Black History Month: Pittsburgh Home To Many Black History BreakthroughsPOSTED: 2:57 pm EST February 6,
2008 PITTSBURGH -- This year in Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin became the first black head coach of the Steelers, but there are other Pittsburgh sports legends who have had a national impact when they broke the color barrier.  Watch Andrew Stockey's ReportIn the 1950s, New Kensington's Willie Thrower became the NFL's first black quarterback. That same decade, the University of Pittsburgh's Bobby Grier became the first black man to play in the Sugar Bowl.Heinz History Center curator Sam Blake said that decade in history also saw a Pittsburgher break through one of the final barriers.Duquesne's Chuck Cooper was drafted into the NBA."You are starting to see the racial barriers in sports break down, even more, at least, in what you call the big three: baseball, football and basketball," said Blake.In 1971, on their way to a world title, the Pittsburgh Pirates became the first team to have an all-minority starting lineup. Black and Latinos made up most of the team, which is arguably one of the best baseball has ever seen.Pittsburgh was home to the best of Negro League Baseball. It was the home of both the Crawfords and Homestead Grays.Greenlee Field on Bedford Avenue in the Hill District was the nation's first black-owned ballpark, too.You can take your own trip through black Pittsburgh sports history at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum. Related Links: More County NewsGet RSS | E-Mail Alerts Copyright 2008 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
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