Thursday, December 8, 2022

BCFHOF | The Johnnie Walton Story | Seth Schwartz

Elizabeth City, North Carolina -  "Around The Five Leagues in 15 Years" could be the title of a book about Johnnie Walton’s rollercoaster journey in professional football. 

In 1969, a starting black quarterback in the National Football League was less common than a man on the moon. While James Harris was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the eighth round in 1969, Walton was signed as a free agent with the Rams. 

Growing up in Elizabeth City, N.C., a small port town on the Atlantic Ocean, football and farming were staples for the Waltons. Family roots were planted firmly when his great grandfather, John Walton, settled on that land in the 1890s. A dirt patch in the midst of a cornfield and other spots on their 19 acres served as playing fields. 

No comments: