22 Facts About Ozzie Simmons

Oze E "Ozzie" Simmons was an American college football player for the University of Iowa.

The Ozzie Simmons brothers found Iowa football coach Ossie Solem in his office.

Iowa was conducting a punting drill, and Ozzie Simmons promptly returned two punts back for touchdowns.

Ozzie Simmons had been poorly educated in their segregated school in Texas, so he spent his freshman year catching up on academics.

Ozzie Simmons was a first team All-Big Ten selection and a second team All-American.

Ozzie Simmons scored five touchdowns on runs of 50 or more yards in 1935.

Ozzie Simmons led Iowa in rushing in 1935 and was selected as a first team All-American.

Ozzie Simmons felt that Coach Solem had been too critical of him for Iowa's failures, but Ozzie Simmons was convinced to return to the team.

Ozzie Simmons graduated with 1,544 career rushing yards, the third most in Iowa history at the time.

Ozzie Simmons scored 14 touchdowns in his career, eight of them on plays of 50 yards or more.

Ozzie Simmons is probably best known as the central figure in the story that spawned the Floyd of Rosedale trophy.

In 1934, Ozzie Simmons was knocked out of the Minnesota game three times due to injuries.

Ozzie Simmons did not play in the second half in a blowout Gopher win.

Black players were not allowed in the NFL at the time, and Ozzie Simmons played only two years professionally.

Ozzie Simmons played for the Patterson Panthers of the American Association in 1937 and 1939.

Ozzie Simmons was a second team all-league player in 1937 and a first team all-league player in 1939.

Ozzie Simmons later became a physical education teacher in the Chicago public school system.

Ozzie Simmons retired from teaching in 1979 after 38 years, and then worked with his wife.

Ozzie Simmons died in 2001 from complications from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Ozzie Simmons was inducted into the Bob Douglas Black Sports Hall of Fame in New York in 1984.

In 1989, Iowa fans selected an all-time University of Iowa football team during the 100th anniversary celebration of Iowa football, and Ozzie Simmons was selected to the team as a running back.

Ozzie Simmons never appeared angry that he was a victim of racism.