TORONTO — The Canadian Football League is mourning the death of a trailblazer as Bernie Custis has passed away at the age of 88.
Custis was the first black starting quarterback in professional football, setting the tone for generations to come when he commanded the huddle for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1951.
“Bernie was one of the great pioneers in our sport and our league, and he changed professional football with his courage and leadership,” said Bob Young, Caretaker of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “Most football legacies have a one dimensional impact, but Bernie’s universal influence on the game as a player, and his legacy in Hamilton and Ontario after his playing days, is truly legendary as a builder of the game.
“His elegant nature and graceful style will always be an important part of the Tiger-Cats and our entire league history.”
Custis won a Grey Cup Championship with Hamilton a few years later and went on to a sterling coaching career at the junior, college and university levels. Now, Custis is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the McMaster University Hall of Fame and the Syracuse University Athletic Hall of Fame.More....
http://www.cfl.ca/2017/02/23/cfl-mou...bernie-custis/