When you think of the school Grambling State University, the immediate rush of household names come into thought such as Eddie G. Robinson, Doug Williams, R.W.E. Jones, Ralph Garr, Fred Hobdy and Willis Reed.
The list of notable Grambling Legends would take up more than 100 pages, but the big lamp shines on one particular Legend who changed the entire landscape forever — Collie J. Nicholson.
Nicholson, born July 7, 1921, in Winnfield, Louisiana, attended Grambling for a short amount of time before World War II began for America. And America’s entrance into the war led Nicholson to serving as the First Black United States Marines Corp war journalist from 1943-1946.
Fast forward a few years when Grambling’s second president, R.W.E Jones, had conversations with Nicholson about a newly-created opportunity as the college’s Sports Information Director. President Jones appointed him the job in 1948 and from there on the foundation for not only Grambling’s Athletics Department but eventually the institution as a whole itself, was set.
Working during the pre-technology era, Nicholson’s understanding of the mass media and passion for showcasing Grambling’s star talents and even the opponents that they competed against.
A man that went beyond measures to secure local, regional, and national exposure for the small community of Grambling, Nicholson didn’t just cover football. He was dedicated to showing the world the culture and overall black experience from the historic program. Not allowing the political climate to control media coverage, he would travel 60-75 miles west to Shreveport pushing out countless stories and articles to multiple media outlets, creating compelling stories simply from nothing but a pen, paper and a typewriter.
He was responsible for helping recruit and create exposure for players such as his cousin Bob “Li’l Abner” Hopkins (basketball), James “Shack” Harris, who was the first black starting quarterback in professional football, Ralph Garr (the 52nd pick in the 1967 MLB Draft), and even Paul “Tank” Younger who was the first black player to make a pro football roster.
Nicholson lived for the true authenticity of the scenery of then – Grambling College culture and the attributes of the amazing talent covered. From the nicknames of the players he pushed out to various media sources that are in the NFL Hall of Fame today to the Bayou Classic that started back in 1974 you can find the fingerprints of Nicholson and his creative insight.
His biggest achievement came in 1968 when he organized the first-ever Grambling football game at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York, against Morgan State with a whopping attendance of 60,000.
Nicholson was also the driving force behind Grambling getting their notable attention appearing in games in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Hawaii.
Beyond football, Nicholson also spotlighted Grambling’s other athletic programs and its famous “World Famed Tiger Marching Band,” helping secure national performances at three Super Bowls and assuring that wherever the football team went, the band also went. Who knew then that Nicholson’s 31 years of dedication toward the media coverage could create such a breakthrough?
Nicholson put so much heart into the community that you could give him the honorary middle name Grambling. In 1990, he was presented the Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. Twelve years later after earning his 1990 award he earned the 2002 CoSIDA Trailblazer Award for his pioneering contributions to sports information and was inducted in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Hall of Fame.
So, whenever you bring up a topic regarding Grambling, always remember the pioneer who helped shape not only his surrounding community but the HBCU sports tradition worldwide.
GSU’s first sports information director made it happen while understanding the team aspect of growing the culture and putting Grambling on the map as a city, school, and an athletic program. All coming from the man whose simple plan was to make Grambling a “general marketplace.”
And Collie J. Nicholson’s “simple plan” was very much a success that continues today.