Harold Warren Moon

November 18, 1956 Harold Warren Moon, hall of fame football player, was born in Los Angeles, California.

Although Moon was a star high school quarterback, none of the major colleges were interested in him as a quarterback therefore he enrolled in West Los Angeles College where he set a number of records. Based on that performance, the University of Washington signed him and in 1978 he led them to the Rose Bowl where he was named Most Valuable Player.

After completing his college career and earning his Bachelor of Science degree in 1978, Moon was not drafted by any team in the National Football League because he was black and refused to play any position other than quarterback. Therefore he signed with the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League who he led to five consecutive Grey Cup victories from 1978 to 1982 and in 1983 was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player. In 1984, he was signed by the Houston Oilers of the National Football League and over his 17 year NFL career was a nine-time All Pro and in 1990 was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

Moon is one of only two people to be enshrined in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (2001) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2006). He is also the only African American quarterback inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 1993, Moon was named the Walter Camp Man of the Year which annually recognizes “an individual who has been closely associated with football as a player or coach. The individual must have attained a measure of success and been a leader in their chosen profession.”

Moon’s autobiography, “Never Give Up on Your Dream: My Journey,” was published in 2009.