Red made a deep impression on the Roughriders court, scoring victory in his first game. In his first playoff game, he also raced against time.

But off the court, Reed questioned his decision to move to the Canadian prairies.

Reed said in his 2011 autobiography: “I found it was not as forgiving as people thought. George Reid: His life and timesCo-authored with John Chaput. “To put it mildly, being black in Western Canada in the 1960s might be inconvenient.”

He said that most teammates support it, but this does not mean that everyone is equal. Some CFL players refuse to bathe with black teammates at the same time. Reid said that after a difficult rider practice, another black rider came out of the shower, completely covered in white talcum powder.

“Okay, can I play with you now? Am I white enough for you?” the player said.

Reid said that black players on other CFL teams will receive prank calls from teammates pretending to be members of the KKK. Even if the wife of a black player is white, a Calgary coach prohibits black players from bringing white dates to team banquets.

Reid also discovered subtle forms of racism. He works under a self-evident quota system that limits the number of black players to four to five per team, regardless of their talents. They are opposed to each other, knowing that a newcomer will mean that a black veteran must be retired.

Their status is weak, so they performed well in the injury-depleted game. For example, Reed played on a fractured tibia for two months. “You never know if you can stay and play. I need to find a way to help and support my family,” he said.

University of Toronto professor and author Janelle Joseph (Janelle Joseph) Race and Sports in CanadaSaid that all Canadians can learn from Reid’s experience.

Joseph said in an email: “Some white Canadians would be surprised to hear about this racism, but most blacks in Canada would be aware of subtle racist discrimination in housing, employment and shops.”

In 1965, Reed was named the most outstanding player in the CFL. He said that people started to treat him differently. He obtained membership in the Wascana Country Club, which banned black and Jewish golfers at the time. After Reed finally found a place to live, Angie and their first child Keith were promoted from Seattle.

He said: “If you are a person, they will welcome you.” “I don’t have any more colors. I don’t think I am black in the traditional sense.”

In 1966, Reed helped Saskatchewan usher in the first Grey Cup in 56 years of history. He was named the most valuable player in the game. He continued the difficult pace into the 1967 season, scoring 15 touchdowns and rushing to the then record 1,471 yards.