Mel Holmes ‘67

By Alonzo Hardy

Mel Holmes was a 1967 graduate of Mays High School. He played three years at Mays High School as an outstanding football tackle. He was a member of the 1966 State Championship Football team, the first and only squad in school history to win a coveted state championship. After high school graduation, he received a 4 year football scholarship to North Carolina A&T State University where he was a two-year letterman and two-year team captain. On the football team he played Tackle. He broke into the starting lineup early in his freshman year. He was a member of the 1968 Black College Football National Championship Football Team.  The Aggies finished the season 8-1 overall and 6-1 in conference play, winning their first Black College National Championship. Their only loss was to Maryland State (now Maryland Eastern Shore) 9-6. He was a two-time first team All-Conference selection and added All-State his senior year. He was named to the Associated Press Little All-American Team, Kodak All-American Football Team, Pittsburgh Courier All-American Team and the National Association Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American Team.   He was honored on the NAIA All District 26 Team in 1970 and named the Best Lineman of the Year for the conference in 1970. He played in the North-South Shrine Game Christmas Day, in 1970. He was the first Aggie to be selected for a national post season bowl game. In 1971, Holmes was awarded the Philadelphia Alumni Chapter Award which goes to the Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year. He was also awarded the Coaches Most Outstanding Athlete Award and the Student Government Association (SGA) Athlete of the Year Award following his senior season. He graduated Cum Laude from N.C. A&T with a B.S. degree in Business Administration in 1971.

Following the 1970 season Holmes was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 5th round of the 1971 NFL Draft. He is the only Ram Football Player to ever play football in the National Football League. Mel Holmes played four seasons of pro football. He played three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (1971-1973) and one with the Birmingham Americans in the World Football League (1974).

He was inducted into the North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Fame, along with his teammates on the 1968 Black College Football National Championship Team in 2016. Melvin Holmes passed way on December 24, 2015. He is survived by his wife, Joan, and their children.

Here’s a list of the awards Holmes has received.

1970 AP Small College All-American Team 1970 Kodak All-American Football Team

1970 NAIA All-American Team1970 Pittsburgh Courier Black College All-American Team

1970 All-State (North Carolina)

1970 All-Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)

1970 Best Offensive Lineman for CIAA Conference

1970 All District 26

1970 North-South All-Star

1970-71 N.C. A&T Coaches Most Outstanding Athlete

1970-71 N.C. A&T Philadelphia Alumni Chapter Most Outstanding Athlete

1970-71 SGA Athlete of the Year

1970 Co-Captain

1969 All-CIAA

1969 Co-Captain

Member of the 1968 National Black College Football Championship Team

Football – 2 Year Letterman

Member of the 1966 State Championship Football Team

note – Leroy Charlton (Fla. A&M) was a 2nd team Courier All-American, making the team as a defensive back and was named AP All-American Honorable Mention Defensive Back. He joins Holmes (N. Car A.&T.), Louie Bing (Mor. Brown), Carl Woodard (Tex. Southern), and Otis Collier (Fla. A.&M.), as the only five Ram Football Players in school history ever to be chosen to an AA team.

Mays High School of Goulds, Florida.

Please send information on any corrections, omissions or additions to Alonzo Hardy at uniteocala@yahoo.com.