Fritz Pollard, Black Athletes HOF Ring. Fritz Pollard, whose given name was Frederick Douglass Pollard, was among the first African American players in professional football, and along with Bobby Marshall, one of the two first African American players in the NFL. Pollard played for Brown University, for which he was the first African American to play in the Rose Bowl and the first African American running back to be named to Walter Camp's All-American team. Pollard then played professionally with the Akron Pros and the Hammond Pros, among other teams. With Akron, a member of the American Professional Football Association, Pollard was a running back and in his second season became the first African American to coach in pro football. After the APFL became the National Football League, Pollard was pro football's first black quarterback while playing for the Hammond Pros. Pollard is in the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Black Athletes Hall of Fame ring, a large size 10K, is in excellent condition. It is imprinted with "Black Athletes Hall of Fame." On one shank of the ring is imprinted "Fritz Pollard - Strength, Patience, Desire." The other shank has "Football - Excellence, Integrity, Ability, Pride." The ring represents a trail blazing athlete and coach who was achieving inroads in racial equality a generation before Jackie Robinson's Major League debut.