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UNDER THE BANNER What's Going On In and Around Black College Sports
 TRAILBLAZER PASSES: Pioneering former
Grambling State football star and black
college player of the year Paul
"Tank" Younger, who went on to pave
the way for black college players in the National Football League, died
Saturday in Inglewood, Ca., after a lengthy illness. He was 73.
Younger, who scored 60 touchdowns during his storied career at Grambling under the tutelage of coach Eddie Robinson and was named the 1949 black college player of the year, was considered a test case when he entered the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams in that same year. Robinson told him to bear in mind that he was breaking new ground. No other black college player had ever made it in the NFL, and he needed to be ready for some unpleasant experiences. Robinson also told him that he had to make the team. If he didn't, it would likely be a long time before anybody else got the opportunity. Younger made it with shining colors. For all the linebackers and running backs he faced on the field while playing both ways for the Rams from 1949-57, what he faced off the field in terms of institutionalized racism and segregation was likely more intimidating. Younger said it was in the NFL that he experienced hard-core racism for the firt time. "Tank was really a pioneer in the Jackie Robinson mold," said Jack Teele, a former executive with the Rams and Chargers. "He was perfectly suited to play such a role. To Tank, racial differences really didn't exist much; you were either a good guy or a bad guy." At Grambling, Younger was almost an instant star. After being
tried at tackle, Robinson switched him to running back. As a freshman, he
led the nation in scoring with 25 touchdowns, scoring many times on an end-around play. In
his junior year, he rushed for 1,207 yards and scored 18
touchdowns. He also completed 43 of 73 pass attempts, 11
for touchdowns. His 60 touchdowns, at the time, was a
collegiate record. He was a two-way star for much of his NFL career. In 1952 he became the first black player to play in the NFL All-Star Game and was selected to the Pro Bowl on four occasions. After him, NFL personnel directors paid attention to black college players and in 1975, the Rams made him the league's first African-American assistant general manager. He later served in the same capacity with the San Diego Chargers. Known for his punishing running style, Younger played for the Rams from 1949 to 1957 and finished his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1958. On the football field, Younger was famous for plowing over would-be tacklers. He, "Deacon" Dan Towler and Dick Hoerner formed the Rams' "Bull Elephant" offensive backfield: three 225-pound-plus runners who were as large as most opposing defensive linemen. Born in Grambling, La., Younger grew up in Los Angeles, then returned to Louisiana for college. He played linebacker and running back, and earned his nickname when Collie Nicholson, the longtime Grambling sports information director, said he "ran like a Sherman tank." The Paul "Tank" Younger Trophy is now given to the black college player of the year as part of the postseason Spirit Awards ceremonies. He was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000. Younger is survived by his wife, Lucille; a son, Howard; and daughters Harriette and Lucy. © 2001 Azeez Communications, Inc.
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