Mel Groomes facts for kids
Groomes from 1947 Indiana University yearbook
|
|||||||||
| Position: | Halfback | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | March 6, 1927 Trenton, New Jersey |
||||||||
| Died: | September 11, 1997 (aged 70) Greensboro, North Carolina |
||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 178 lb (81 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Trenton (NJ) Central | ||||||||
| College: | Indiana | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1948 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Melvin Harold Groomes (born March 6, 1927 – died September 11, 1997) was an amazing American athlete. He was a talented American football player and a successful baseball coach. Mel played college football at Indiana University from 1944 to 1947. He helped his team win the Big Ten Conference championship in 1945.
In 1948, he made history by becoming the first African-American player to sign with the Detroit Lions NFL team. After his football career, he served in the United States Air Force. Later, he became a professor and head baseball coach for over 30 years at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
Contents
Early Life and Sports
Mel Groomes was born in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1927. His parents were Malachi and Margaret Groomes. Mel grew up with many brothers and sisters.
He was a star athlete at Trenton Central High School. Mel played halfback on the football team. He was also excellent in track and field. He even set new New Jersey high school records. These records were for the high jump and the broad jump. His younger brother, Ronald, also made history later. In 1954, Ronald was the first African-American to join the New Jersey State Police Academy.
College Football Star
Mel Groomes went to Indiana University in 1944. He continued to play both football and track and field. He set a new freshman record in the high jump. This record of 6 feet, 4 inches stood for 15 years!
Mel was a key player for the Indiana football team from 1944 to 1947. In 1945, he became the team's starting wingback. Mel and another African-American halfback, George Taliaferro, led Indiana to their first-ever Big Ten Conference football championship. In one important game in 1945, Mel caught a 54-yard pass for a touchdown. This helped Indiana upset the Michigan team.
Indiana University was a leader in having diverse college football teams in the 1940s. By 1947, their team had eight African-American players. This was more than any other large team in the country. That year, the Hoosiers beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 7–0. A big play in that game was a 63-yard pass from Taliaferro to Groomes. Indiana coach Bo McMillin called Mel "the finest defensive back" in the Big Nine Conference.
Playing in the NFL
In 1948, Mel's college coach, Bo McMillin, became the head coach of the Detroit Lions. One of Coach McMillin's first moves was to sign Mel Groomes to the Lions. This happened on April 17, 1948.
At that time, very few NFL teams had African-American players. Mel Groomes became the first African-American player to sign a contract with the Detroit Lions. Another player, Bob Mann, signed with the Lions just one week later. During the 1948 season, Mel wrote articles for a Detroit newspaper. He shared his experiences as a new player in the NFL.
Mel played his first game for the Lions on September 22, 1948. It was against the Los Angeles Rams. Both Mel Groomes and Bob Mann played in this game. They were the first African-Americans to play in a game for the Lions. Mel played six games in 1948, but he broke his wrist. He played three more games in 1949. In his NFL career, Mel caught five passes for 51 yards and scored one touchdown.
Serving His Country
In 1950, Mel Groomes joined the United States Air Force. In 1951, he received the American Spirit Honor Medal. This award is given to people who show great skill and spirit during basic training. While in the Air Force, he continued to play football. He played for the team from Bolling Field in Washington, D.C. for three years, from 1951 to 1953.
Coaching Career
After leaving the military, Mel Groomes became a football coach. In August 1954, he was hired as the backfield coach for the football team at Howard University. This is a historically black university in Washington, D.C.
In 1955, Mel moved to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. This is another historically black college in Greensboro, North Carolina. He became an assistant football coach there. In the same year, he also became the head baseball coach. Mel stayed at North Carolina A&T until he retired in 1987.
He coached the baseball team for 31 years. During that time, his teams won 471 games and lost 224. That's an amazing record! Mel Groomes was also a professor at the university. He helped create the school's Health, Physical Education, and Recreation department.
Family and Later Life
Mel Groomes was married to Juanita Bradley. They had three daughters: Melita Rene, Deborah Lynn, and Glenna Marie.
Mel Groomes passed away in September 1997 at the age of 70. He is remembered as a pioneering athlete, a dedicated coach, and a respected professor.
