 Perryc. 1954 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 74, 34 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position | Fullback | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1927-01-22)January 22, 1927 Stephens, Arkansas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died | April 25, 2011(2011-04-25) (aged 84) Chandler, Arizona, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Jordan (Los Angeles, California) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Compton (1944) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1948: undrafted | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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| Career AAFC/NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Fletcher Joseph Perry (January 22, 1927 – April 25, 2011) was an American professionalfootballfullback who played in theAll-America Football Conference (AAFC) andNational Football League (NFL). He played for theSan Francisco 49ers from 1948 to 1960, theBaltimore Colts from 1961 to 1962, and returned to the 49ers in 1963 for his final year in football. He was exceptionally fast, a trait uncommon for a fullback and one which earned him the nickname, "the Jet". The first African-American to be named theNFL Most Valuable Player (MVP), he became one of American football's first black stars.
After playing a season ofcollege football for theCompton Junior College, Perry joined theU.S. Navy. While playing football in the military, he was spotted by the 49ers, who signed him into the AAFC. He spent the next 13 seasons playing for San Francisco, where he was featured in the "Million Dollar Backfield", made three straightPro Bowl appearances, and in 1954 was named the NFL MVP. He was the first player in the NFL to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons, doing so in 1953 and 1954. Perry retired in 1963 as the league's all-time leader in rushing yards, and in 1969 he was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame. His jersey number 34 wasretired by the 49ers in 1971.
Fletcher Joseph Perry was born inStephens, Arkansas, and grew up inLos Angeles, California, after his family moved there during the Great Depression.[1] He was a four-sport star atDavid Starr Jordan High School in Los Angeles. Perry grew up admiring several African-American athletes at theUniversity of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), includingJackie Robinson, who played football and baseball and ran track for the university.[1][2]
After being rejected by UCLA, Perry played football atCompton Junior College in 1944, and scored 22 touchdowns that season.
He was then recruited by UCLA, but declined, and enlisted in the Navy during World War II.[2] He played football in the military forNaval Air Station Alameda.[3] In an East vs. West college all-star game in January 1948, Perry scored on a four-yard run in the first quarter for the West, which also featuredBobby Layne ofTexas andJake Leicht ofOregon.[4]
Standing 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall and weighing 200 lb (91 kg), Perry was small for a typical fullback, even during his era.[1] Also unlike typical fullbacks, Perry's forte was not to run with power, as he was a straight-ahead runner who combined power and speed with deceptive elusiveness.[5] His role was primarily as a ball carrier rather than a blocker, and he had a knack for finding holes in opposingdefensive lines.[3] "If you saw a hole, you take it," Perry described his running style toThe Sacramento Bee. "If you didn't, you kept moving until you did. You run with instinct."[3] Perry was known for his speed, which earned him the nickname "the Jet". He ran the100-yard dash in 9.5 seconds in 1947, two-tenths of a second slower thanMel Patton's then-world record of 9.3 seconds.[1][6][7]
While playing for Alameda, Perry was scouted by the NFL'sLos Angeles Rams, who offered him a $9,500 salary. He turned down the offer and instead signed with theSan Francisco 49ers of the AAFC for $4,500. His decision was based on his trust in 49ers ownerTony Morabito, who Perry described as like a father.[8] He was the team's first African-American player.[3]
It was during his first practices with the 49ers that he earned his nickname, when quarterbackFrankie Albert exclaimed, "You're like a jet, Joe," after Perry had shot out of his stance so quickly that Albert could not hand him the ball in time.[2] Albert's successor at quarterback,Y. A. Tittle, echoed his sentiments. "He was the fastest player off the ball in the history of the world," Tittle told theSan Francisco Chronicle. "You'd take the ball from center and turn, and he was already gone through the hole."[8][1] Tittle became one of Perry's closest friends.[2]
Black players were a novelty in pro football when Perry entered the league,[1] and he was faced with racial abuse and discrimination on and off the field.[2][6] "I can't remember a season when I didn't hear a racial slur," he said. "Someone would say, 'Nigger, don't come through here again', and I'd say, 'I'm coming through again, and you better bring your family.'"[2]
When he was invited to play in the 1949 AAFC All-Star game in Houston, he and other black players on the all-star team were not allowed to stay in the same hotel as white players. There was initial uncertainty over whether or not black players would be allowed to participate in the game at all.[9] Perry's 49ers teammates, however, were more accepting of him, and provided him strong support from the outset.[3][6][8]
With the 49ers in the AAFC, Perry led the league in rushing touchdowns in both 1948 in 1949, and also in rushing yards in 1949.[10] He had the first and onlykick return touchdown of his career in 1948 when he returned a kickoff 87 yards against theBrooklyn Dodgers. Following the season, Perry was invited to play in the 1949 AAFC All-Star game against the league championCleveland Browns.[11] The AAFC folded soon after and the 49ers were absorbed into the NFL in 1950.[2]
Perry finished fifth among league rushing leaders in both 1950 and 1951. The 49ers acquired halfbackHugh McElhenny in the 1952 Draft, who joined Perry in the backfield to form a prolific rushing duo.[12] He and McElhenny finished third and fourth in the league respectively in rushing yards that season.[13] Following the season, Perry was invited to play in his firstPro Bowl.[10]
Perry became the first player to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in consecutive seasons, when he did so in1953 and1954.[8] His 1,018 yards rushing in 1953 and 1,049 in 1954 were the third and second highest totals for a single season in the NFL, respectively, behind onlySteve Van Buren's 1,146 yards in 1949.[14] He led the league in carries, rushing yards, rushing yards per game, andyards from scrimmage in both seasons. His ten rushing touchdowns and 13 total touchdowns in 1953 were both the most in the NFL that year. Perry, McElhenny, and Tittle comprised theoffensive backfield ofthat year's Pro Bowl.[15] TheAssociated Press (AP),[16]United Press (UP), andNew York Daily News each named Perry their first-teamAll-Pro fullback.[10] Morabito awarded Perry an extra five dollars for every yard he gained in 1953, for a total bonus of $5,090.[17]
With the 49ers' acquisition of halfbackJohn Henry Johnson in 1954, Perry now had a reliableblocker to run behind. The backfield of Perry, Johnson, Tittle, and McElhenny—which became known as the "Million Dollar Backfield"—shattered the 49ers team record for rushing yards in a season.[18] Despite having to split more carries between him and his teammates, Perry again led the NFL in rushing yards. He gained almost 400 yards more than his nearest competitor, his backfield mate Johnson.[1]A. S. "Doc" Young, writing forJet magazine, called Perry "the bellwether of the greatest rushing backfield in pro football."[19] The United Press named Perry itsPro Player of the Year,[20] the first black player so honored.[1] He was a first-team All-Pro for the AP, UP,[21]New York Daily News, andThe Sporting News, and played in his third straight Pro Bowl.[10]
Prior to a game against theCleveland Browns atKezar Stadium in 1955, the 49ers staged "Joe Perry Day", in which fans honored Perry with gifts including a new car.[2] "I was a favorite son," he said of the occasion. "I just thought Joe Perry Day was one of the great honors in my life."[6] He had 20 carries in that game for 116 yards, out-gaining the entire Browns backfield and prompting Cleveland coachPaul Brown to remark, "This was Joe Perry's day in more ways than one."[19] Perry accounted for 701 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 1955, leading the 49ers in rushing for the seventh straight season.[8] His streak was snapped by McElhenny in1956.[22]
The closest Perry came to winning a championship with the 49ers was in 1957, as San Francisco finished with an 8–4 record but lost theWestern Conference tiebreaker game to theDetroit Lions.[3][23] He led the 49ers in rushing for the final time in 1958, with 758 yards. That season, he surpassedSteve Van Buren for first place on the NFL's all-time rushing yards list.[1] He was named a first-team All-Pro byThe Sporting News.[10] The following year, he shared carries with fullbackJ.D. Smith. Perry carried only 36 times for 95 yards in 1960 as Smith took over the starting role. After the season, Perry was traded to theBaltimore Colts.[24]
Colts head coachWeeb Ewbank cited injuries to fullbackAlan Ameche as the key reason for the team's inability to win a third straight NFL championship. Ewbank hoped Perry could fill in the role if Ameche was not ready when the season began.[24] Ameche retired prior to the season,[25] and Perry filled in to lead the Colts in rushing in1961, while catching a career-high 34 passes for 322 yards.[10] "Joe was the kind of guy you'd love to play your whole career with," said Colts quarterbackJohnny Unitas. "He was older when we got him, but he did well for us. He was amazing on the screen pass, like McElhenny. And Joe clawed and scratched for every yard."[6] A thigh ligament injury caused him to miss several games in1962 which, along with an injury to halfbackLenny Moore, severely hampered the Colts' running game.[26] He was traded back to San Francisco in1963, where he played a diminished role in his final nine games before retiring at age 36.[10]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| NFL MVP | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Y/G | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |||
| 1948 | SF | 14 | 77 | 562 | 7.3 | 57 | 10 | 40.1 | 8 | 79 | 9.9 | – | 1 |
| 1949 | SF | 11 | 115 | 783 | 6.8 | 59 | 8 | 71.2 | 11 | 146 | 13.3 | – | 3 |
| 1950 | SF | 12 | 124 | 647 | 5.2 | 78 | 5 | 53.9 | 13 | 69 | 5.3 | 16 | 1 |
| 1951 | SF | 11 | 136 | 677 | 5.0 | 58 | 3 | 61.5 | 18 | 167 | 9.3 | 35 | 1 |
| 1952 | SF | 12 | 158 | 725 | 4.6 | 78 | 8 | 60.4 | 15 | 81 | 5.4 | 17 | 0 |
| 1953 | SF | 12 | 192 | 1,018 | 5.3 | 51 | 10 | 84.8 | 19 | 191 | 10.1 | 60 | 3 |
| 1954 | SF | 12 | 173 | 1,049 | 6.1 | 58 | 8 | 87.4 | 26 | 203 | 7.8 | 70 | 0 |
| 1955 | SF | 11 | 156 | 701 | 4.5 | 42 | 2 | 63.7 | 19 | 55 | 2.9 | 19 | 1 |
| 1956 | SF | 11 | 115 | 520 | 4.5 | 39 | 3 | 47.3 | 18 | 104 | 5.8 | 20 | 0 |
| 1957 | SF | 10 | 97 | 454 | 4.7 | 34 | 3 | 45.4 | 15 | 130 | 8.7 | 17 | 0 |
| 1958 | SF | 12 | 125 | 758 | 6.1 | 73 | 4 | 63.2 | 23 | 218 | 9.5 | 64 | 1 |
| 1959 | SF | 11 | 139 | 602 | 4.3 | 40 | 3 | 54.7 | 12 | 53 | 4.4 | 15 | 0 |
| 1960 | SF | 10 | 36 | 95 | 2.6 | 21 | 1 | 9.5 | 3 | -3 | -1.0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1961 | BAL | 13 | 168 | 675 | 4.0 | 27 | 3 | 51.9 | 34 | 322 | 9.5 | 27 | 1 |
| 1962 | BAL | 12 | 94 | 359 | 3.8 | 21 | 0 | 29.9 | 22 | 194 | 8.8 | 32 | 0 |
| 1963 | SF | 9 | 24 | 98 | 4.1 | 16 | 0 | 10.9 | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 8 | 0 |
| Career | 183 | 1,929 | 9,723 | 5.0 | 78 | 71 | 53.1 | 260 | 2,021 | 7.8 | 70 | 12 | |
In addition to his football career, Perry also hosted a popular sports and music radio program, "Both Sides Of The Record", sponsored by Burgermeister Beer ("Burgie"), on R&B-formatted KWBR (1310 AM; later known asKDIA) beginning in 1954. The program was arranged byFranklin Mieuli, a sports entrepreneur who worked in marketing for Burgie, in addition to being a part-owner of the 49ers and producer of the team's radio and television broadcasts.[27] After retiring from football, Perry competed in theProfessional Bowlers Association Tour and carried anaverage of over 200.[8] He also served as a scout and assistant for the 49ers, and later was a sales representative forE & J Gallo Winery.[3]
The 49ers announced that Perry died on Monday April 25, 2011 in Arizona of complications fromdementia at the age of 84.[3][1][2]
On June 9, 2011, it was announced that Perry and his fellow Million Dollar Backfield teammate, John Henry Johnson, who died on June 3, 2011, would have their brains examined by researchers atBoston University who are studying head injuries in sports. Both men were suspected of havingchronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disorder linked to repeated brain trauma. Perry's widow, Donna, told theSan Francisco Chronicle that she believes her husband had CTE. She further told the newspaper that "When Joe was playing, they'd give them smelling salts and put them back in. "Now the equipment is better, and they're looking into ways to protect them. We have to look at what this is doing to our children."[28]
Autopsies of Perry and Johnson found that both had CTE.[29][30] They are two of at least 345NFL players to be diagnosed after death with this disease, which is caused by repeated hits to the head.[31][32]
Perry's durability allowed him to play in three decades, from the 1940s to the 1960s, for 16 seasons.[2] He was the NFL's career rushing leader from 1958 to 1963, ultimately compiling 8,378 yards; his record was broken byJim Brown on October 20, 1963. His 7,344 rushing yards for the 49ers stood as the franchise record for nearly 60 years before it was broken in 2011 byFrank Gore.[33] As of 2020, Perry's 68 rushing touchdowns with the team remains a franchise record.[34]
He was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 1969, his first year of eligibility. Also in that year's class was longtime teammate,tackleLeo Nomellini.[35] The 49ers' Million Dollar Backfield is the only full-house backfield to have all four of its members enshrined in the Hall.[36] Perry's jersey number 34 was retired by the 49ers in 1971, and he was a charter member of theSan Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame in 2009.[37] Following his death in 2011, the team honored Perry that season by wearing helmet decals with his number 34 on them.[17]
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