Eldridge Dickey
Encyclopedia
Eldridge Reno Dickey was an American
football
player. After playing for Tennessee State University
from 1965–1968, he was drafted in 1968 by the Oakland Raiders
in the 1st round as the 25th overall pick. Dickey became the first African-American quarterback
selected in the first round by an AFL
or NFL
team. Despite a strong performance during training camp, Dickey was moved to wide receiver
for the start of the season. He was never able to play at quarterback in an AFL or NFL game.
, both in his hometown of Houston, Texas
. In college at Tennessee State, he became a three time HBCU All-American with 6,523 passing
yards and 67 touchdowns. Dickey was considered a gifted athlete with his strongest positions being quarterback and punter. Similar to Michael Vick
, Dickey was a strong running quarterback. He was also able to throw precision passes with both his left and right arm. With Dickey at the lead, TSU went to two bowl games in 1965 and 1966. Also in 1966, TSU earned their first undefeated, untied season and their first National Black College Football Championship. The 1966 team averaged 41 points per game, allowing an average of only 4.
In 1968 Dickey was drafted in the first round by the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders also selected University of Alabama
quarterback Ken Stabler
in the second round. Despite reports that Dickey outperformed Stabler at training camp, Dickey was moved to wide receiver for the start of the season. It is unknown if this decision was influenced by the predominant stereotype
at the time that Blacks weren't intelligent enough to be capable leaders or if it was solely based on Dickey's athletic ability. This came as a blow to a player who at one time told his former coach, Joe Gilliam
, that if he couldn't play quarterback he didn't want to play. But, Dickey accepted the position hoping for an opportunity to play his preferred position.
It is believed that this change affected Dickey's performance on the field. He made just one catch for 34 yards and 6 punt returns for 48 yards in 11 games in the 1968 season. He didn't play in another game until 1971 where he made 4 catches for 78 yards with 1 touchdown and was cut from the team 7 games into the season after dropping a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs
that could have been a touchdown. In 1984 he signed for the Denver Gold
of the United States Football League
, but he never played for the team.
Dickey never overcame the hurt at not being able to play quarterback professionally. As with two other black quarterbacks of his time, Gilliam and Briscoe, the feeling that he never received a fair opportunity to play his desired position lead to drug abuse. Later in life he became a minister before dying on May 22, 2000 of a stroke. In 2005, he was honored as the quarterback of the All-Time HBCU football team.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. After playing for Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
from 1965–1968, he was drafted in 1968 by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1st round as the 25th overall pick. Dickey became the first African-American quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
selected in the first round by an AFL
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
or NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
team. Despite a strong performance during training camp, Dickey was moved to wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the start of the season. He was never able to play at quarterback in an AFL or NFL game.
Career
Eldridge Dickey began playing football at Richard G. Lockett Jr. High School and went on to play at Booker T. Washington High SchoolBooker T. Washington High School (Houston)
Booker T. Washington High School is a secondary school located at 119 East 39th Street in Houston, Texas with a zip code of 77018.Booker T. Washington, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Houston Independent School District. Booker T...
, both in his hometown of Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In college at Tennessee State, he became a three time HBCU All-American with 6,523 passing
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
yards and 67 touchdowns. Dickey was considered a gifted athlete with his strongest positions being quarterback and punter. Similar to Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
, Dickey was a strong running quarterback. He was also able to throw precision passes with both his left and right arm. With Dickey at the lead, TSU went to two bowl games in 1965 and 1966. Also in 1966, TSU earned their first undefeated, untied season and their first National Black College Football Championship. The 1966 team averaged 41 points per game, allowing an average of only 4.
In 1968 Dickey was drafted in the first round by the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders also selected University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
quarterback Ken Stabler
Ken Stabler
Kenneth "Kenny" Michael Stabler , is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders , the Houston Oilers , and the New Orleans Saints...
in the second round. Despite reports that Dickey outperformed Stabler at training camp, Dickey was moved to wide receiver for the start of the season. It is unknown if this decision was influenced by the predominant stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
at the time that Blacks weren't intelligent enough to be capable leaders or if it was solely based on Dickey's athletic ability. This came as a blow to a player who at one time told his former coach, Joe Gilliam
Joe Gilliam
Joseph Gilliam, Jr. was an American football player.-Biography:Joe Gilliam was born in Charleston, West Virginia, and was the third of four children of Ruth and Joe Gilliam, Sr....
, that if he couldn't play quarterback he didn't want to play. But, Dickey accepted the position hoping for an opportunity to play his preferred position.
It is believed that this change affected Dickey's performance on the field. He made just one catch for 34 yards and 6 punt returns for 48 yards in 11 games in the 1968 season. He didn't play in another game until 1971 where he made 4 catches for 78 yards with 1 touchdown and was cut from the team 7 games into the season after dropping a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
that could have been a touchdown. In 1984 he signed for the Denver Gold
Denver Gold
The Denver Gold was a franchise in the United States Football League, an attempt to establish a second major professional football league in the United States, playing a springtime season, from 1983 to 1985...
of the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
, but he never played for the team.
Dickey never overcame the hurt at not being able to play quarterback professionally. As with two other black quarterbacks of his time, Gilliam and Briscoe, the feeling that he never received a fair opportunity to play his desired position lead to drug abuse. Later in life he became a minister before dying on May 22, 2000 of a stroke. In 2005, he was honored as the quarterback of the All-Time HBCU football team.