- Published in Top 50 San Francisco 49ers
9. Joe Perry
Joe Perry played football for the Naval Air Station Alameda, after a stint in the military, and despite being African-American in the 1940s and playing for a non-big-time school, Perry was highly scouted by both the NFL and the upstart All-American Football Conference. Perry opted for the San Francisco of the AAFC over the Los Angeles Rams, and the Fullback became the first black player in team history.