The "Forgotten Four" Pave the Way for Jackie Robinson | NFL

The "Forgotten Four", Kenny Washington, Woody Strode, Bill Willis & Marion Motley, integrated the NFL in the modern era. It was their courage and achievements that helped lead to Jackie Robinson's integration of baseball.
Subscribe to the NFL KZbin channel to see immediate in-game highlights from your favorite teams and players, daily fantasy football updates, all your favorite NFL Network podcasts, and more!
Subscribe to NFL on KZbin: goo.gl/VmTK0M
For all things NFL, visit the league's official website at www.nfl.com/
Watch NFL Now: www.nfl.com/now
Start your free trial of NFL Game Pass: www.nfl.com/gamepass
Listen to NFL podcasts: www.nfl.com/podcasts
Fantasy Football: www.nfl.com/fantasyfootball
Watch the NFL network: nflnonline.nfl.com/
Download the NFL mobile app: www.nfl.com/apps
2015 NFL Schedule: www.nfl.com/schedules
Buy tickets to watch your favorite team: www.nfl.com/tickets
Shop NFL: www.nflshop.com/source/bm-nflc...
Like us on Facebook: / nfl
Follow us on Twitter: / nfl
Follow us on Instagram: / nfl

[@islandgirl7856]

Thank you for recognizing my grand father. He still has one last living daughter. My mother june strode. My grandfather was a true American hero.

[@deehallalltalk9509]

Hmu

[@mrgalvez11]

I actually teach about these unsung heroes to my elementary school-age students with great pride. Shout out also to the owners who made the bold move to integrate these talented athletes.

[@SunyDay1965]

Without UCLA Where would America be today.... UCLA: Champions made here

[@comeacross9]

I also remember Len Ford of the Cleveland Browns came in to the league around this time. A bit later came Ollie Matson, Em Tunnell and "Night Train" Lane.

[@jeremythompson9122]

Night Train is still the best CB ever to play the game and Marion Motley might be the greatest power running back who ever played and was also a really good linebacker on defense. Motley still holds the NFL career record of 5.7 yards per carry. Paul Brown said Marion Motley was the best all around football player that he ever witnessed play the game

[@scorch7777777]

GREATS.

[@toopaid5527]

Let’s not forget Jackie Robinson played football for UCLA

[@delprieststokes9133]

yvng _bull32 and one of the best to ever put on a pair of cleats

[@LeatherneckO6]

Teammate of Strode and Washington in the late 30's. How good do you think they were?! Wow

[@anthonygilmore5969]

Will educate my young on this part of sports history. Maybe by that time a docu drama or biopic and then a movie will be manufactured!

[@JStarStar00]

MLB was easily 10 times as popular as pro football in the late 1940s. Pro football was a very minor sport at the time.

[@asad5986]

nice!

[@billwehadababyitsaboy8308]

Football was not considered a real job until the 1960s.The pantheon of a American sports at that time was Baseball Boxing and Horse racing

[@latoyajones9735]

I know right

[@nicolebutler2860]

Robinson, Washington and Strode were all college teammates.

[@cobii5174]

deacon dan tower

[@nicholaskarman9771]

dam

[@jondewitt6054]

Daniel

[@5.7daniell]

hi

[@davanmani556]

Duke Slater

[@jeremythompson9122]

Didn't the LA Rams have a black player too named Kenny Washington or am I mistaken?

[@delprieststokes9133]

😐 Jackie Robinson was not the first black baseball player

[@nicholaskarman9771]

dM

[@matthewdraper99]

1st

[@nate2ballin]

want a cookie

[@michalwlodarski9058]

+Nate Block14 lol

[@michalwlodarski9058]

+Nate Block14 can I have one?

[@nate2ballin]

+Mdubz broncos fan what kind

[@michalwlodarski9058]

+Nate Block14 sugar

[@JENDALL714]

If we are not supposed to see race, shouldn't integration be no big deal? The news media than, like today, made it a big deal of Jackie Robinson playing the Major Leagues, if they are had played it low key, Jackie could have had an easier integration but they hyped it up and made it a huge deal, nothing changes with the media, always looking to sell newspapers and ratings.

[@buckeyewill2166]

JENDALL714 ...Looks like you don’t like history

[@JENDALL714]

I lived this History, you unfortunately are one of young ignorant fools who only see race.

[@starkiller578]

They made it a big deal because Robinson received racism on a huge scale

[@nicholaskarman9771]

dam

[@laurencewrench1360]

Daniel