Hello BlackBall listeners. If you're enjoying our show, you might also like some of the other narrative podcasts here at the Ringer.

Like Icon's Club. That's a history of the NBA told through the voices of legendary players. Michael Jordan's in that one.

Or maybe you'd like the Cam Chronicles. About the rise and fall of former NFL MVP Cam Newton.

Or check out one of our culture pods like this blew up. An investigative story about the social media collab houses.

Or you could try just like us a deep dive into the tabloid magazine era. Thanks for listening.

August 29th 1940.

It's football's Midwestern curtain razor that Chicago Tribune charity clash co-starring the Green Bay Packers and the College All Stars.

It's an annual tradition. Recent college standouts play a preseason game against the defending NFL champions.

And one of the young stars is Kenny Washington from UCLA.

He's just finished his college career with an outstanding season. He led the NCAA in total yards and won the Douglas Fairbrings trophy.

Basically the College MVP Award. Back then, he was more prestigious than the Heisman.

And Kenny has a big fan on the opposing sideline. Green Bay Packers coach Curly Lambo.

He's the guy they named the Packers Stadium after. He admires Kenny. Says Kenny is quote,

the epitome of football perfection. He was the toast of the Pacific Coast.

Where great football players abound and quote.

In this game, Kenny plays alongside many players who are about to kick off their NFL careers.

But there is one thing that sets him apart. He's black. The only black player on either roster.

And Kenny is one of the best players on the field that day. A lot of the other players, white players, had been drafted by NFL teams.

But on draft day, Kenny's name stayed on the board. No team had selected him. And not for a lack of talent.

Kenny plays well. He rushes for a touchdown and returns a kickoff for 48 yards. Just short of the All Star game record.

This is the first time he's ever played against NFL players. And it would be the last for six more years.

While Kenny is the only black player in that All Star game, he's not the only deserving black player who had gone undrafted during this era.

...