Today's Tidbit... Michigan Football, Gerald Ford, and Idealism

Sometimes people and institutions stand on principle. Other times they don’t.

In 1934, with the country in the depths of the Great Depression, Gerald Ford was a senior football player at Michigan. While they were undefeated in 1932 and 1933, the Wolverines failed to score in losses to Michigan State and Chicago to open the 1934 season, with Georgia Tech coming next.

1934 Michigan vs. Georgia Tech football program (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)

A game that should have attracted little attention sparked a nationwide controversy because Georgia Tech refused to take the field against teams with Black players. Michigan had one, Willis Ward, who Ford befriended as a freshman, and they were roomies on road trips. When it became apparent Michigan would appease the racists by not playing Ward, Ford told his coach he was quitting the team.