Paying Homage...T.R.O.Y...

December 11, 2008 Daniel Kawah

When we think of first in sports here in America the names you usually hear are Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Larry Doby, Jack Johnson, Althea Gibson, and Arthur Ashe, however there is one name that often goes under the radar by most Americans, Bill Willis.

Willis was one of the four original black players in 1946 to break the color barrier to play professional football in America. Willis was the first black all-american in Ohio State football history. As a two-way star he helped lead the 1942 Buckeye team to the national championship. In 1946 Willis was signed by the Cleveland Browns of the AAFC(All-American Football Confrence which later became the AFC of the NFL) and took off where he left off in college. He continued to play both ways and was named all league 3 out of his first seasons. The Browns won their league title every year they played in the AAFC, and Willis was named as an All League player in three of those four years. In 1950 the Browns moved into the NFL and Willis was a 3 time pro bowler. Willis is one of few players in any sport to be in the hall of fame on the pro, college, and high school levels. When Willis retired from football after the 1953 season, he later become the director of the Ohio Youth Commission where he helped out the youth of Ohio and gave back to his commuinty which was so important to him in his life.

Over the past year I developed a special relationship with the Willis family (especially his Imani who is an amazing person herself) and from everything I have heard and have seen Bill the football player doesn't even scratch the surface of Bill the father, grandfather, uncle, friend, coach, adviser, and so much more. I got a chance to visit his hometown of Columbus, Ohio earlier this year and I was amazed on how many people he touched in such a special way. The words and pictures gave me a little taste of how great of a person he truly was. The thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the fact that THE Ohio State University waited so long to honor such great and influential man to their program. When I think about all the other players who had their jerseys retired before his in this program's storied history, most would have never gotten a chance to excel at OSU if it wasn't for Willis and his ability to endure all the things that were going on around him and his people in America. They should not have waited until he was sick and on his way away from us to give him his just praise. Like my mom always tells me, " Give me my flowers and praise when I'm alive, not dead"

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRVUNCCJwqc&hl=en&fs=1]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiOcVWQY2bc&hl=en&fs=1]