Bob Mann ( American football ) Robert " Bob " Mann ( April 8 , 1924 – October 21 , 2006 ) was an American football end . A native of New Bern , North Carolina , Mann played college football at Hampton Institute in 1942 and 1943 and at the University of Michigan in 1944 , 1946 and 1947 . He broke the Big Ten Conference record for receiving yardage in 1946 and again in 1947 . Mann later played professional football in the NFL for the Detroit Lions ( 1948 – 1949 ) and Green Bay Packers ( 1950 – 1954 ) . He was the first African - American player for both teams . Mann led the NFL in receiving yardage ( 1 , 014 yards ) and yards per reception ( 15 . 4 ) in 1949 . Mann was asked to take a pay cut after the 1949 season and became a " hold out " when the Lions opened practice in July 1950 . He was traded to the New York Yankees in August 1950 and released three weeks later . Mann charged that he had been " railroaded " out of professional football for refusing to take a pay cut . He signed with the Green Bay Packers near the end of the 1950 NFL season and was the Packers ' leading receiver in 1951 . He remained with the Packers through the 1954 season . He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1988 . Mann later became a lawyer and practiced law in Detroit . Early years . Mann was born in New Bern , the county seat of Craven County , North Carolina , in 1924 . His father , Dr . William Mann , was a physician , and his mother , Clara Mann , was a supervisor of elementary schools in Craven County . Mann began his football career at West Street High School in New Bern . College football . Hampton Institute . In 1941 , Mann enrolled at Hampton Institute ( now known as Hampton University ) , a historically black university located in Hampton , Virginia . He joined the school ' s football team , and as a sophomore , he scored 45 of Hampton ' s 99 points while playing at the left end position . He scored three touchdowns in Hampton ' s final game against Virginia Union . University of Michigan . Mann transferred to Michigan in 1944 . He later recalled that his transfer had more to do with academics than football . His father hoped his son would follow him into the medical profession and believed it would be easier to get into medical school if his son attended a university that had a medical school . Mann later recalled that , upon his arrival in the fall of 1944 , Ann Arbor was " a conservative city , " noting , " There were some places we ( black students ) couldn ' t go . " Mann worked in a restaurant near campus to help pay his way through college . He joined the football team and was one of two African - American players ( Gene Derricotte was the other ) on the 1944 Michigan Wolverines football team . Mann took a year off for military service and returned to Michigan in 1946 . Mann became a starter at the left end position for Fritz Crisler ' s 1946 and 1947 Michigan Wolverines football team s . In a 2005 profile of Mann ' s role in integrating football , " The Michigan Chronicle " wrote : " Despite the fact that Mann was a standout receiver , earning second - team All - American honors , he was routinely kept on the bench for the first few plays of every game , some say , because there were those at Michigan who did not want to bear the stigma of including a Negro player in its starting lineup . Despite his two - play hiatus at the beginning of games , Bob Mann went on to become one of the University of Michigan ' s greatest receivers . " The contention that Mann was " routinely " kept out of the starting lineup for racial reasons , however , is not supported by University of Michigan records which show that an African - American started at the left end position in 6 of 9 games during the 1946 season , with Len Ford ( who was also African - American ) starting 4 games and Mann starting 2 games . Further , Gene Derricotte ( who was also African - American ) started 5 games for the 1946 team at the left halfback position . And in 1947 , Mann was the starting left end in 8 of 10 games for the Wolverines . Derricotte and Ford also started games for the 1947 Michigan team . In November 1946 , Mann worked his way into the starting lineup and had big games against Wisconsin , Minnesota and Ohio State . In a 28 – 6 win over Wisconsin , he caught two touchdown passes in the first quarter — a 13 - yard pass from Bump Elliott and a 27 - yard pass from Bob Chappuis . He also caught touchdown passes from Chappuis against Minnesota and Ohio State . Mann also made a diving catch on a 17 - yard pass from Chappuis at the Ohio State 3 - yard line to set up another Michigan touchdown . During the 1946 season , Mann set a new Big Ten Conference record with 13 receptions for 284 yards . As a senior in 1947 , Mann starred on Crisler ' s undefeated national championship team . During the 1947 season , Mann caught 12 passes for 302 yards and three touchdowns . He also ran for 129 yards on 15 end - around plays . Against Stanford , Mann caught a 61 - yard touchdown pass from Chappuis on Michigan ' s second play from scrimmage . The " Chicago Daily Tribune " described the plays as follows : " Stanford today was like a boxer taking a Joe Louis knockout punch before having a chance to get his hands up . On the second play after the opening kickoff , Bob Chappuis hurled a touchdown pass to dusky Bob Mann for 61 yards . " Against Pitt , he scored Michigan ' s first touchdown on a 70 - yard pass from Chappuis in the second quarter ; he scored again in the second half against Pitt on a 22 - yard touchdown pass from Jack Weisenburger . After the 1947 season , Mann and fellow Michigan end , Len Ford , played in the East - West college all - star game at Gilmore Stadium in Los Angeles ; both caught touchdown passes in the game . Mann was also selected by the Associated Press as a first - team end for its All - Big Nine team . He was also selected as a second - team All - American by the Associated Press . Professional football . Detroit Lions . Signing with the Lions . In February 1948 , Mann traveled to New York and met with New York Yankees coach Ray Flaherty . Mann said at the time that he would like to play for the Yankees , but was reluctant to agree to any terms as he was expecting to receive feelers from several other teams in the All - America Football Conference and National Football League . In April 1948 , Mann signed with the Detroit Lions of the NFL . Mann ' s first NFL contract was for $ 7 , 500 and a $ 2 , 500 bonus , considered to be " solid NFL money in those days . " At the time , Detroit coach Bo McMillin said , " We ' re tickled to get Mann . We ' ve been after his name on a Detroit contract ever since I came here as a coach . We know he will be a valuable professional performer . " Mann was also hired as a spokesman for the Goebel Brewing Company in Detroit ' s black community . The Lions ' president , Edwin J . Anderson , was also president of Goebel , which sponsored Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers radio broadcasts . 1948 season . As a rookie in 1948 , Mann became the first African - American to play for the Lions ; halfback Mel Groomes also played for the Lions in 1948 . He appeared in all 12 games for the Lions , but was not included in the starting lineup in any of the Lions ' games in 1948 . Despite his role as a " backup , " Mann finished the season with 33 catches for 560 yards , ranking him 7th in the NFL in receiving yards and 4th in yards per reception . In December 1948 , Mann joined Jesse Owens ' Olympians professional basketball team in Cleveland . He had played two years of basketball at Hampton Institute but did not play basketball at Michigan . 1949 season . In the pre - season prior to the 1949 NFL season , the Lions played an exhibition game against the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans . Coach McMillin met with the Lions ' three African - American players ( Mann , Groomes and Wally Triplett ) before the trip . He explained that there had never been an interracial game in New Orleans . McMillan said he did not think he should break the prohibition and that the three of them would also not be permitted to stay with the team at the hotel . McMillan offered to let the three attend the game and sit on the bench , but Mann declined . Interviewed in 2005 , he recalled the incident : " I said if I can ' t play in the game I don ' t want to sit on the bench . . . . Bo could ' ve ended all that . He was supposed to be Mr . Great Liberal . But he didn ' t do it . He just passed it by . He could ' ve been a big guy , a big fellow , but he didn ' t do it . I ' ve never forgotten that . Don ' t tell me how liberal Bo was ; he wasn ' t . He had a chance to be a hero , step up to the plate , but he didn ' t do it . " In Mann ' s second season in the NFL , the Lions had a new quarterback in Frank Tripucka . Following a team outing , Mann overheard Tripucka ' s wife complaining that too many receivers were dropping balls . Mann told Mrs . Tripucka to tell her husband to throw the ball to him , saying , " I don ' t drop passes . " On December 11 , 1949 , Mann was credited with 8 catches for 182 yards and two touchdowns ( including a 64 - yard touchdown pass from Tripucka in the first quarter and a 41 - yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter ) against the Green Bay Packers . The mark tied his own single - game NFL record for receiving yardage . After the game , Mann ' s wife , described as " an ardent football fan , " pointed out to statistician Nick Kerbawy that her tally sheet showed that her husband caught nine passes . Kerbawy ran back through the play - by - play account of the game and discovered she was right . During the 1949 season , Mann led the NFL with 1 , 014 receiving yards and yards per catch ( 15 . 4 ) . He also finished second in receptions with 66 ( Tom Fears set an NFL record in 1949 with 77 receptions ) . At the time , Mann ' s totals in receiving yards and receptions both ranked as the third - highest single - season totals in NFL history . Despite leading the NFL in receiving yards , Mann was not selected by the United Press for either its first - or second - team All - NFL team . Instead , the UP named him to its " Honorable Mention " team . Salary dispute in 1950 . During the off - season in 1950 , the Lions asked Mann to take a $ 1 , 500 pay cut from $ 7 , 500 to $ 6 , 000 . Mann objected and held out , refusing to sign a 1950 contract with the Lions . Adding fuel to the negotiations , the African - American community in Detroit had called for a boycott of Goebel beer , after a bid by an African - American group for a distributorship in Detroit ' s black community had been rejected . Mann recalled that Goebels / Lions president Anderson was under the mistaken impression that Mann had met with representatives of the losing bidder concerning the boycott . Mann recalled one meeting at which Anderson " left the room to run cool water on his wrists as a way to calm his anger . " Trade to the New York Yankees . On July 31 , 1950 , Mann became a " hold out " when he failed to show up on the first day of practice for the Lions . that same day , his position as a spokesman for Goebel was terminated . Four days later , he was sent to the New York Yankees in payment for quarterback Bobby Layne . The Lions had previously traded fullback Camp Wilson for Layne , but Wilson refused to report to the Yankees . Mann later recalled that Yankees ' coach Red Strader was upset about the trade . Despite a good training camp , Mann received little playing time in exhibition games . John Rauch , a rookie quarterback , told Mann that he had been ordered not to throw to him . The day after Rauch threw a 53 - yard touchdown pass to Mann in a pre - season game against the Washington Redskins , Mann was released by the Yankees . He was not picked up by any other team . Charges of blackballing . Through the months of September and October 1950 , Mann was jobless . At the end of October 1950 , Mann publicly charged that he had been " railroaded " out of professional football . He claimed that , despite leading the NFL in receiving yards in 1949 , the Lions had asked him to take a 20 % pay cut . After he objected , he contended that the NFL had taken a " hands off " policy toward him . Mann publicly stated , " I must have been blackballed - - it just doesn ' t make sense that I ' m suddenly not good enough to make a single team in the league . The Lions ' response to Mann ' s charge was a statement that they " want something more from an end than pass - catching ability . " In the fall of 1950 , the " Michigan Chronicle " , an African - American newspaper in Detroit , also questioned the treatment of Mann . Bill Matney wrote in the " Chronicle " : " Has a ' freeze ' been put on Bob Mann ? Mann was expected to have his best year in 1950 . He played a total of three minutes in four exhibition games . Officially , Mann has been told by the New York Yanks that he is ' too small to make the team . ' Consider the following - the previous year he was considered one of the best receivers in the league . Rival coaches were comparing him to the great Don Hutson in pass catching ability , and shiftiness . Still , after a great year , he was asked to take a pay cut from $ 8 , 000 to $ 6 , 500 . However , after his release , not one NFL team has indicated any interest in picking him up . . . Many fans believe Mann to be the victim of a ' league fix , ' a situation which may be created by team owners which spells ' finis ' to the grid career of the player in question . . . They [ fans ] are still wondering why such a superior player as Mann in 1949 , would not be wanted by any team in the NFL just nine months later . Fans are wondering if outside forces or a situation in which he became innocently involved , have created a ' boycott ' which has driven Mann right out of the league . " Green Bay Packers . Mann was signed by the Green Bay Packers on November 25 , 1950 . On November 26 , 1950 , he appeared in the Packers ' final home game against the San Francisco 49ers , becoming the first African - American to play for the Packers . In 1951 , Mann led the Packers with 50 catches , 696 receiving yards and eight touchdowns ; he also ranked 4th in the NFL in both receptions and receiving yards in 1951 . He caught three touchdown passes in an October 1951 game against the Philadelphia Eagles . , Mann remained with the Packers through the 1954 NFL season . Lee Remmel , who worked for the Packers in public relations and served as a team historian , described Mann as " on the small side " ( 5 feet 11 inches , 175 pounds ) , but a " nifty and productive wide receiver . " " Green Bay Gazette " sports writer Art Daley recalled a story involving Mann and teammate Dick Afflis , who later became known in professional wrestling as " Dick the Bruiser . " The Packers stayed at a Baltimore hotel that would not allow Mann to stay with the team on account of a policy against allowing African - American guests . When Mann left to go to another hotel , the 252 - pound Afflis left with him . When a cab driver told Afflis that he would not drive Mann because of his race , Afflis grabbed the driver by the shirt and said , " You will take him wherever he wants to go . " Daley also recalled how he had protested the hotel not accepting Mann and Mann calmed him down by saying with a shrug , " That ' s just politics . " In November 1955 , Mann filed a $ 25 , 000 breach of contract suit against the Packers . Mann charged he was released illegally after sustaining a knee injury in an exhibition game against the Eagles . Mann was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1988 . At the time of his death , the " Milwaukee Journal Sentinel " recalled Mann as one of the players who undid " the myth of white superiority in football . " The " Journal Sentinel " wrote : " It sounds incredible now , given pro football today , but at one time a myth held sway that black men couldn ' t play as well as white men . That myth helped to justify the National Football League ' s practice of recruiting only whites . A player who helped make a lie of the myth was Bob Mann , an African - American who integrated the Green Bay Packers in 1950 . In 1948 , he and Melvin Groomes had done the same for the Detroit Lions . . . . Mann pioneered the idea that skin color does not limit talents . " Later years . Mann later attended law school , graduating from the Detroit College of Law in 1970 . He worked as a defense lawyer in Detroit and headed Robert Mann & Associates . Mann ' s law office was located a few blocks from the Detroit Lions ' Ford Field . At the Lions ' first regular season game at Ford Field on September 22 , 2002 , Mann was the Lions ' honorary captain . Mann died in October 2006 at age 82 . Pro Football Hall of Fame r Lem Barney said of Mann , " Bob was a great example to everyone . He gave of himself to the city and the entire community . "