Category: Multiple Sports
Al Washington came to Flint in 1918 and enrolled in Fairview Elementary School. Later he also attended Dewey Elementary School. Al began playing sports in junior high.
Al was a member of the first class of Northern High School which opened in 1928. He starred in football, basketball, track, wrestling and boxing from 1928-31. In 1928 he was the first black player on the football team and played the position of right end. He was also the first black basketball player at Northern, playing the position of center.
In 1931, Northern became the Saginaw Valley Track Champions and Al set a school record in the javelin, high jump and broad jump. In 1930 he was the heavyweight champion on the wrestling team.
Al attended Xavier University and Wilberforce University playing football for both schools. He rounded out his football career by playing with the King Clothing Semi-Pro Football team.
Al Washington, Sr. is one of Flint’s foremost artists, teaching in the Flint Community School Program for more than twenty years. His popularity with students throughout Genesee County is one of such magnitude that his classes received a special designation as “Painting Workshops,” a recognition not accorded any other teacher in the program.
It is a fitting honor for Al to be one of the first selected to be inducted into the Greater Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame for he has “sanded the rail” for all great black athletes
