Wallace Triplett and Dennis Hoggard

Wallace Triplett

(April 18, 1926 – November 8, 2018)

He was a professional American football player who holds a historic distinction as the first African-American draftee to play for a National Football League (NFL) team. His contributions to the NFL are commemorated with his portrait displayed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio

and

Dennis Hoggard

(born January 2, 1939, in Glasgow, Scotland)

He is a retired Scottish professional footballer.

Following a three-year stint with Leeds United, Hoggart continued his football career, competing for York City and Stockport County in the Football League Fourth Division. Later, he extended his playing career by joining the Australian team Sydney Prague.

First African-Americans to play in the Cotton Bowl Classic

1948 Cotton Bowl Classic

The 1948 Cotton Bowl Classic, the 12th in its history, was a post-season football game featuring the SMU Mustangs and the Penn State Nittany Lions. This game marked a historic moment as it was the first interracial bowl game in the United States. The outcome of the game was determined by a missed extra point.

Background:

• SMU, led by coach Matty Bell and star player Doak Walker, had an undefeated season and secured the Southwest Conference championship.
• Penn State, coached by Bob Higgins, also enjoyed an unbeaten season as an Independent team. Interestingly, Higgins had previously handed SMU their first-ever bowl game loss in 1925.

First Interracial Bowl Game:

• The 1948 Penn State team made history by being the first interracial team to compete in the Cotton Bowl.
• African-American players Wallace Triplett and Dennis Hoggard played for Penn State. Their participation followed a decision by team captain Steve Suhey, who insisted that the entire team would play or not attend at all, effectively allowing Triplett and Hoggard to join.
• Due to racial segregation, the team had to stay at the Dallas Air Naval Training base since Triplett and Hoggard were not allowed in the city’s hotels. During the game, the crowd’s reaction to the interracial aspect was negative, with jeers and profanity directed at the players.

Game Summary:

• Doak Walker made an early impact on the game by scoring the first seven points for SMU on a 53-yard touchdown pass to Paul Page. In the second quarter, Walker scored again, this time on a two-yard touchdown run, but the extra point was missed.
• Penn State rallied back with a 38-yard touchdown catch by Larry Cooney from Elwood Petchel, making the score 13-7 at halftime.
• In the third quarter, Wallace Triplett caught a touchdown pass from Petchel, but the extra point was again missed, resulting in a tied score of 13-13.
• The game remained deadlocked, with neither team scoring further. Doak Walker, despite his initial impact, was limited to a combined 75 yards, and Penn State lost two fumbles during the game.

This historic 1948 Cotton Bowl Classic is remembered not only for its football action but also as a significant milestone in the integration of African-American players into college football bowl games in the United States.