Condredge Holloway facts for kids
Holloway in 2023
|
|
| Born: | January 24, 1954 Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
|---|---|
| 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 | |
|
|
| 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 |
|
|
Condredge Holloway Jr. (born January 25, 1954) is a famous 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. People at Tennessee called him the "Artful Dodger."
Contents
Early Life and College Career
Condredge Holloway Jr. was born in Huntsville, Alabama. His parents were Condredge Holloway Sr. and Dorothy Holloway. His mother worked at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.
High School Sports Star
Holloway was a fantastic baseball player at Lee High School. He was even named to the ABCA High School All-America Baseball Team. In 1971, the Montreal Expos baseball team chose him as their first pick in the draft. He was the fourth player picked overall. However, Condredge was only 17, too young to sign a contract in Alabama. His mother wanted him to go to college first. So, he decided to attend the University of Tennessee.
Making History at Tennessee
By going to Tennessee, Holloway made history. He became the first African-American to start as a quarterback in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He was also the first black baseball player in Tennessee's history.
Even though he was a top baseball prospect, Holloway chose to play both sports in college. He was excellent in baseball, earning All-SEC and All-America honors as a shortstop in 1975. He had a career batting average of .353. Holloway still holds Tennessee's longest hitting streak at 27 games. He is the only Tennessee athlete named to the All-Century teams for both baseball and football.
Football Success at Tennessee
Holloway was the starting quarterback for the Vols for three seasons, from 1972 to 1974. During this time, he led his team to three bowl games:
- The 1972 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
- The 1973 Gator Bowl
- The 1974 Liberty Bowl
His team's overall record during his time as a starter was 25 wins, 9 losses, and 2 ties. He was very good at avoiding mistakes. He threw only 12 interceptions in 407 attempts, which was the best record in Tennessee history at the time. In total, he completed 238 passes for 3,102 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also ran for 966 yards and nine touchdowns.
Playing in the Canadian Football League
After college, Holloway was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 1975 NFL draft. However, he was drafted as a defensive back, not a quarterback. At that time, very few professional teams had African-American quarterbacks.
So, Holloway decided to play in the Canadian Football League (CFL) instead.
Ottawa Rough Riders
He started his CFL career in 1975 with the Ottawa Rough Riders.
Toronto Argonauts and Grey Cup Win
Later, he moved to the Toronto Argonauts. In 1982, he won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player award, which is a huge honor. The 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!
BC Lions and Hall of Fame
Holloway finished his football career playing for the BC Lions. In 1999, he was honored for his amazing career by being inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Life After Football
After retiring from playing football, Condredge Holloway continued to be involved in sports.
He is currently the assistant athletic director at the University of Tennessee, where he once played. He also co-owns D1 Sports Training in Huntsville, Alabama.
In 1996, he was recognized as one of the SEC Football Legends, representing Tennessee. In 2010, he was chosen for the 1970s all-decade team of high school basketball players from Madison County, Alabama.
In 2011, ESPN Films released a documentary about his life called The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story. It was produced and narrated by country music star Kenny Chesney.
