Condredge Holloway facts for kids
Holloway in 2023
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| Born: | January 24, 1954 Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Career information | |
| CFL status | International |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| College | University of Tennessee |
| High school | Lee (Huntsville, Alabama) |
| NFL draft | 1975 / Round: 12 / Pick: 306 (By the New England Patriots) |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1975–1980 | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1981–1986 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 1987 | BC Lions |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| CFL All-Star | 1982 |
| CFL East All-Star | 1978, 1982, 1983 |
| Honors | Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame |
| Career stats | |
| Games played | 181 |
| Comp–Att | 1,710–3,013 |
| Completion % | 56.8 |
| Passing yards | 25,193 |
| TD–INT | 155–94 |
| Passer rating | 88.4 |
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Condredge Holloway Jr. (born January 25, 1954) is a famous American former quarterback. He played for the University of Tennessee and later in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Holloway was one of the first African-American quarterbacks to become well-known across the country. His nickname at Tennessee was the "Artful Dodger."
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Early Life and College Sports
Condredge Holloway Jr. was born to Condredge Holloway Sr. and Dorothy Holloway. His family has a unique history; his grandfather was born into slavery but became free in 1865. In 1962, his mother, Dorothy, started working at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
High School Baseball Star
Holloway was an amazing baseball player at Lee High School in Huntsville. He was even named to the ABCA High School All-America Baseball Team. In the 1971 Major League Baseball draft, the Montreal Expos picked him as a shortstop. He was their first pick and the fourth player chosen overall!
However, Condredge was only 17, too young to sign a contract in Alabama without a parent's permission. His mother wanted him to go to college. So, she refused to sign the contract. This decision changed his path from professional baseball to college sports.
Making History at Tennessee
Instead of playing pro baseball, Holloway chose to attend the University of Tennessee. By doing so, he made history. He became the first African-American to start as a quarterback in a Southeastern Conference (SEC) school. He was also the first black baseball player in Tennessee history.
Holloway excelled in both sports. He earned All-SEC and All-America honors as a shortstop in 1975. He finished his college baseball career with an impressive .353 batting average. He still holds Tennessee's longest hitting streak at 27 games. Condredge is the only Tennessee athlete named to both the baseball and football All-Century teams.
Football Success with the Vols
As a starting quarterback for the Vols from 1972 to 1974, Holloway led his team to three different bowl games. These were the 1972 Astro-Bluebonnet, 1973 Gator, and 1974 Liberty Bowls. During his time, the team had a great record of 25 wins, 9 losses, and 2 ties.
He was known for being very careful with the ball. He threw only 12 interceptions in 407 attempts during his college career. This was the best interception-to-attempt ratio in Tennessee history at the time. Overall, he completed 238 passes for 3,102 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also ran the ball 351 times for 966 yards and nine touchdowns.
Playing in the Canadian Football League
After his successful college career, Holloway was drafted by the NFL in 1975. However, he was picked in the twelfth round by the New England Patriots as a defensive back, not a quarterback. At that time, very few professional teams had African-American quarterbacks.
Because of this, Holloway decided to play in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He started his CFL career with the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1975.
Toronto Argonauts and Grey Cup Champion
Later, he moved to the Toronto Argonauts. In 1982, he won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player award, which is a huge honor. The very next season, in 1983, he led the Argonauts to a Grey Cup championship. This was a big deal because it was Toronto's first championship in 31 years!
Holloway finished his football career playing for the BC Lions. In 1999, he was recognized for his amazing career and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Life After Football
After retiring from playing football, Condredge Holloway continued to be involved in sports.
Current Role and Business
Today, Holloway works as the assistant athletic director at the University of Tennessee. He also co-owns D1 Sports Training in Huntsville, Alabama, which helps athletes train and improve.
Honors and Recognition
In 1996, he was honored as one of the SEC Football Legends, representing the University of Tennessee. In 2010, he was chosen for the 1970s all-decade team of high school basketball players from Madison County, Alabama, by The Huntsville Times.
In 2011, ESPN Films released a documentary about his life called The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story. It was produced and narrated by famous country music star Kenny Chesney.
