Chet Grimsley
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Chet Grimsley (born 14 July 1956) is the notably the first White American Student Athlete, as well as pledge and subsequently a member of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Inc, from Johnson C. Smith University , a H.B.C.U (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). In 1976 Grimsley received the M.V.P. Award and the Pettis Norman Award for football. Grimsley was also named to the First Team all CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) and received Honorable Mention All American. Grimsley was also the president of the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and Athlete of the Month at an H.B.C.U.
Grimsley pledged and became a member of Groove Phi Groove on April 11, 1976 (Gates, Deborah. "Black and White Finally Comes Together At JCSU." The University Student Apr. 1976: 6.). As a result of this affiliation, Grimsley later worked with the Sylvester “The Junkyard Dog” Ritter, a WWE Hall of Fame Member, who also is a member of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Inc. On 16 October 1976, Grimsley participated in the televised reenactment game of the first football game in history played between two black colleges on 27 December 1892 at the Bicentennial Football Classic, in which Johnson C. Smith (Biddle College) beat Livingstone College 4-0. Grimsley was the only white player to play in this game in Charlotte, NC.
In 1995, Grimsley was inducted into the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls Hall of Fame alongside his teammates and close friends of Grover Covington, Hall of Fame Member of CFL (Canadian Football League) Hamilton Tiger-Cat, and Varian Bristow of the Green Bay Packers. Grimsley attended the induction of Grover Covington into the CFL Hall of Fame in 2000. The CFL Hall of Fame has a picture of the trio (Grimsley, Covington & Bristow) posted of their induction into the Johnson C. Smith Hall of Fame ceremony.
Biography
Chet Grimsley was born 14 July 1956 in Atlanta, GA.Grimsley follows in his father’s footsteps. Grimsley’s father, Chester Ramon Grimsley, was an All-State football player for State Champion Tifton High School and at 6 ft 8 inches and 270 lbs, went on to play for the University of Alabama on a football scholarship. The younger Grimsley was 6 ft 5.5 inches and 275 lbs, and recruited to Johnson C. Smith University by Coach Charlie Cox. He was not uncomfortable attending a black university because Grimsley grew up in Southwest Atlanta, Georgia where he was the only white student athlete on the Therrell High School Football Team in 1973 in a predominately black high school. He also participated in baseball and soccer.
Upon arrival at JCSU in 1974, Grimsley was greeted and assisted by Grooves. Couple this positive experience with being a freshman away from home and meeting other Groove members on the football team, Grimsley was inspired to pledge Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Inc as a sophomore. Grimsley not only excelled in football, but was a consistent fixture on the Dean’s List and popular on campus(Gates, Deborah. "Black and White Finally Comes Together At JCSU." The University Student Apr. 1976: 6.).
Grimsley had an impressive year in 1976, accumulating several accolades including Eastern Airlines Player of the Year, 1976 All-American, 1976 Mr. Football, All CIAA 1st Team. As a senior in 1977, Grimsley was Athlete of the Month and made the difficult decision not to pursue a professional careers as a football player due to his goals and size (Goode, Donvan. "Athlete of the Month." The University Student News Oct. 1977, sec. Sports: 10.).
After graduating from JCSU, Grimsley was an assistant coach for JCSU in 1978 after graduation and then again in 1999-2000. Grimsley went on to make the practice squad of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in August 1979. Grimsley joined the United States Army in December 1979 and became the first football player to graduate from the U.S. Military Intelligence School. He was also an All-Army wrestling champion. Grimsley served in the Army and Army Reserves until 1986. Additionally, Grimsley was a bodyguard who worked with Diana Ross, Jim & Tammy Faye Baker and Gary Coleman. Grimsley then took a more traditional career approach by becoming a manager for Marshall’s and subsequently, Supervisor Retail Distribution for the same organization.
