OSU to Retire Number 99

This news was released back in October, but I decided to wait to post it this week, since the number is being retired at the Wisconsin game. OSU is retiring its seventh number in football, and it is only the second player to have a number retired that did not get a Heisman. Bill Willis played for Ohio State from 1942-1944. He was an integral part of the first OSU National Championship team in 1942. He was Ohio State's first black All-American. At Ohio State he played as a lineman on defense and offense. Willis broke the color barrier in the pros, being the first black professional football player, playing for the Cleveland Browns from 1946-1953. At Cleveland he was coached by the legendary Paul Brown, who had coached him at Ohio State as well. Willis was on the Cleveland team when it first entered the NFL and won the championship in 1950. He was in the first three Pro Bowls. He is a member of the football hall of fames at the high school level, college level and professional level. He is also a member of the Ohio State Athletic Hall of Fame. Willis grew up in the Columbus area, and still lives there. The 86-year old will accept the honor in person at half time this weekend.