Charles Follis Charles W . Follis , a . k . a " The Black Cyclone , " ( February 3 , 1879 – April 5 , 1910 ) was the first African - American professional football player . He played for the Shelby Blues of the " Ohio League " from 1902 to 1906 . On September 16 , 1904 , Follis signed a contract with Shelby making him the first African - American contracted to play professional football . He was also the first black catcher to move from college baseball onto a black professional baseball team . Biography . Early life . Charles was born on February 3 , 1879 in Cloverdale , Virginia . However his parents moved to Wooster , Ohio when he was still a young boy . He was one of seven children , which consisted of four sisters and two brothers . All three of the Follis brothers played football for Wooster High School . Charles younger brother Curtis died at the age of 19 from a football related injury . In 1899 , Charles helped organize the varsity football team for Wooster High School . He served as the team ' s halfback and was elected the team ' s captain by his white schoolmates . He then led Wooster to an undefeated season . The football field / outdoor track facility at the new Wooster High School , was dedicated in 1998 in his honor ( Follis Field ) . Pro football career . After graduating high school in 1901 , Follis entered Wooster College . However he chose to play football for the amateur Wooster Athletic Association , rather than the college squad . It is during his time with the Wooster Athletic Association that he would earn the nickname , " The Black Cyclone . " At the end of the 1901 season , Wooster played the Shelby Blues in a two game series . Follis ' performance brought him to the attention of the Shelby team management . Finally Frank C . Schiffer , Shelby manager ; decided he wanted Follis to play with his team , not against them . He secured Follis for his team and set him up with a job at a local hardware store . Charles ' working hours were arranged so that he could both practice and play football . During the 1902 and 1903 seasons , Follis played for Shelby and dominated his opponents on the field . During a 58 - 0 win over a team from Fremont , Follis ran for a 60 - yard touchdown . In 1904 , he helped led the Blues to a 8 - 1 - 1 record . Their only loss was to the Massillon Tigers , the 1904 Ohio League champions . Then in 1906 , the Blues became an entirely open professional team . However Charles missed the early part of the season due to an injury . He did return in the second half of the season . Finally , on Thanksgiving Day 1906 , while playing against the Franklin Athletic Club of Cleveland , he suffered another injury . This time though he ended his career . Baseball . Follis was the first black catcher to move from college baseball into the Negro Leagues . During the 1901 and 1902 seasons , while playing for Wooster University , Follis became the talk of the Ohio college circuit . His closest competitor at the position , was Branch Rickey of nearby Ohio Wesleyan University . In 1902 , he left Wooster University and by 1909 he was catching for the Cuban Giants . He became the Giants ' star catcher , their leading slugger and their most popular player . Follis was credited with many stolen base s , double play s , and even two triple play s in his career . However he had a better reputation as a power hitter . On May 16 , 1906 , Buttons Briggs , a pitcher formerly of the National League ' s Chicago Cubs , was brought in by Elyria to pitch against the Wooster Giants . This moved was intended to intimate Wooster , since Briggs won 20 games in 1905 . However Follis as the lead - off batter in the first inning , first ball hit a home run off the former major league star ' s first pitch . He completed the day with four - for - six against Buttons . In 1910 , Follis died of pneumonia . He was 31 . Legacy . Branch Rickey . One of Follis ' Shelby teammates during the 1902 and 1903 seasons was Branch Rickey . Rickey would later become the general manager of baseball ' s Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates . He was often hired to play for Shelby while attending nearby Ohio Wesleyan University . Rickey also played against Follis on October 17 , 1903 , when he ran for a 70 - yard touchdown against the Ohio Wesleyan football team . It is highly probable that Rickey ' s first - hand observation of Follis influenced his decision to sign Jackie Robinson to a Major League Baseball contract in 1947 , breaking baseball ' s color barrier .