Cornelius Greene facts for kids

Cornelius Greene was an American college football player. He was a talented quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes team. In 1973, he made history as the first African American quarterback to start for Ohio State. Later, in 1975, he was recognized as an All-American and the Big Ten Most Valuable Player.

Early Life and Inspiration

Cornelius Greene was born on January 21, 1954, in Washington, D.C.. When he was nine years old, he was at the Washington Monument. This was on the day Martin Luther King gave his famous 'I have a dream' speech. This important day deeply inspired Greene. It gave him strength and hope for his future.

High School Sports

Greene went to Dunbar High School. There, he was a multi-sport athlete. He played basketball, baseball, and football. In football, he played both as a quarterback and on defense.

College Football Career

In 1972, Cornelius Greene received a football scholarship to Ohio State University. He played under the famous coach Woody Hayes.

Breaking Barriers at Ohio State

In 1973, during his second year, Greene became the starting quarterback for Ohio State. This was a very important moment. He was the first African American quarterback to ever start for the team. This achievement was not easy. After becoming the starter, Greene received many hateful letters and even threats. Despite these challenges, he led the 1973 team to an amazing season. They finished with 10 wins, 0 losses, and 1 tie. He also won the 1974 Rose Bowl MVP award.

Top Player Awards

In 1975, as a senior, Greene was named a first-team All-American. He also won the Big Ten Most Valuable Player award. His teammate, Archie Griffin, had won the MVP award for the two years before. Griffin was also the first player to win the Heisman Trophy twice. In 1975, Greene won the Team MVP award by just one vote. Archie Griffin, showing great sportsmanship, actually voted for Greene that year.

Impressive College Records

During his college career, Greene had an impressive record of 31 wins, 3 losses, and 1 tie. He helped his team win four Big Ten Conference championships. He also played in four Rose Bowl games, starting in three of them.

To honor his achievements, Cornelius Greene was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998. He was also honored with induction into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2019.

Even though his teams focused more on running the ball, Greene held the record for most career passing yards at Ohio State for many years. He completed 138 of 251 passes (55.0 percent) for 2,255 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also ran the ball 409 times for 2,014 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and 28 touchdowns.

Professional Football Career

After college, Greene was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys in the eleventh round of the 1976 NFL draft. They wanted him to play as a wide receiver. However, he was released by the Cowboys in August 1976. The next day, the Seattle Seahawks picked him up, but he was released again before the regular season started.

In October 1976, Greene had a tryout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He did not sign a contract then, but he did sign with them in March 1977. He was released again before the season began in June. Later that year, he joined the Columbus Stingers in the Midwest Football League.

Greene continued to play in the Midwest Football League with the Columbus Metros in 1978. In 1979, the Metros joined the Mid-Atlantic Football League, and Greene played wide receiver for them.

Life After Football

In 1982, Cornelius Greene moved back to his hometown of Washington, D.C. He began working for the city and managed a recreation center. Today, he is a faculty member and coaches multiple sports at St. Albans School.