Today JJ’s Star Spangled Salute honors Air Force Veteran Bobby Grier. In 1955 Bobby played for the Pittsburgh Panthers who were headed to the Sugar Bowl against Georgia Tech. This was so much more than a football game, Bobby made history that day, he was the first Black athlete to play in the Sugar Bowl. There was one problem, however. Georgia Governor Marvin Griffin was determined to keep Georgia Tech off the field. He proposed that either Grier does not play, or Georgia Tech withdraw from the Sugar Bowl. What the Governor hadn’t planned for was the support from Georgia Tech’s president who threatened to resign if Bobby didn’t play. After college, he joined the Air Force in 1957. He got to fly some but spent most of his military career working on radar and missiles. Grier spent more than 12 years in the service and left as a captain. Thank you for making history and breaking barriers Bobby and THANK YOU for your service.
