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Grambling’s Eddie Robinson Remembered
Coach sent more than
200 players to NFL
(AP) — Former Grambling coach Eddie
Robinson, who created a football powerhouse at
the small, black college in northern Louisiana
that turned out hundreds of NFL players, is being
remembered after his April 3 death. He was 88.
The soft-spoken coach spent nearly 60 years
at Grambling State University, where he set a
standard for victories with 408 and nearly every
season saw his top players drafted by NFL
teams.
Doug Williams, a Super Bowl MVP quarter
back was one of them.
“For the Grambling family this is a very
emotional time," Williams said. "But I’m think
ing about Eddie Robinson the man, not in today
time, but in the day and what he meant to me and
to so many people.”
Robinson's career spanned 11 presidents.
several wars and the civil-rights move
respected him.”
ment. His older records are what people
Robinson was forced to retire after
w ill remember: In 57 years, Robinson
the 1997 season, after the program fell
compiled a 408-165-15 record. Until
on tough times. His final three years on
John Gagliardi of St. John's, Minn.,
the sidelines brought consecutive losing
seasons for the first time, an NCAA
topped the victory mark fouryears ago,
Robinson was known as the winningest
investigation of recruiting violations and
four players charged with rape.
coach in all of college football.
As pressure mounted for him to step
"The real record 1 have set for over
aside, even the governor campaigned to
50 years is the fact that I have had one
give him one last season so he could try
job and one wife," Robinson said.
Robinson had been suffering from
to go out a winner.
But that final season produced only
Alzheimer’s, which was diagnosed
three wins for the second straight year.
shortly after he was forced to retire
following the 1997 season, in which he
Robinson’s teams had only eight los
won only three games. His health had
ing seasons and won 17 Southwestern
been declining for years and he had
Athletic Conference titles and nine na
Grambling State football coach Eddie Robinson talks
been in and out of a nursing home with players Tyree Madison (88) and Chiron Applewhite
tional black college championships. His
den
is packed with trophies, represent
during the last year.
(right) at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., on
Robinson said he tried to coach each Nov. 9, 1997. (AP photo)
ing virtually every award a coach can
player as if he wanted him to marry his
win. He was inducted into every hall of
W illiam s, w ho su cceed ed R obinson as fame for which he was eligible, and received
daughter.
He began coaching at Grambling State in Grambling’s coach in 1998. Others went to the honorary degrees from several universities, in
1941, when it was still the Louisiana Negro Canadian Football League and the now-defunct cluding Yale.
Normal and Industrial Institute, and single- USFL.
When he began his career, Robinson had no
Robinson’s pro stars included Willie Davis, paid assistants, no groundskeepers, no trainers
handedly brought the school from obscurity to
James Harris, Ernie Ladd, Buck Buchanan, and little in the way of equipment. He had to line
international popularity.
Grambling first gained national attention in Sammy White, Cliff McNeil, Willie Brown, the field himself and fix lunchmeat sandwiches
for road trips because the players could not eat
in the “white only” restaurants of the South.
He was not bitter, however. “The best way to
enjoy life in America is to first be an American,
and I don’t think you have to be white to do so,”
Robinson said. “Blacks have had a hard time, but
not many Americans haven’t.”
Robinson said he tried to teach his players
about opportunity.
“The framers of this Constitution, now they
— Eddie Robinson, former Grambling Coach
did some things,” Robinson would say. “If you
aren’t lazy, they fixed it for you. You’ve got to
1949 when running back Paul “Tank” Younger Roosevelt Taylor, Charlie Joiner and Willie Wil understand the system. It’s just like in football, if
signed with the Los Angeles Rams and became liams.
you don't understand the system, you haven’t
the first player from an all-black college to enter
Robinson said he was inspired to become a got a chance.”
the NFL. Suddenly, pro scouts learned how to football coach when a high school team visited
His first season, Robinson's team went 3-5.
find the little school 65 miles east of Shreveport the elementary school he attended
His second year Grambling was 9-0 and did not
near the Arkansas border.
“The other kids wanted to be players, but I allow a single point.
Robi nson sent over 200 play wanted to be like that coach,” Robinson said. “I
In 1943 and 1944 there was no football at
ers to the NFL, including seven liked the way he talked to the team, the way he Grambling because of the war. Robinson coached
first-round draft choices and could make us laugh. I liked the way they all at Grambling High School those years and won
a high school championship.
The same year Robinson started coaching at
Grambling, he married his high school sweet
heart, Doris, whom he courted for eight years.
Robinson is survived by his wife, son Eddie
call 503.288.0033 '
Robinson Jr., daughter Lillian Rose Robinson,
or email: ads@portlandobserver.com
five grandchildren and fourgreat-grandchildren.
The other kids wanted to be players, but I
wanted to be like that coach. I liked the
way he talked to the team, the way he could
make us laugh. I liked the way they all
respected him.
Eddie and Doris Robinson at their home
in Grambling, La., in July 2004. (AP photo)
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(AP) - Every player on the Dodg
ers will be No. 42 for a day.
Los Angeles will honor the late
Jackie Robinson by having all of its
players wear his jersey number on
Sunday. April 15 when the Dodg
ers face the San Diego Padres at
Dodger Stadium on the 60th anni
versary of his becoming the first
African-Artierican player to play in
a big league game.
"Jackie Robinson was a Dodger,
and the most fitting tribute can pay
to him is for the entire team to wear
his number on the 60th anniversary
of his breaking the color barrier,"
Dodgers vice chairman and presi
dent Jamie McCourt said.
Robinson made his debut for the
Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15,
1947. The team moved to Los An
geles after the 1957 season.