Chuck Ealey facts for kids

Charles "Chuck" Ealey (born January 6, 1950) is a famous American former football player. He played as a quarterback in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for teams like the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Toronto Argonauts. Chuck Ealey made history in 1972 when he became the first black quarterback to win the Grey Cup, leading the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to victory.

He had an amazing college football career at the University of Toledo. Before that, he played high school football at Notre Dame High School in Portsmouth, Ohio. What makes Chuck Ealey truly special is that he never lost a single game in high school or college! He is one of only two major college quarterbacks to finish their entire college career undefeated in at least 25 games.

Early Life and College Football Success

Chuck Ealey played high school football from 1964 to 1967. He played for Notre Dame High School in Ohio. In 1967, his team won their first state championship. Even though he had an undefeated record, not many colleges offered him scholarships.

He was offered a scholarship to Miami University, but they wanted him to be a third-string quarterback. Chuck Ealey wanted to play, so he said no. Then, University of Toledo coach Frank Lauterbur offered him a scholarship. Coach Lauterbur promised him a chance to be the starting quarterback. Chuck Ealey accepted this offer.

At Toledo, Chuck Ealey led his team to an incredible 35 wins in a row. This winning streak happened between 1969 and 1971. He helped the Toledo Rockets win the 1970 Tangerine Bowl. The Rockets won three Tangerine Bowl games in a row. Chuck Ealey was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in all three of those games!

In 1971, his final year of college, Chuck Ealey was recognized as one of the best players in the country. He was named a First Team All-American by Football News. He also finished eighth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. This award goes to the most outstanding player in college football.

Chuck Ealey was a three-time all-conference player. He was also named the Back of the Year three times in the Mid-American Conference. He led the conference in passing yards in both 1970 and 1971. His jersey number, 16, is one of only four retired numbers in Toledo football history. This means no other player can wear that number. He was also one of the first members inducted into the MAC Hall of Fame in 1988.

Because of his amazing college achievements, Chuck Ealey is now a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He was not chosen in the 1972 NFL draft for the National Football League (NFL). At that time, it was very rare for African-American players to be considered as quarterbacks in the NFL. Chuck Ealey only wanted to play quarterback.

Professional Football Career

In 1972, Chuck Ealey signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He became the starting quarterback in his third game. He then led Hamilton to an 11-3 record. This placed them first in the East Division.

Chuck Ealey won the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award in his first year. He was also named to the CFL All-Star team. He led his team to a thrilling 13-10 victory in the 60th Grey Cup. This was a last-minute win against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. In that game, he won the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player award. He passed for 291 yards and scored a touchdown. He also ran for 63 yards.

In 1974, Chuck Ealey was traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played there for about a season and a half. He faced some injuries during this time. In 1975, he was traded again, this time to the Toronto Argonauts. He played three seasons with the Argonauts. His career ended in 1978 due to a serious injury. In total, Chuck Ealey played seven seasons in the CFL. He passed for 13,326 yards and scored 82 touchdowns.

Life After Football

After his football career, Chuck Ealey became a regional director for Investors Group in Mississauga, Canada. He also appears on the radio to talk about investments and finance. He lives in Brampton with his wife. He has three children and seven grandchildren. His son, Damon, also played football for the University of Toledo in 1995.

Chuck Ealey's life story has been shared in several ways. A documentary film about him, called Undefeated: The Chuck Ealey Story, was shown in 2008. He is also featured in a book for young readers called Choice of Colours. This book is about pioneering African-American quarterbacks.

Another documentary about him, "The Stone Thrower," came out in 2012. It was part of a series celebrating the 100th Grey Cup. Chuck Ealey's daughter, Jael Ealey Richardson, is a writer and broadcaster. She wrote a memoir about her father's life in 2012. She also wrote a children's book adaptation in 2015, both titled The Stone Thrower.