Sports January 10, 2024From Wooster to Shelby: Charles Follis, Pioneer of African American Athletes Charles W. Follis, also known as “The Black Cyclone,” was a trailblazing athlete born on Feb. 3, 1879. He became the first Black professional American football player. Follis played for the Shelby Blues in the “Ohio League” from 1902 to 1906.
