New book tells story of HBCU legends of the American Football League

Nelson

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Buck Buchanan, a mountain of a man, was at the top of his class in 1963.

The star defensive tackle from Grambling State was selected No. 1 overall in the American Football League draft that year by the Kansas City Chiefs. He became the first black player from any college — HBCU or predominantly white — to accomplish that feat.

Buchanan, 6-foot-7, 245 pounds at the time, captured the eye of progressive Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt and head coach Hank Stram during a time when selecting players from HBCUs that high in a draft was a foreign concept.

But this was the fledgling AFL — the new kid with new ideas on the new block that went toe-to-toe with the more traditional and staid NFL. The year 1963 was a bellwether time in U.S. history.

It helped that the Chiefs employed a black part-time scout in the legendary Lloyd Wells, who, according to Ross’ book, had known Taylor since he was in junior high school. Wells, who went to Texas Southern, ultimately became the first full-time black scout in either league.

Read the rest: https://theundefeated.com/galleries...hbcu-legends-of-the-american-football-league/
 
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