How many of you on here remember watching Art Matsu play at W&M? I hope none of you raised your hand, because he played in the 1920s!

At a time when W&M Football was at its infancy, Art was the Indians' first transcendent star.

Largely thought to be the first person of color at W&M (an incredible feat in and of itself), he also proved to be an incredible all-around athlete.

Read his story, as recounted from Wilford Kale's masterpiece, "Goal to Goal: 100 Seasons of Football at William & Mary"

Article: https://wmsportsblog.com/2020/08/20/the-...art-matsu/

William & Mary's spring football game during the 1950s and early 1960s was a game between the W&M Varsity and a team composed of W&M graduates, including many pro football players (can you imagine an NFL team today allowing star players like Kreamcheck, Cloud,
Sumner, etc. playing a fully competitive game like that?)

Matsu was an Alumni Coach one year and come off the bench wearing football shoes and civilian clothes and stunned everyone with a dropkicked field goal! He would have been in his early 50s!

(08-21-2020 05:07 AM)bubbadog57 Wrote:  William & Mary's spring football game during the 1950s and early 1960s was a game between the W&M Varsity and a team composed of W&M graduates, including many pro football players (can you imagine an NFL team today allowing star players like Kreamcheck, Cloud,
Sumner, etc. playing a fully competitive game like that?)

Matsu was an Alumni Coach one year and come off the bench wearing football shoes and civilian clothes and stunned everyone with a dropkicked field goal! He would have been in his early 50s!

The last alumni spring game was in 1967. The alumni team was short at some positions and was augmented by current players.

(08-21-2020 05:07 AM)bubbadog57 Wrote:  William & Mary's spring football game during the 1950s and early 1960s was a game between the W&M Varsity and a team composed of W&M graduates, including many pro football players (can you imagine an NFL team today allowing star players like Kreamcheck, Cloud,
Sumner, etc. playing a fully competitive game like that?)

Matsu was an Alumni Coach one year and come off the bench wearing football shoes and civilian clothes and stunned everyone with a dropkicked field goal! He would have been in his early 50s!

In all my years being around W&M Football I had never heard of this name until today (Kreamcheck). I looked him up and appears as though he had a solid three year NFL career as a DT with the Bears, starting 26 of 36 games between 1953 and 1955. From what I can find he was in the military - starting his career late in WWII - before attending W&M. Any idea why he only played three years in the NFL? Appears to have been a very solid player. Again, surprised his name has not come up more regularly in WM lore or on this chat board (unless I have missed it.)

(08-21-2020 03:10 PM)Tribe1693 Wrote:  

(08-21-2020 05:07 AM)bubbadog57 Wrote:  William & Mary's spring football game during the 1950s and early 1960s was a game between the W&M Varsity and a team composed of W&M graduates, including many pro football players (can you imagine an NFL team today allowing star players like Kreamcheck, Cloud,
Sumner, etc. playing a fully competitive game like that?)

Matsu was an Alumni Coach one year and come off the bench wearing football shoes and civilian clothes and stunned everyone with a dropkicked field goal! He would have been in his early 50s!

In all my years being around W&M Football I had never heard of this name until today (Kreamcheck). I looked him up and appears as though he had a solid three year NFL career as a DT with the Bears, starting 26 of 36 games between 1953 and 1955. From what I can find he was in the military - starting his career late in WWII - before attending W&M. Any idea why he only played three years in the NFL? Appears to have been a very solid player. Again, surprised his name has not come up more regularly in WM lore or on this chat board (unless I have missed it.)

I don't know why Big John decided to quit after just three years, but by that time he was in his early 30s. Pro football players didn't make much money and had to work in the off season to make ends meet. My guess is that he wanted financial stability. He was a police officer until he retired.

Oh, he's been mentioned, from time to time.

Thanks 32 and Tribelifer.

Sorry Sportsblog about hijacking your Matsu thread about someone else. Thanks for posting the piece on Matsu. I'd heard of him many times and it was nice to get more info on one of our W&M legends.