Author and former football coach Tom Cole is a true football historian. His new book “Black in the Pocket: African American Quarterbacks That Changed the Face of American Football” was released last summer. The book details the decades-long struggle faced by well-deserving African American athletes who were denied the opportunity to take on the role of quarterback at the collegiate and professional level.
Love for the Game
“I’ve been involved in the quarterback position my whole life,” says Cole.“I played the position for 14 years, up to semi pro, and coached the position for high school and college for 30 years.” After graduating from St. John’s Jesuit High School, where he was a first string quarterback, Cole went on to play at Ohio Wesleyan University, while majoring in history with a minor in English.
Cole later became a sports commentator for Buckeye Cable and the BCSN Net- work. Currently, he serves as community outreach coordinator for the Taylor Automotive Family. Cole has four books out with AuthorHouse Publishing – including
“The Class of ‘73” – a fictional story about the life and times of college life and collegiate athletes in the early 70’s.
Unheard Backstories
“Black in the Pocket” has a different tone – it’s a nod to the talented players that were unrecognized or pushed aside by coaches and colleges across the country during a pivotal time in American history. His new book chronicles numerous stories of young black Americans during and beyond the Civil Rights era and the struggles they faced to gain recognition on the gridiron.
Cole tells us that “Coaches and team owners back then were old white guys, and their thinking was that no matter how talented, black athletes weren’t capable of playing quarterback. It seems ridiculous today to say it, but that’s what
happened.”
Breaking the Glass Ceiling
One of the stories is about former Washington Redskins quarterback Doug Williams – the first black starting quarterback in the NFL, who won Super Bowl XXII in 1988 against the Denver Broncos. Not only did Williams break a glass ceiling in pro football, he also broke two Super Bowl passing records: one for throwing 340 during the game, and another for throwing four touchdown passes in a
single quarter.
“Williams was the first black quarterback to start in the NFL, ever,” says Cole. “He even suffered a knee injury during the game, and still went on to break records. From that point on, the ceiling was crashed.”
Hitting Home
Another chapter of the book tells the story of Chuck Ealey, an African American who played quarterback for the University of Toledo from 1969 to 1972. “I got to know him very well,” says Cole. “We’ve worked on many community projects over the years.”
In the 60’s Chuck Ealey played for Notre Dame High School in Portsmouth, Ohio and he was recruited to play for the University of Toledo. “He never lost a game,” Cole relates. “He holds the longest winning streak at 35-0 (along with wins in) three Tangerine Bowls. However, because of how things were back then, Ealey was never drafted into the
NFL.”
There are countless stories that have never been heard – until now. The book is 66 chapters long, and the vast majority of them are dedicated to individuals who never got the chance they deserved. Written in a conversational style, Cole lays it all out to set the record straight.
“Black in the Pocket: African American Quarterbacks That Changed the Face of American Football” By Tom Cole can be purchased on amazon.com
