artical

Tanner Tippets
April 24, 2009
Article

My article is on the franchise that once was. This franchise was in the NFL at one time but was moved to Kansas City. This franchise was called the Dallas Texans. They were a team way back in 1950 along with about five other teams. Technically it was not an NFL but it was professional football. The reason I’m choosing this team for my article is because my grandfather played for them for a couple of years. He was cut though for being the wrong color.
The NFL was young back then and there were no super bowls yet. The Teams in the NFL were much better than the Texans. They were a team that was going nowhere. Back then there was not a lot of money but to be pro gave you more money than you needed. Professional sports were the way for regular people to relax and watch.
My grandfather walked on and was hired as a tight end. He is 6’3” and about 230 pound. He is a little shorter and a lot heavier now but he was once fast and agile. His number was 27 and he won’t tell me why. Even though he won’t tell me how much he made as well I know that he did play for them because he showed me pictures of him standing next to Ted Collins. That was the owner of the team. He said the hardest team he played against was the Giants. After about three years my grandfather was cut from the team because he was the wrong color. Even though he was not black he was dark skinned because he is Crow. This team played the Giants in the Cotton Bowl. This was basically the Super bowl. This was the big game in the 1950’s.
My grandfather now lives in Wyola on a ranch. He is getting older but he is still fun to talk to about the old times when he was in his prime. He even laughs about why he was cut. He never gets tired of sharing his past. Even though he was cut I like knowing that my grandfather played professional football.