Art Shell Makes History

by rzor on Oct 9, 2009 9:56 AM EDT Comment 4 comments

October 9, 1989 - This date marks the first National Football League game coached by an African-American. Replacing then head coach Mike Shanahan, Art Shell directed the Los Angeles Raiders to a 14 - 7 win over the New York Jets on Monday Night Football. The game itself was marked by a game-winning 87 yard interception return for a touchdown by Raiders safety Eddie Anderson.

That same year, Art Shell was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player for the Raiders. The Raiders finished 1989 with a record of 8 - 8 on the season, with seven wins coming after Shell took over. The next season the Raiders finished a 12 - 4 campaign by playing in the AFC Championship game. Art Shell won the AFC coach of the year award for 1990. With Al Davis' emphasis on winning the division and playoff games, Shell was fired following the 1994 season when the Raiders finished with a 9 - 4 record and out of the playoffs.

Since then, of course, diversity has become more widespread throughout the NFL, with two African-American head coaches meeting in Super Bowl XLI; however, many believe the NFL has a long way to go before true diversity as a goal is realized. Art Shell has been given little credit as a trailblazer in this field.

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For a league that was created in 1920, 1989 is a hell of a long time to go before having a black coach. The only racial pioneer in the NFL that we ever really hear about is Doug Williams, the first and only black quarterback to win a Super Bowl.

The Raiders also re-hired Shell a few years ago. Nice post.

Inhistoric.com -- the No. 1 source for sports history.

by ZombieMonta on Oct 9, 2009 11:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The NFL player color barrier

was broken a year before Jackie Robinson broke the baseball color barrier; however, baseball beat football by 15 years when it comes to coaching/managing. Frank Robinson was the first African-American baseball manager in 1974. It’s tough to speculate why that happened in football.

It’s funny that despite Shell’s early success and continued involvement in coaching and the NFL, his rehiring by the Raiders was considered such a disaster before he even took to the sidelines. Of course, the disaster played out as expected and Art Shell was fired after only one year.

by rzor on Oct 9, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

For all of Al Davis’ faults, he was the first owner to hire an African-American head coach and the first owner to hire a women to a high profile front office job.

FIRE BRUCE BOCHY NOW!!!!!!
AND TAKE BRIAN SABEAN WITH HIM!!!!!

by 49er16 on Oct 9, 2009 8:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Al Davis used to be a great owner

but, like too many people, his legacy will be forever tarnished by staying too long.

"[The Giants] beat us down. We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day. They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us. ... It wasn't even close." - Raheem Morris, 9/27/09

by cjmulrain on Oct 12, 2009 2:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs