Irv Cross facts for kids

Irvin Acie Cross (born July 27, 1939 – died February 28, 2021) was an American football player and a famous sports announcer. He played as a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was chosen for the Pro Bowl twice while playing for the Philadelphia Eagles.

After his football career, Cross became a sportscaster for CBS. He was the first African American sports analyst on national television. He also helped start The NFL Today, a popular football pre-game show. This show became the standard for how other TV networks presented their football coverage. In 2009, he received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was the first black person to get this award. Cross also worked as an athletic director at two universities.

Early Life and High School Sports

Irvin Cross was born in Hammond, Indiana. He was one of 15 children in his family. He went to Hammond High. There, he was a talented athlete. He played football and basketball. He was also a star in track events. In 1957, a local newspaper called him the Male Athlete of the Year. He was later honored in the Hammond Sports Hall of Fame.

College Football Career

Cross went to Northwestern University and earned a degree in 1961. He was part of a special group of players recruited by coach Ara Parseghian. From 1958 to 1960, Cross played many positions for the Wildcats. He played wide receiver, defensive back, and defensive end.

He was a team captain in 1960. He was also recognized as an honorable mention for the all-conference team in the Big Ten Conference. Just like in high school, he also excelled in track. He was named Northwestern University's Male Athlete of the Year during his final year.

Professional Football Journey

The Philadelphia Eagles picked Irvin Cross in the seventh round of the 1961 NFL Draft. He was one of the first African American players to start for the Eagles. In his first year, he became the starting right cornerback. This happened after another player, Tom Brookshier, got a broken leg.

Cross had many concussions during his career. His teammates even called him "Paper Head" because of this. One time, he was knocked unconscious during a game. He spent three nights in the hospital. To protect himself, he had a special helmet made with extra padding. He later said that players didn't know much about concussions back then.

In his second season, in 1962, Cross caught five interceptions. This was his best year for interceptions. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl in 1964 and 1965. After the 1965 season, he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. He played for the Rams for three seasons. In 1969, he returned to the Eagles as a player and a coach. He retired from playing before the 1970 season.

Cross ended his playing career with 22 interceptions. He also recovered 14 fumbles and forced eight fumbles. He scored two defensive touchdowns. He was later inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame. While playing, Cross also worked as a sports reporter on radio and TV in Philadelphia. He was the first black person to do TV sports reports in Philadelphia.

Life After Playing Football

In 1971, Irvin Cross joined CBS Sports as an analyst and commentator. He made history as the first African American to be a sports analyst on national television. In 1975, he became a co-host of The NFL Today. This made him the first African American to co-anchor a network sports show. The show became very popular and set the standard for all other pre-game shows.

Cross co-hosted The NFL Today until 1989. After that, he continued to work as a game analyst for CBS. Besides football, he also announced NBA basketball games. He also covered track and field and gymnastics for the network. He stayed with CBS until 1994.

After leaving CBS, Cross became an athletic director. He worked at Idaho State University from 1996 to 1998. Then, he was the director of athletics at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, for six years. He also served as the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota. Later, he returned to football commentary for a local Fox TV station in Minnesota.

In 2009, Cross received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award. This award is given by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It honors people who have made great contributions to radio and television in professional football. Cross was the first black person to receive this important award.

Personal Life

Irvin Cross had two daughters from his first marriage. He also had two children with his second wife, Elizabeth. In 2018, he was diagnosed with a mild form of dementia. He believed this condition, along with his headaches and body pains, might be related to concussions he had during his playing career. He decided to donate his brain to the Boston University CTE Center after his death. This was to help researchers learn more about brain injuries.

Irvin Cross passed away on February 28, 2021, at the age of 81. He died in a hospice near his home in Roseville. The cause of his death was heart disease.