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More than a year After Lane Tech College Prep stopped using “India” as its mascot, the school is renaming its athletic field in a big way.
driving news; Lane is dedicating the field to Fritz Pollard, the largely unsung Class of 1912 who became the first black professional quarterback and coach.
Moreover: An NFL Hall of Famer, Pollard was the first black player to represent Brown University in the Rose Bowl.
- He later launched The New York Independent, the first black-owned tabloid, and established a talent agency representing Paul Robeson and Lena Horne.
- Pollard created two independent football teams, the Chicago Black Hawks and the Harlem Brown Bombers, to give exposure to black football players.
What they say:We couldn’t be more pleased that Fritz Pollard is getting the recognition he deserves, even if it’s just a small one,” Michelle Weiner of the Lane Tech Alumni Association, which led the effort to change Pollard’s name, told Axios.
If you go: The pregame rededication ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday and will feature plaques commemorating the accomplishments of Pollard’s grandson and alum.
What’s next?Wiener says she hopes Pollard’s commitment will bring Lane students.
- Meanwhile, the Rogers Park Historical Society is working to name the park at Damen and Lunt after the Pollard family.
💠Monica’s thought bubble:- I come from a large Lane Alum family whose brothers are divided over a secret affair.
- But in an era where the Cleveland Indians and Washington Redskins are the quarterbacks and captains, I think Lane can step up as well.
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