[Occupymendocino] Will Smith story in AVA by reporters Sheila Dawn and Bob Lane

[Richard Karch]

http://theava.com/archives/55228


        The Aftermath Of Glory

by Sheila Dawn Tracy and Bob Lane, April 20, 2016

Approaching the eighth decade of his life, former pro football player, Will Smith, fits seamlessly into the serene rustic atmosphere of a Mendocino lifestyle.

Tall and fit, humble and soft spoken, Smith was one of the panelists that graced the stage of Trinity Lutheran's community room in Ft. Bragg to honor and celebrate Martin Luther King's Jr.'s birthday on January 18th. Smith subsequently agreed to an interview.

In a relaxed yet resonant voice, he recounted his early days in his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, where he was an honor student at Dunbar H.S., an all black school. Smith played football through high school as an offensive guard and middle and corner linebacker. Graduating in 1955, a time when "separate but equal" was the unchallenged philosophy of the Southern educational system, Smith described contact sports as a way to get into the bigger world.

With an interest and skill in both boxing and football, although having won all six of his boxing bouts, Smith opted for an academic scholarship to the University of Michigan and played football from his second year on.

Despite the culture of the 50s when segregation was prevalent and interracial dating presented negative consequences, Smith met and married his wife, Marj, an interracial marriage that withstood the social pressures of that time. Unabashedly crossing unwritten racial codes, Smith was prevented from being in the starting lineup by his Wolverine coaches who instead substituted him after the first completed play. The marriage also stood the test of time, fruitfully bearing the couple three children.

In 1959 Will Smith was drafted by the Chicago Bears but due to racial undertones, left the team before the season started. He was picked up by the Denver Broncos where, hefting an imposing 235 lbs, he played two years as a defensive guard....  more on website above.
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