Robert Melvin "Bob" Mike (October 29, 1918 – June 29, 1981) was an American and Canadian football player who played at the tackle position on both offense and defense. He played college football for Florida A&M and UCLA and professional football for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League and the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
 Bob Mike in 1949 | |||||||
| No. 47 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Tackle | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | October 29, 1918 Edison, Georgia | ||||||
| Died: | June 29, 1981 (age 62) | ||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Steubenville (OH) | ||||||
| College: | Florida A&M, UCLA | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Mike was just the second African-American to make the roster of the 49ers and was one of only 12 black players in the AAFC during its final season, 1949.
Early years
editMike was born in 1920 in Edison, Georgia. He attended Steubenville High School in Steubenville, Ohio.[1]
Military and college football
editMike played college football for the Florida A&M Rattlers and the UCLA Bruins in 1946 and 1947. He also served in the United States Army Air Forces.[2] While serving in the military, he was stationed at the Tuskegee Army Air Field and played for the Tuskegee football team.[3] During his time at UCLA, the California Eagle described him as "probably the best-known Negro athlete in the Southland."[4] He was teammates at UCLA with Jackie Robinson. Robinson went on to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Mike became one of the first African Americans to play in the All-America Football Conference.
He left UCLA in 1948 despite having collegiate eligibility remaining.[4]
Professional football
editMike played professional football in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) for the San Francisco 49ers during their 1948 and 1949 seasons. He appeared in a total of 26 games for the 49ers, eight of them as a starter.[1]
Mike was the second black player in the history of the 49ers franchise, following halfback Joe "The Jet" Perry.[5] In 1949, the last year of the AAFC, Mike one of just 12 black players in the entire AAFC.[5]
In July 1950, Mike was hired as the 49ers first black scout, assigned to search for black players across the country. He was fired in September 1950 after team owner Tony Morabito saw him with a light-skinned black woman who Morabito believed to be white.[5]
He resumed his playing career in the Canadian Football League for the Calgary Stampeders during their 1952 and 1953 seasons. He appeared in 21 games for Stampeders.[2]
Family and later years
editAfter his playing career ended, Mike accepted a position as the line coach for the Wiley Wildcats in Texas.[3] He died in 1981 at age 62.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Bob Mike Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ a b "Bob Mike". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ a b "Bob Mike Joins Wiley Wildcats". Alabama Tribune. August 6, 1954. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Bob Mike, UCLA Bruins Part Company". California Eagle. January 1, 1948. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Gary Mialocq, "A Single Moment of Shame in 49ers History," Bleacher Report, June 24, 2009.