Joe Lillard
Encyclopedia
Joseph Johnny Lillard Jr. (June 15, 1905 – September 18, 1978) was an American football
, baseball
, and basketball
player. From 1932 to 1933, he was a running back
for the National Football League
's (NFL) Chicago Cardinals
. Along with Ray Kemp
, Lillard was the last African American to play in the NFL until Kenny Washington
and Woody Strode
joined the Los Angeles Rams
in 1946. He was nicknamed "The Midnight Express" by the media.
Born in Mason City, Iowa
to Joe Lillard and Annie Johnson, Lillard was the first of the couple's two children; Johnson also had a son from a previous marriage. After being an orphan early in his life, he eventually went to the University of Oregon
, where he earned All-America
status in baseball and football. In 1931, Lillard was ruled ineligible by the Pacific Coast Conference
, reportedly for having "played [semi-professional baseball] under an assumed name". In his two-year NFL career, he ran for 494 yards in 171 rushing attempts. In 1933, the Cardinals posted 52 points in 11 games; between rushing, passing, kicking, and a punt return for a touchdown
, Lillard played a role in 31 of the team's points. That season, Lillard was involved in a fight in a game against the Cincinnati Reds
; after being punched by Cincinnati's Lester Caywood following a successful field goal
attempt, he responded by punching Caywood back. Following the 1933 season, Lillard did not play again in the NFL.
In other sports, Lillard pitched
for the Negro league
's Chicago American Giants
in 1932 and 1933; previously, he had been on the Savoy Big Five basketball team (the future Harlem Globetrotters
) as a guard. After his NFL career ended, he joined the Westwood Cubs semi-professional team, and played for the New York Brown Bombers team of African Americans starting in 1935. Lillard remained a football player for several more years, competing in minor leagues. Later in his life, he moved to Astoria, Queens
, working at an appliance store and for Vinn Sporting Goods. Lillard had a stroke and was afflicted with agnosia
as a result; he died in New York City's Bellevue Hospital Center
in 1978.
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...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. From 1932 to 1933, he was a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the National Football League
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...
's (NFL) Chicago Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Along with Ray Kemp
Ray Kemp
Raymond Howard Kemp was an American football player and a charter member of the Pittsburgh Pirates football team . He was also the first African-American player in the team's history...
, Lillard was the last African American to play in the NFL until Kenny Washington
Kenny Washington (American football)
Kenneth S. "Kingfish" Washington was a professional football player who was the first African-American to sign a contract with a National Football League team in the modern era.-UCLA Bruins:...
and Woody Strode
Woody Strode
Woodrow Wilson Woolwine "Woody" Strode was a decathlete and football star who went on to become a pioneering black American film actor. He was nominated for a Golden Globe award for best supporting actor for his role in Spartacus in 1960...
joined the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
in 1946. He was nicknamed "The Midnight Express" by the media.
Born in Mason City, Iowa
Mason City, Iowa
Mason City is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties....
to Joe Lillard and Annie Johnson, Lillard was the first of the couple's two children; Johnson also had a son from a previous marriage. After being an orphan early in his life, he eventually went to the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
, where he earned All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
status in baseball and football. In 1931, Lillard was ruled ineligible by the Pacific Coast Conference
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
, reportedly for having "played [semi-professional baseball] under an assumed name". In his two-year NFL career, he ran for 494 yards in 171 rushing attempts. In 1933, the Cardinals posted 52 points in 11 games; between rushing, passing, kicking, and a punt return for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
, Lillard played a role in 31 of the team's points. That season, Lillard was involved in a fight in a game against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds (NFL)
The Cincinnati Reds were a National Football League team that played the 1933 season and the first eight games of the 1934 season. The football Reds played most of their home games at Crosley Field...
; after being punched by Cincinnati's Lester Caywood following a successful field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
attempt, he responded by punching Caywood back. Following the 1933 season, Lillard did not play again in the NFL.
In other sports, Lillard pitched
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Negro league
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
's Chicago American Giants
Chicago American Giants
Chicago American Giants were a Chicago-based Negro league baseball team, owned and managed from 1911 to 1926 by player-manager Andrew "Rube" Foster. From 1910 until the mid-1930s, the American Giants were the most dominant team in black baseball...
in 1932 and 1933; previously, he had been on the Savoy Big Five basketball team (the future Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
) as a guard. After his NFL career ended, he joined the Westwood Cubs semi-professional team, and played for the New York Brown Bombers team of African Americans starting in 1935. Lillard remained a football player for several more years, competing in minor leagues. Later in his life, he moved to Astoria, Queens
Astoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
, working at an appliance store and for Vinn Sporting Goods. Lillard had a stroke and was afflicted with agnosia
Agnosia
Agnosia is a loss of ability to recognize objects, persons, sounds, shapes, or smells while the specific sense is not defective nor is there any significant memory loss...
as a result; he died in New York City's Bellevue Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center, most often referred to as "Bellevue", was founded on March 31, 1736 and is the oldest public hospital in the United States. Located on First Avenue in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, Bellevue is famous from many literary, film and television...
in 1978.