[College Sports News]

February is Black History Month, and nowhere in major-college athletics is that history richer than at Michigan State University. From Gideon Smith, the first African-American football player at Michigan Agricultural College in 1913, to Steve Smith, an All-American basketball player whose contributions have a major impact today, it would take many months to tell the full story. In a series of profiles, longtime Michigan State beat writer and columnist Jack Ebling will highlight some of the greatest of the great. The first is football trailblazer and distinguished educator Don Coleman.

Don Coleman: Football Trailblazer and Distinguished Educator

[Lefty Noob]

According to this article, "Coleman's No. 78 was the first Spartan jersey ever retired. The 175-pound terror was the first player named to Notre Dame's All-Opponent Team three straight years. He made every special teams tackle in a breakthrough win over Michigan. And when he opened holes for Sonny Grandelius and Don McAuliffe during a school-record, 28-game winning streak, he also opened doors for black student-athletes." First jersey ever retired, eh? Must've been a good one!