Fred “Cannonball” Cooper

Born in 1919 in Haddonfield, New Jersey Fred “Cannonball” Cooper was a pioneering African American football player who played for the Richmond Rams in the Virginia Negro Football League (VNFL) in 1946. The VNFL was an all-Black league formed that year with four Virginia teams: the Richmond Rams, Norfolk Brown Bombers, Newport News Lighthearts, and Portsmouth Swans. Some called it the black version of the Dixie League. The Richmond Rams won the title beating the Norfolk Brown Bombers. The league lasted only one season but was significant for providing opportunities for Black players during the era of segregation.

Cooper attended ^[12]Virginia Union University, a historically black university in Richmond, Virginia where he played as fullback and halfback from 1938 to 1943. A standout athlete, he earned three All-CIAA honors.  He was inducted into the Virginia Union University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988.

In 1949, Cooper made history again by becoming the first Black professional football player in the Deep South when he signed with the Richmond Rebels of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). He played for the Rebels in both 1949 and 1950, showcasing his versatility by playing fullback, halfback, and even handling punting duties. In his rookie season, he rushed for 665 yards and scored 10 touchdowns, earning an Official All-AFL selection.

After retiring from professional football, Cooper returned to Richmond, Virginia, where he became a respected high school football coach. He served as the head coach at Maggie L. Walker High School, where he mentored future NFL Hall of Famer ^[13]Willie Lanier, Morgan State University Bear. Under Cooper’s leadership, the team won the Virginia Interscholastic Association’s football championship in 1962.