The Pigskin Club of Washington is an American sports organization based in the District of Columbia. Founded in 1938 by Dr. Charles B. Fisher, a former football player at Howard University,[1] it is one of the oldest African American sports clubs in the country.[2]

The organization's stated goals were "improving relationship between persons interested in the game of football; that there may be given encouragement for good, clean sport; that there may be a more perfect understanding among such persons; and, that there may be mutual benefits and pleasures derived from such association."

History

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Formal organization took place on the evening of Friday, October 7, 1938, at the 12th Street Branch YWCA. Officers elected were: President, Charles B. Fisher; Vice Presidents, Edwin B. Henderson and John R. Pinkett; Secretary George E. Brice and Treasurer, William H. Greene. There were 52 original Charter Members. By the time the organization held its Thirtieth Anniversary Awards Dinner membership had grown to over 500 representative leaders in civic, professional, religious, educational and community action areas of interest in the District of Columbia and ten Atlantic Seaboard States, men primarily concerned with stimulating clean, fair play and DEMOCRACY IN SPORTS at the high school, college and professional level of competition.

The Black Tie, 30th Anniversary Awards Dinner was held on December 9, 1967, at the D.C. Statler-Hilton. Special honored guests that night were; Vice President, Hubert H. Humphrey, Senators, Birch Bayh of Indiana, Edward Brooke of Massachusetts and Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. Major National Intercollegiate Trophy Winners that night were Leroy Keyes, Purdue University; Granville Liggins, University of Oklahoma; Daryl Johnson, Morgan State University; and John Pont, Indiana University.

Honorees

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During the previous 29 years the Pigskin Club had honored the following National Intercollegiate All-American Football Players:

The National Intercollegiate Football Coaches and Athletic Directors Honored were;

The Pigskin Club has also honored Major League Baseball's Willie Mays and Maury Wills.

References

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  1. ^ Hill, Ed (May 26, 2022). "Pigskin Club of Washington Holds 81st Annual Awards Banquet". Washington Informer. Retrieved February 16, 2024 – via ProQuest.
  2. ^ Wright, James (January 27, 2007). "Pigskin Club elects woman president". Afro-American Red Star. Retrieved February 16, 2024 – via ProQuest.
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