New Kensington's Willie Thrower celebrated for breaking color barrier for NFL quarterbacks 70 years ago

Wednesday’s “1st Snap” celebration was 70 years in the making, and NFL pioneer Willie Thrower’s family and friends made the most of the anniversary.

A steering committee worked nearly a year to the day to mark Thrower becoming the first Black quarterback to take a snap in an NFL game.

The New Kensington native’s appearance took place Oct. 18, 1953, while playing for the Chicago Bears at Wrigley Field against the San Francisco 49ers.

“From the committee to the city of New Kensington to the whole community, everybody came together for the celebration,” said Melvin Thrower, Willie’s son. “It’s a remarkable part of history. It can never be repeated when you’re the first at something.”

Wednesday’s events included a live radio broadcast adjacent to Thrower’s statue inside Valley High Memorial Stadium to a podcast featuring the Evolution of the Black Quarterback to a reception for family and committee members.

“It’s an example of community engagement, collaboration and cooperation,” said Diane Hightower, a key member of the planning group. “I’m most proud of being able to honor Mr. Thrower and all his accomplishments.”

Other pioneers were part of the festivities. J.T. Thomas, a member of the first four Steelers Super Bowl teams, recounted his status as the first Black scholarship athlete at Florida State University.

“Being active in the civil rights movement in Macon, Ga., I started at Florida State in 1968 and didn’t know anybody,” Thomas said. “I was told to look up Dr. Charles Steele, founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He became my mentor, and I weathered the (racial) climate of the time.”

Also on hand was Chuck Cooper III, son of Chuck Cooper, the first Black player drafted by the NBA by the Boston Celtics in 1950 after a stellar career at Duquesne University.

“My father also made his debut on an Oct. 18, this time in an NBA exhibition game with the Celtics,” the younger Cooper said. “Later, he became the first Black executive at Pittsburgh National Bank, the forerunner of PNC.”

Melvin Thrower disclosed a phone call he received from Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey, grandson of legendary coach George Halas, who inserted Thrower into the 1953 game in relief of Youngwood native George Blanda.

“He talked about how my father and George Blanda becoming friends and riding the bus to away games together,” Melvin said.

Willie Thrower’s widow, Mary, despite recent illnesses, got around in a wheelchair at Wednesday’s events and personally thanked a considerable number of people who helped organize the festivities.

Willie Thrower died of a heart attack on Feb. 20, 2002, in New Kensington. He was 71.

Thrower helped lead the former New Kensington High School to WPIAL football titles in 1946 and ’47, along with a runner-up status in 1945 as a ninth-grader.

He made first team, all-state in 1948 before heading to Michigan State University, where he became the Big 10 Conference’s first Black quarterback in 1952 as part of the Spartans national championship team. He then signed with the Bears.