Wallace Triplett
Encyclopedia
Wallace Triplett (born April 18, 1926) is a former professional American football
player, the first African-American to be drafted by and play for a National Football League
team. For that reason, his portrait hangs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in Canton, Ohio
.
, was born and raised in the affluent Philadelphia suburb of La Mott, Pennsylvania
. His reputation as a talented high school football player, combined with his upscale address, prompted the University of Miami
to offer him a scholarship sight unseen, under the assumption Triplett was white
. The then-segregated university rescinded the scholarship when they discovered Triplett was black
.
Triplett instead earned a Senatorial Scholarship for his academics and chose to attend Penn State University
in the fall of 1945.
s team voted to cancel a regular-season game at the University of Miami, rather than compromise by not bringing their black players. (Miami, like other southern schools at the time, refused to compete against integrated schools unless they left their black players at home.)
In 1948, Triplett became the first African-American to play in the Cotton Bowl Classic, catching the tying touchdown
in Penn State's 13-13 tie with Southern Methodist University
. It has been suggested Penn State's now-famous "We Are Penn State!" stadium cheer has its origins in SMU's request for a meeting to protest the participation of Penn State's two black players (Triplett and Hoggard). Team captain
Steve Suhey
was said to have responded, “We are Penn State. There will be no meetings.”
Triplett also co-founded the Gamma Nu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha
while at Penn State.
, he was the first of the draftees to take the field in a league game. (Other undrafted African-Americans had previously played in the league.) The 5'-10", 173-pound running back
and return specialist
played for the Detroit Lions
from 1949-50.
Triplett holds the Lions' single-game record in kickoff return yardage with 294 (second-highest total in NFL history), including a 97-yard touchdown return against the Los Angeles Rams in 1950; his average of 73.5 yards per return in that game is also an NFL record
. He also set the Lions' record for the longest run from scrimmage with an 80-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers
.
Following the 1950 season, Triplett became the first NFL player drafted into military service for the Korean War
. When he returned from active duty, the Lions traded him to the Chicago Cardinals. He retired from professional football in 1953.
, in the insurance
business, and in management for the Chrysler Corporation
. He has been married to his wife, Leonore, for more than 50 years. They have four children.
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, the first African-American to be drafted by and play for a 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...
team. For that reason, his portrait hangs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Early life
Triplett, the son of a postal workerPostal worker
A postal worker is one who works for a post office, such as a mail carrier. In the U.S., postal workers are represented by the and the American Postal Workers Union, part of the AFL-CIO. In Canada, they are represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and in the United Kingdom by the...
, was born and raised in the affluent Philadelphia suburb of La Mott, Pennsylvania
Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania
Cheltenham Township is a home rule municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Although it retains the word "Township" in its official name, it has been governed by a home rule charter since 1977 and is therefore not subject to the Pennsylvania Township Code. The population was...
. His reputation as a talented high school football player, combined with his upscale address, prompted the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
to offer him a scholarship sight unseen, under the assumption Triplett was white
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
. The then-segregated university rescinded the scholarship when they discovered Triplett was black
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
.
Triplett instead earned a Senatorial Scholarship for his academics and chose to attend Penn State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
in the fall of 1945.
Penn State
Along with Dennie Hoggard, Triplett was one of the first African-Americans to take the field in a varsity football game for Penn State. During the 1946 season, Penn State's Nittany LionNittany Lion
This article is about the Penn State mascot. For the Penn State fight song see "The Nittany Lion ".The Nittany Lion is the mascot of the Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, USA and its athletic teams. It refers to the mountain lions that once roamed near the school, and...
s team voted to cancel a regular-season game at the University of Miami, rather than compromise by not bringing their black players. (Miami, like other southern schools at the time, refused to compete against integrated schools unless they left their black players at home.)
In 1948, Triplett became the first African-American to play in the Cotton Bowl Classic, catching the tying 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:...
in Penn State's 13-13 tie with Southern Methodist University
SMU Mustangs football
The SMU Mustangs football program is a college football team that represents Southern Methodist University . The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member Conference USA...
. It has been suggested Penn State's now-famous "We Are Penn State!" stadium cheer has its origins in SMU's request for a meeting to protest the participation of Penn State's two black players (Triplett and Hoggard). Team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
Steve Suhey
Steve Suhey
Steven Joseph Suhey is a former professional American football player, playing guard for two seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was an All-American at Penn State. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1985...
was said to have responded, “We are Penn State. There will be no meetings.”
Triplett also co-founded the Gamma Nu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
while at Penn State.
NFL
Although Triplett was only the third African-American chosen in the 1949 NFL Draft1949 NFL Draft
The 1949 National Football League Draft was held on December 21, 1948.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
, he was the first of the draftees to take the field in a league game. (Other undrafted African-Americans had previously played in the league.) The 5'-10", 173-pound 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...
and return specialist
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
played for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
from 1949-50.
Triplett holds the Lions' single-game record in kickoff return yardage with 294 (second-highest total in NFL history), including a 97-yard touchdown return against the Los Angeles Rams in 1950; his average of 73.5 yards per return in that game is also an NFL record
NFL records (individual)
This is a list of records set by individual players in various categories in the National Football League.- Service :* Most seasons: 26, George Blanda, 1949–1958, 1960–1976...
. He also set the Lions' record for the longest run from scrimmage with an 80-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.
Following the 1950 season, Triplett became the first NFL player drafted into military service for the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. When he returned from active duty, the Lions traded him to the Chicago Cardinals. He retired from professional football in 1953.
Personal
Since his playing days, Triplett worked as a teacherTeacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, in the insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
business, and in management for the Chrysler Corporation
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
. He has been married to his wife, Leonore, for more than 50 years. They have four children.