Born August 31, 1918, in Los Angeles, California, was Kenny Washington, a tailback hailing from UCLA. Washington has the destinction of being the first African American player to sign a contract in the NFL in the common era (after World War II) with the L.A. Rams after playing in the Pacific Coast League with the Hollywood Bears. As a collegian Kenny Washington rushed for 9,975 yards which was a Bruin record for over 56 years! He was also UCLA's very first ever consensus All-American in 1939. Mr. Washington was enshrined in the College Football hall of Fame in 1956.