Jan. 20, 2009
CLEVELAND - The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) is proud to announce that former college and professional football standout, actor and current Director of Football Operations for the NFL Gene Washington will be inducted into the John McLendon Minority Athletics Administrators Hall of Fame on the evening of June 19, 2009. The induction ceremony will be held in conjunction with the 44th Annual NACDA Convention at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort.
Washington starred at Stanford University, where he was the first black quarterback to play for the Cardinal. He later moved to the wide receiver position where he earned All-America honors. More important than the effect he had on the playing field was the effect he had on the integration of the university. When Washington enrolled at Stanford, he was one of only 25 African-Americans at the then 10,000-student institution. While at Stanford, Washington joined the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and became the organization's second black member.
In 1965, prior to enrolling at Stanford, Washington was elected the first black student body president in the history of Long Beach Poly High School, which was founded in 1915.
The four-time Pro Bowler had nearly 7,000 career receiving yards while hauling in 60 touchdown catches in his 10-year career, split between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions. The NFL's director of football operations since 1994, Washington has left his mark through his duties to maintain the integrity of the game. Part of his job description is to supervise fines and suspensions for players who either get too physical on the field or bring too much attention to themselves, distracting fans' attention away from the game itself.
Away from football, Washington had a brief acting career, appearing in a myriad of television shows and movies in the 1970's. In 1992, Washington became the first black member of the Los Angeles Country Club.
In 2004, Washington was named as one of Sports Illustrated's "101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports."
About the John McLendon Memorial Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Program: The John McLendon Memorial Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Awards are presented to senior-level minority students who intend to pursue a graduate degree in athletics administration. If you have any questions regarding this program, please visit mclendonminorityfoundation.com.
About NACDA: NACDA, now in its 44th year, is the professional and educational association for more than 6,500 college athletics administrators at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. More than 2,300 athletics administrators annually attend the NACDA Convention. Additionally, NACDA administers 11 professional associations that come under the umbrella of the athletics director. For more information, visit www.nacda.com.
