[1] His accomplishments at PHS and later with the Washington State Cougars in the early and middle 1950’s compare to other great backs of his day.
Still, Duke Washington is best known as the first black man to ever play in the University of Texas’ Memorial Stadium.
[4] Duke Washington’s momentous color-breaking game and touchdown run are just one of many accomplishments he achieved on the gridiron.
He played in the 1954 East West Shrine Game, helped the Cougars beat the University of Washington in the Apple Cup three out of four times, and ran for 115 yards in a win at Oregon State University despite suiting up as a fullback.
After a year there, he was released and eventually found employment as a Seattle-area art teacher, a Vice Principal at Seattle's Franklin High School and Assistant Dean of Students at the University of Washington,[5] not to mention as a fine artist and art collector in his own right.