would go on to play nearly four seasons as the team's all star catcher. Follis, who eventually became the first African-American This moved was intended to intimate Wooster, since Briggs won 20 games in 1905. Found inside Page 34Still, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 by a special committee (The first Black to play professional football was Charles W. Follis, On September 16, 1904, Follis signed a contract with Shelby making him the first black contracted to play professional football. Even though, Shelby won More Charles Follis Pages at Baseball Reference. 1 Review. He was also the first Black catcher to move from college baseball into the Negro leagues.[1]. decision. The Professional Football Hall of Fame in Canton James Henry (b. Everyone knows the name, Jackie Robinson. He played for the Shelby Blues of the "Ohio League" from 1902 to 1906. In 2013, Follis was inducted into the College of Wooster Hall of Fame. While Follis was certainly a better baseball player than football player, his most significant contribution to baseball may have been his influence on Branch Rickey, who was a baseball star at Ohio Wesleyan University at the same time Follis was at Wooster. The 1903 Index noted that Follis played the game as he Most importantly, Charles Follis became America's first Black professional football player. Found insideThe interest in professional football compared with major league baseball was The Shelby Blues employed halfback Charles Follis in the early 1900s, He became the Giants' star catcher, their leading slugger and their most popular player. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. "Charles Follis" America's First Black Pro Football Player in 1902, Star of Cuban Giants Negro League Baseball Team. The story of Charles Follis, the first black professional football player, will be presented at Malabar Farm State Park August 9, 11, 16 and 18, with a film crew from the NFL filming there on opening night. He played for the Shelby Blues of the "Ohio League" from 1902 to 1906. Charles His family moved to Wooster where he attended Wooster High School and helped establish the school's football team. and some historians believe it was Rickeys early connection His admiration for Follis, a star . WCSHOF inducts class of 2018 - The 22nd biennial class of the Wayne County Sports Hall of Fame was inducted Saturday, June 23 at Wooster Grace Church. Charles Follis Way was established in Shelby on Friday. He was born on February 3, 1879, in Cloverdale, Virginia. On September 16, 1904, Follis, a six-foot, 200 pound athlete in both football and baseball, signed a contract with Shelby making him the first black contracted to play professional football. Follis, a two-sport athlete, was paid for his work beginning in 1899. Charles Follis, a.k.a "The Black Cyclone," (ca. Charles Follis. Found inside Page 133Unlike their counterparts in baseball , pro football owners were slow to organize and Charles W. Follis , who had played halfback for the Shelby ( Ohio ) signed for the season, certifying him as the first Found inside Page 196High - caliber players such as Charles Follis , Henry McDonald , Fritz Pollard , and Paul Robeson See Tygiel , Baseball's Great Experiment . The first African American professional football player, Charles W. Follis, was born February 3, 1879, in Cloverdale, Virginia.The Follis family moved to Wooster, Ohio, where he attended Wooster High School and participated in organizing and establishing the first varsity football team.He played right halfback and served as team captain on a squad that had no losses that year. He would have been a Hall of Famer even if he wasn't the first black player in Major League Baseball, and I think that really helps his historical case. F.C. Charles W. Follis was born on February 3, 1879 to James Henry and Catherine Matilda Anderson Follis in Cloverdale, Virginia. But Clemons also pays homage to pioneers such as Charles Follis, who played for the Shelby (Ohio) Athletic Club in 1902, and others such as Charles "Doc" Baker, Henry McDonald, and Gideon . Charles Follis: The man who would change the face of professional sports forever! After the game Rickey referred . Follis was the third born of seven children. Directions >. Follis never played football for the University, rather in Amsterdam, VA 1876). Charles Follis is believed to be the first black professional football player, having played for the Shelby Steamfitters from 1902 to 1906. Follis Field, named in honor of Charles Follis, and used by the current Wooster High School football team; & the College of Wooster, where Charles Follis was a standout baseball player. All Rights Reserved. Unfortunately, Follis died shortly thereafter (1910) at the According to Ed Arn's research and published in his book, "Black & Gold: A History of Athletics, The College of . SHELBY - The story of "The Black Cyclone" is going to be told in the city where it began. His reputation was such, that in 1904, the Shelby club's manager, fearful of Follis jumping to another . While enrolled at the College of Wooster Preparatory School, Charles Follis played baseball on the college varsity nine in 1901 and 1902. Charles Follis is believed to be the first black professional football player, having played for the Shelby Steamfitters from 1902 to 1906. On September 16, 1904, Follis signed a contract with Shelby making him the first black contracted to play professional football. ), Ruth W. & A. Morris Williams, Jr. Charles W. Follis: The First African American Professional Football Player. Found inside Page 104Unlike pro baseball, which had always been an exclusively white sport, The first black professional football player was Charles W. Follis, In 1975, researchers rediscovered halfback Follis on-the-field-achievements while reviewing old pages of the Shelby Daily Globe, with the goal to locate evidence that Follis had played as a professional. Found inside Page 676When Follis retired from professional football in 1906, Charles Doc Baker first African American to play major league BASEBALL in the United States. April 5, 1910 Rickey admired the way Follis had ignored all the racial taunting. Schiffer, recruited him. The team Not long ago, Mike Franks shared a newspaper clipping about Wooster's Charles Follis the first documented black professional football player in the U.S. who was also a talented baseball player. But Clemons also pays homage to pioneers such as Charles Follis, who played for the Shelby (Ohio) Athletic Club in 1902, and others such as Charles "Doc" Baker, Henry McDonald, and Gideon Smith, who all played before the National Football League formed in 1920. Charles W. Follis, a.k.a."The Black Cyclone," (February 3, 1879 - April 5, 1910) was the first Black professional American football player. Or write about sports? touchdown run in the 1904 opener, and his steady play was 1879 Charles Follis, 1st African American NFLer (Shelby, Ohio); 1883 Camille Bombois, French circus wrestler/painter; 1890 Larry MacPhail, American Baseball Hall of Fame executive (Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees), born in Cass City, Michigan (d. 1975); 1895 Izak Buys, cricketer (one Test for South Africa 1922, 0 & 4*, 0-52); 1899 Forrest "Red" DeBernardi, basketball hall . Instead, he starred as a catcher on the college baseball team. Found insideUnlike major-league baseball, professional football did not initially ban black CHARLES FOLLIS Charles Follis became the first black professional What you may not know is Follis also played baseball, in Loudonville. Football: Charles Follis played in 1904 for a pro team known as the Shelby Blues and Fritz Pollard played in 1920 for the Akron Pros. 716 Beall Avenue, Wooster, Ohio 44691. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. David K. Wiggins. (330) 263-2000. young age of 31 from pneumonia, but his legacy still carries on as Before moving to New York City to pursue an his acting career, Mr. Jones was a . What you may not know is Follis also played against him on October, Follis ' life, football career against him on October 17,, Move from College baseball team - the first black person I ever saw during. 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