Emlen Tunnell was a member of the 1949 Cedar Rapids Rockets squad. Tunnell joined the Rockets on this date in 1949 and went 2-5 in his pro debut while breaking the Central Association’s color barrier and becoming the first African American to play minor league baseball in Iowa after Jackie Robinson broke the MLB color barrier. Tunnell played in five games over four days for Cedar Rapids gathering five hits in 18 plate appearances while playing in the outfield for the Rockets.

“After the game on June 18, 1949, Adam Pratt, the Rockets owner said “(Emlen) came to us after the game and said he was going home, his bag was already packed.  He said he hadn’t been doing as well as he should and since he would have to leave before the season was over anyway to join the (New York Giants) football club, he had decided to go.’ – from ‘EmlenTunnell, Minor League Less Than’ by Steve Smith

Tunnell played in nine pro bowls during his 14 seasons in the NFL playing safety for the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers. He played two seasons for the University of Iowa’s football team (1946-47) following his service in the Coast Guard during World War 2. Most NFL teams thought he would return for a third season at Iowa, but he reached out to the Giants searching for professional opportunities. Tunnell became the first African American to play for the New York Giants. He would become the first African American to be enshrined into the Pro Football hall of Fame.

Emlen Tunnell finished his Hall of Fame NFL career with 79 interceptions for 1282 yards and 4 TD. Tunnell had 2217 yards in punt returns including 4 TD and 1215 yards in kickoff returns including 1 TD. He also passed for 50 yards and rushed for 43 during his career. At the time of his retirement in 1961, he held the NFL record with 79 career interceptions

Emlen Tunnell continued to be a part of the New York Giants team following his playing career as he became a scout and then became the first African American assistant coach in the NFL

This following article was written by Pat Harmon and was published in the June 16, 1949 edition of the Cedar Rapids Gazette. It contained coverage of a Central Association game against the Kewanee Athletics held on June 15, 1949. The 1949 Cedar Rapids Rockets featured one player who played in Major League baseball either before or after their time in Cedar Rapids (Packy Rogers).

The Drouth is Broken: Rockets Smite Kewanee, 16-2

Schroer Gives 6 Hits; Tunnell Makes Debut

A man can take only so much. he can be pushed around only so far. After he has been kicked once too often, he will kick back, but good. The Cedar Rapids Rockets kicked back, but good, Wednesday night in Memorial stadium. The cuffed the Kewanee Athletics like a tribe of men suddenly let out of a cage. The score was 16-2, as the Rockets choked their 11-game losing streak.

Gene Schroer,  a 6-foot, 180-pound left-hander from Topeka, Kansas, pitched his first Rocket game, and Cedar Rapids would like to see more like this. He  had a way of bending his long left arm in the direction of first base and sweeping the plate with a crossfire that kept Kewanee on tenderhooks all night. It was the motion of a sort of a left handed, and minor-league Ewell Blackwell.

Schroer walked eight, but he struck out the same, and he gave six hits, all in the last four innings. While Schroer was stopping the Athletics, the Rockets were unwinding their pent up batting hopes. They collected 17 hits, including four by Lou Percy and three each by Jay Sousley and Roger Scoles. Everyone except John Tanner got a hit.

The game was also distinguished by the debut of the Central Association’s first negro player, Emlen Tunnell. The former University of Iowa half back, now property of the New York football Giants, was at bat five official times and hit two Texas Leaguers. he also whiffed twice. Playing left field for Cedar Rapids, he had no fielding chances.

Tunnell, who flew here Wednesday from his home in Garrett Hill, Pa. will be available to the Rockets until August, when he departs for the pro football training camp.

The Rockets got enough free runs in the first inning to clinch the victory. parker Swam, who had a record of three victories and two defeats prior to this game, started for the Athletics and he had everything Santa Claus ever offered except a set of whicskers. he faced seven men and walked six. By the time Bob Tweedie had succeeded him, the Rockets had accumulated three runs gratis.

Tweedie pitched the last 8 2/3 innings without rest, though rapped for 17 hits, because the Athletics only have five pitchers on this trip. The same teams were to meet again here Thursday, with Dick sawyer pitching for Kewanee and Jim Johnson for Cedar Rapids.

Foerstner Delivers

Emlen Tunnell didn’t want to come to Cedar Rapids, because of what people might think of him for leaving the University of Iowa football team. For three weeks the Rockets had been trying to get him, and he finally surrendered Wednesday. He stepped off a plane at 6 p.m. and was playing left field two hours later.

“I didn’t know if I’d be welcome if I came back to Iowa,” he explained. “Some folks out here gave me a hard time because I quit the university before my elgibility was used up. I got some letters from them last year when I was with the Giants, but they didn’t sign any names.

Tunnell had quit the football squad during the 1947 football season, rejoined it for the last two games, and then left school for good. That Tunnell was in Cedar Rapids uniform Wednesday, the first negro to play in the Central Association, was due to George Foersterner of Amana. It was Foerstner who first suggested to the Rockets through this writer, that they contact Tunnell. He had used Tunnell on the famous Amana Freezers, managed by Hal Trosky in 1947. He felt that Tunnell could help the Rockets.

The Rockets wrote Tunnell but received no answer. They asked Foersterner to phone him. Tunnell promised to come but did not show up. That was two weeks ago. Foerstner called again and this time the former Iowa halfback took the plane from Philadelphia near his home of Garrett Hill, Pa and came in.

Tunnell played left field Wednesday and said it was the first time he had played outfield this season. “I’ve been pitching and playing shortstop and third base three or four games a week back home. I’ve also been playing in a summer basketball league one night a week.”

He obtained an agreement with the Rockets that he may leave in August, whhen the pro football training starts. It was recently announced that Tunnell had signed for his second season with the New York football Giants and that he would be used on offense this season. “I hope it’s true,” he said Wednesday. “That offense is a lot easier. I played defense last year, and I’ve been hearin’ I might be the safety this year.

I want to see Dr. Eddie Anderson. i know I owe my pro football career to him. They told me at the Giants they wouldn’t have signed me unless Dr. Eddie had put on his okay. If I see him, I want to ask him about that safety position, too. I might have to learn something about it.

“I hope they use me on offense, and at right halfback in the T formation. We’ll have a better team this year. Bill, Kay, Joe Grothus and Ralph Doran from Iowa will be with us. I’ve never see Doran, but they tell me he’s good. Tunnell got two hits and struck out twice Wednesday. he looked weak a couple times reaching for wide pitches, but he may have been too tired. He traveled all day.

Transcribed from the digital archives of the Cedar Rapids Public Library.