Fritz Pollard Jr.(1915-2003)
Frederick Douglas "Fritz" Pollard Jr. was born on February 18, 1915 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Fritz grew up in Chicago, Illinois. Pollard Jr. attended the University of North Dakota, where he was a running back for the football team, ran track, and was a member of the university's varsity boxing team. Fritz represented the United States in the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin, Germany, where he won a bronze medal in the men's 110-meter hurdles. Moreover, Pollard Jr. was picked All North Central Conference in both 1937 and 1938 as well as was a Collier's Magazine Little All-America selection in football in 1938. Fritz graduated from the University of North Dakota with a bachelor's degree majoring in education in 1939. Pollard Jr. went on to earn a law degree from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois. In addition, Fritz served in the U.S. Army as a special services officer during World War II before going on to become a Foreign Service officer and taught physical education in Chicago. He retired in 1981 as the director of the State Department's overseas schools for U.S. citizens. Pollard Jr. died at age 87 on February 14, 2003 in Washington, D.C.