The 1951 San Francisco Dons

Last Thursday, Football lost a legendary Quarterback as former Bears QB, Ed Brown died at 78. Brown played for 12 seasons in the NFL, appearing in two Pro Bowls and led the Chicago Bears to the 1956 NFL Title Game(a 47-7 loss to the New York Giants). However, before he was a Bear he played for the San Francisco Dons. In 1951 Brown was the star Quarterback for the Dons and it was that season football died at the University...all because of their beliefs. It was going into that season that the University of San Francisco had held a meeting in which they considered dropping Football do to not being able to afford the costs of supporting a team.

So most students and alumnists along with the fans were concerned about the team's future. The fear of losing the program motivated the team as the finished the season 9-0 and ranked 14th Nationally in the AP Poll. Most Bowls were reluctant to invite the undefeated Dons due to their competition but finally, following their final game of the season, The Dons were invited to play in the Orange Bowl in Miami. However, there was a catch. The only way the Orange Bowl Committee would allow the Dons to play would be if they left their African-American players at home(it was a custom prior to the mid-50's that any team that fielded African-American players would have to leave them at the campus if they were to play an SEC school or in any Bowl Game in the South).

USF, refused, however, and as a result, the Orange Bowl Committee revoked their invitation. The declining of the invitation would ultimately lead the end of the program(had they accepted the money from the game would've kept the program afloat)as the Dons would never field another game for over 15 years, where they unsuccessfully returned as a Division III school. Now, 56 years later, Brown is gone just like many of the USF Dons, but their refusal to bench their African-American players led to a change in College Football. It was after that the NCAA had decided to change things lifting the "Whites Only" rule of the South for Interconference games and Bowl Games. However, it wouldn't be for another 20 years that the SEC would allow African-Americans to play on the Varsity Teams. However, it was the integrity of the Dons that began a change in College Football.

So for that I give credit to the San Francisco Dons and I say goodbye to a legendary Quarterback in Ed Brown.