Missing a man who stood up to racism
A man died in April. His obituary took four columns and was filled with his accomplishments, which were many. A brief mention was made halfway down the second column of his involvement with the 1951 University of San Francisco Dons football team.
Growing up in San Francisco, I had a visceral understanding of that team’s accomplishments and its stance against racism. Later in life as I coached at the University of San Francisco and became its athletic director, I gained a true understanding of the school’s stand against discrimination and bigotry and the difficulties it posed for both the players and the school.
In this time of corona shutdown when all athletes — professional, Olympic, university students and high schoolers — are enduring hardships, I am reminded of the self-imposed restrictions chosen by those members of the 51 Dons. The fact that we still see unequal treatment of Blacks by police and in some areas of our country underscores the fact that we as a society still have long a way to go to meet the standard that team stood for almost 70 years ago.
When the team went undefeated and untied for the season and was offered a spot to play for the National Championship against Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl, the invitation came with a stipulation that they leave their two African American players at home. In 1951 no Black player had ever been allowed to play in any Southern Bowl game. No university before had ever refused that stipulation.
When they were told of the condition by the head coach, the team members screamed their defiance. They were a team and would not play without Burl Toler and Ollie Matson, their two African-American members. Even more importantly, the president of USF, Fr. William J. Dunne, supported their stance.
The decision to refuse the invitation came at great cost. The school, denied the money that would have come with playing for a national championship and faced with declining enrollment forced by the Korean War draft, shut down its football program
In this time of corona shutdown when all athletes — professional, Olympic, university students and high schoolers — are enduring hardships, I am reminded of the self-imposed restrictions chosen by those members of the 51 Dons.
the following year. Players, were forced to transfer schools, get drafted, or join the ROTC program to stay at USF.
The greatness of the individual players was proven over the years. Five reside in the NFL Hall of Fame. Eleven were drafted into the NFL. Six of them played in the same Pro Bowl. Beside the great players, a young man who had just graduated from USF that year and was the team’s publicity manager, Pete Rozelle, became the most powerful man in professional sports as the Commissioner of the National Football League. Rozelle, started the Super Bowl, Monday night football. Roselle also hired the first African-American official in professional sports, six years before baseball, and 10 before the NBA. However, it is the team’s stance against discrimination that has made the team’s legend endure.
The man who died was Bill Henneberry. He was my friend. Bill was the back-up quarterback in 1951. He led the team as they were honored at half-time of the 2008 Fiesta Bowl for their stance against blatant discrimination. They walked onto the field in a circle, holding hands. The crowd applauded and would not let them leave. The young women who had escorted them onto the field cried. Bill’s death left only 12 of that special group alive. I cried at his passing.
Gary Nelson is a resident of Mill Valley. IJ readers are invited to share their stories of love, dating, parenting, marriage, friendship and other experiences for our How It Is column, which runs Tuesdays in the Lifestyles section. All stories must not have been published in part or in its entirety previously. Send your stories of no more than 500 words to lifestyles@ marinij.com. Please write How It Is in the subject line. The IJ reserves the right to edit them for publication. Please include your full name, address and a daytime phone number.