(1928-09-23)September 23, 1928 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died:
February 23, 2017(2017-02-23) (aged 88) Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Career information
CFL status
American
Position(s)
RB, QB
College
Syracuse University
High school
John Bartram High School
Career history
As coach
1958
Tip Tops (Jr)
1959
East York Argonaught (Jr)
1960–63
Oakville Black Knights (Jr)
1964–72
Burlington Braves (Jr)
1973–80
Sheridan College
1981–88
McMaster University
As player
1951–54
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1955–56
Ottawa Rough Riders
Career highlights and awards
Grey Cup champion (1953)
Second-team All-Eastern (1950)
Career stats
Canadian Football Hall of Fame, 1998
Bernard Eugene Custis (September 23, 1928 – February 23, 2017) was an American and Canadian football player who went on to a distinguished coaching career. He is known for having been the first black professional quarterback in the modern era and first in professional Canadian football, starting for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1951.[1][2]
In 2019, Bernie Custis Secondary School officially opened in Hamilton, Ontario. The school is located adjacent to Tim Hortons Field (and formerly Ivor Wynne Stadium), home site of the Tiger-Cats and Bernie's first professional games.[3]
^"Meet Bernie Custis, football's first African-American quarterback". thestar.com. August 12, 2011.
^Note: Fritz Pollard is credited by some as being the first African-American quarterback in pro football. In 1923 Pollard took several direct snaps from the center in an NFL game for the Hammond Pros.
^"Hamilton school to be named after Bernie Custis, pro football's 1st black starting QB". CBC News. September 18, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
1949 and 5–5 in 1950. Custis was awarded the Syracuse Football team's Most Valuable Player trophy for the 1948 season. Custis roomed with Al Davis, the...
Custis is a surname which may refer to: Daniel Parke Custis (1711–1757), son of John Custis and first husband of Martha Washington Eleanor Parke Custis...
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football for the Burlington Braves under the direction of famed coach BernieCustis. From there he attended Syracuse University from 1968 to 1971 where...
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broadcasting executive (b. 1921) Alan Colmes, political commentator (b. 1950) BernieCustis, CFL player (b. 1928) David Keightley, sinologist (b. 1932) Leon Ware...
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2005 (amateur football coach, notably with the Regina Rams 1965–76).* BernieCustis – builder, 1998 (amateur and college football coach 1958–88, notably...
Boston Yanks B 1950 25 1 314 Jim Pepper Baltimore Colts G 1951 11 12 135 BernieCustis Cleveland Browns B 1953 7 6 79 Jim Ringo Green Bay Packers C 9 3 100...
Secondary School, Dunbrack followed the subsequent student amalgamation to BernieCustis Secondary School and became part of the coaching staff for their brand...
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Bill Berezowski Bob Cross Jerry MacTaggart Royal Bailey Jake Gaudaur BernieCustis Pete Wooley Buster Brown Bob Garside Ray Truant Merle Hapes Quincy Armstrong...
not distinguish between some offensive and defensive positions. QB – BernieCustis, Hamilton Tiger-Cats HB – Ulysses Curtis, Toronto Argonauts HB – Billy...
Back Tampa 133 Chicago Bears Tom Hardiman Back Georgetown 134 New York Giants Reds Bagnell Back Penn 135 Cleveland Browns BernieCustis Back Syracuse...
Kojo Aidoo (1998), Daniel Vandervoort (2013) Frank Tindall Trophy: BernieCustis (1982), Greg Marshall (2000), Stefan Ptaszek (2012) The Marauders currently...
Canadian politician, Ontario MPP (1981–1994), Mayor of Markham, Ontario. BernieCustis, 88, American CFL player (Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Ottawa Rough Riders)...
Bill Berezowski Bob Cross Jerry MacTaggart Royal Bailey Jake Gaudaur BernieCustis Pete Wooley Buster Brown Bob Garside Ray Truant Merle Hapes Quincy Armstrong...
Syracuse, N.Y. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com. Burns, Joe (October 16, 1949). "BernieCustis Leads Syracuse to 21-9 Victory over Rutgers". The Sunday Times. New...
Bill Berezowski Bob Cross Jerry MacTaggart Royal Bailey Jake Gaudaur BernieCustis Pete Wooley Buster Brown Bob Garside Ray Truant Merle Hapes Quincy Armstrong...
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