Hall of Fame
When Duke Washington made Washington State College his school of choice in 1951, little did anyone realize the impact he would later have on the school and his career. Over the course of three varsity seasons, 1952-54, Washington was the team’s star running back with more than 1,000 career rushing yards. As a senior he received All-America honorable mention honors from the Associated Press, named to the AP All-Pacific Coast Second Team, was team captain, the J. Fred Bohler Award recipient and selected as the Inland Empire Athlete of the Year. However, it was October 2, 1954, when the he really made history by lining up against the Texas Longhorns in their Memorial Stadium. Texas officials didn’t want Washington to make the trip, but the Cougar administration told Texas “no Washington, no game.” And thus he became the first African American to play football in Memorial Stadium. He also became the first African American to score a touchdown in the stadium, racing 73 yards, after which he received “the day’s loudest cheers from 28,000 fans.”
