'51 Dons

January 2025 '51_Dons_Film_Poster.jpg Film poster Tom Davis Danny Llewelyn Ron Luscinski Ron Luscinski Johnny Mathis Tom Hiel United States English Danny Llewelyn Tom Davis Ron Luscinski Bob Dussault Teddy Gersten Steven Douglas Smith 60 minutes '51 Dons Productions ESPN 2014 02 09 51 Dons is a 2014 American documentary film directed by Ron Luscinski and written by Luscinski, Tom Davis and Danny Llewelyn. Narrated by Johnny Mathis, it covers the 1951 San Francisco Dons football team and its unique stand against racism. The team, including future NFL players and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees Bob St. Clairhttp://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/ron-kantowski/st-clair-s-dons-best-team-you-never-heard/ Ron Kantowski St. Clair's Dons 'the best team you never heard of' Las Vegas Review-Journal February 14, 2014 August 1, 2014 and Gino Marchetti, declined an invitation to play in the Orange Bowl that would have required them to leave their African-American players Ollie Matson and Burl Toler home. This act was one of the contributing factors that led to the end of organized football at the University of San Francisco. The university's athletic news director, Pete Rozelle, went on to become the commissioner of the NFL, where he reshaped American football. Synopsis In 1951, future Pro Football Hall of Famers Gino Marchetti, Bob St. Clair and Ollie Matson powered the University of San Francisco Dons to a 9–0 record. As one of the nation's top teams, USF seemed assured of their first-ever bowl bid and a payout that would save their cash-strapped program. The Dons were invited to Miami under one condition: They take the field without their two African American stars, Matson and Burl Toler. The Dons refused. By choosing not to play, they set a precedent of racial equality more than a decade before the Civil Rights Movement. The Dons' stand against racism is recognized by contemporary African-American studies scholars Dr. Harry Edwards and Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech writer, Dr. Clarence Benjamin Jones, as evidence of sports acting as an engine for social justice in America. Both men state this case in the film.January 2018 Production Filming began in late 2013. There were over 40 interviews filmed. Filming locations included in and around the University of San Francisco campus, Kezar Stadium, California Memorial Stadium on the Cal Berkeley campus, Carmel-by-the-sea and the Greater Los Angeles area. The surviving members of the 1951 Dons team who appear on camera include Bob St. Clair, Ralph Thomas (American football), Dick Columbini and Bill Henneberry.http://www.shcp.edu/news/espn-henneberry-usf/ ESPN highlights William Henneberry '48 and 1951 USF Dons Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory February 7, 2014 August 1, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20141228143510/http://www.shcp.edu/news/espn-henneberry-usf/ 2014-12-28 dead Several former NFL stars such as Rosey Grier, Gene Washington, Jamie Williams and Toi Cook are featured as well. In addition, many of Matson and Toler's children and grandchildren appear. This is the only film Johnny Mathis has chosen to narrate. Mathis has personal ties to the story, as he was a close friend of Ollie Matson while a track athlete at San Francisco's Washington High. Mathis later sang at Matson's wedding.January 2018 Reception '51 Dons premiered on ESPN on Sunday, February 9, 2014,http://1045theteam.com/espn-features-51-usf-dons-fight-for-equality/ ESPN Features '51 USF Dons' Fight for Equality Joe Bianchino 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio February 10, 2014 August 1, 2014 in primetime to a strong critical reaction.January 2018 It subsequently aired 12 times nationally in the U.S. on ESPN Networks http://www.phillytrib.com/sports/espn-profiles-unbeaten-dons/article_d9d0c2f8-4090-5c2b-9a30-cc8b5906728f.html/ Philadelphia Tribune February 9, 2014 August 1, 2014 Donald Hunt ESPN profiles unbeaten '51 Dons and three times throughout Canada on TSN. To date,January 2018 the film has been seen by over one million viewers. ESPN senior director, programming & acquisitions, Doug White said, "ESPN is proud to have '51 Dons as part of our annual Black History Month programming. The film displays the team's solidarity as they support two of their own, forgoing an opportunity to play in a bowl game and the monetary value of a championship."http://espnmediazone.com/us/weekly-updates/2014/espn-thisweekend-february-6-2014/#d/ Black History Month Premiere: '51 Dons ESPN Media Zone February 6, 2014 August 1, 2014 Kimberly Jarvis https://web.archive.org/web/20140209042035/http://espnmediazone.com/us/weekly-updates/2014/espn-thisweekend-february-6-2014/#d/ 2014-02-09 dead See also List of American football films References External links 3503754 '51 Dons University of San Francisco News & Communication Category:2014 films Category:2014 documentary films Category:2014 American films Category:2014 English-language films Category:2014 sports films Category:American documentary television films Category:American sports documentary films Category:Documentary films about American football Category:Documentary films about anti-black racism in the United States Category:ESPN Films films Category:San Francisco Dons football Category:Sports television films Category:Films set in San Francisco Category:Films set in 1951 Category:English-language documentary films Category:English-language sports films Category:English-language television films