SHELBY, Ohio – Local playwright Jim Stoner is bringing to life the story of Charles Follis, the first black professional football player in America, with his play “The Black Cyclone.”
In cooperation with The Shelby Community Improvement Corporation and the City of Shelby, Stoner will present the historical drama with local actors on Friday, Aug. 7 and Saturday, Aug. 8 at Shelby Senior High School, 1 Whippet Way, Shelby. Shows will begin at 7:30 p.m. each night and there will be a matinee at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 8, a total of three shows.
“The Black Cyclone” chronicles the life and struggles of Wooster resident Follis (nicknamed “The Black Cyclone”) and how his faith, ability and demeanor caught the attention of Frank Schiffer, owner and manager of the Shelby football team, the Shelby Blues.
The Shelby Blues was a powerhouse in the original Ohio Football League – which predates the current NFL.
Schiffer was always looking for ways to win games. When he heard word of the exploits of this dynamic, talented, yet humble man, Schiffer had an idea that proved bigger than even he could have imagined.
After Follis graduated high school, Schiffer offered him a contract to play on his football team in 1902. This has been identified as the first contract to pay a black man to play professional football in America.
While in Shelby, Follis befriended a teammate, Branch Rickey, who was always impressed by Follis’ perseverance and winning attitude. Rickey, Follis’ friend, entrepreneur and social advocate, used Follis as the template for the person he chose to break the race barrier on the national stage. In 1947, as a pioneer for tolerance, Rickey signed Jackie Robinson to his own Brooklyn Dodgers.
Follis is recognized by the National Hall of Fame in Canton as the first black professional football player in America.
“This is an important story that shows that if people can look beyond ‘skin color’ at a person’s true gifts—integrity, perseverance, and passion–society can break down many barriers,” Stoner said in a director’s note that appears in the play’s program. “The cast, community and sponsors bring this story to you today in an effort to put an exclamation point on the notion that people should be accepted as people, and not just accepted as a class.”
A true historical piece, the show has been featured on an episode of “NFL Films Presents” on the NFL Network, and ESPN2 following its debut in 2013.
For more information & tickets, visit www.blackcyclone.org, www.facebook.com/theblackcyclone or contact Jim Stoner at 740-504-9399. Tickets can also be purchased at Shelby City Hall 419-347-5131 or by calling 1-800-718-4253.
