TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Veryl Switzer 1932–2021 Educator Retired Football Player, U.S. Air Force
By Aaron Williams
R etired professional football player Veryl Switzer (Beta Psi 1952), a Kansas State University (KSU) legend, entered the Chapter Invisible on June 4, 2022. KSU Athletics Director Gene Taylor said, “Today is a sad day for Kansas State University. Veryl was one of the most influential and impactful K-Staters in our lifetime and helped pave the way for so many others to follow in his footsteps. He will be forever remembered as a true trailblazer as we keep his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers.” A Life Member of the Fraternity, Switzer affiliated with the Topeka (KS) Alumni Chapter. Veryl A. Switzer was born in 1932 in Nicodemus, KS, the son of Fred and Ora (née Wellington) Switzer. After graduating from Bogue High School in Kansas, Switzer attended Kansas State University as the school’s first scholarship black football play- er. After breaking the color barrier in the Big 7 conference, now known as the Big 12, he earned second-team All-American honors in 1951 at cornerback and in 1952 at running back before capturing first-team All-American honors in 1953 at running back, becoming the Wildcats’ first three- time All-American. The NFL Green Bay Packers selected Switzer with the fourth overall pick in the 1954 NFL Draft and the Packers’ first African American drafted in the first round. He played two seasons with the Packers. During his rookie season, Switzer led the NFL in punt returns with a 13-yard aver- age. At the same time, Switzer was the first Black Packer to embrace the community by
becoming a year-round resident. Popular with teammates and fans, he worked for Farah’s Liquor in the offseason as an in- store salesman and did promotional work in the Green Bay area. Military service interrupted Switzer’s professional football career serving in the United States Air Force from 1956 to 1958. He returned to professional football, playing in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Calgary Stampeders and the Montreal Alouettes. After returning from pro football, Switzer worked for the Chicago Board of Education. He later returned to his alma mater, where he helped start Kansas State’s first university-wide student minority program. Additionally, Switzer wrote the original grant proposal and was awarded one of the nation’s comprehensive federal programs for minority student support, which went to educational support services and talent search. He held several posi- tions in the academic and athletic depart- ments before retiring. Switzer maintained ties to his home- town of Nicodemus. In 1961 he purchased farm and pasture land and continued to operate the farm after he retired from KSU. In 2009 the Veryl Switzer Back to History Camp was established for youth to spend a week visiting K-State and Nicodemus. Switzer was a charter member of the K-State Athletics Hall of Fame (1990) and the K-State Football Ring of Honor (2002). He is also a member of the Kansas All-Sports Hall of Fame and the Big Eight Sportswriters Football Hall of Fame. Switzer earned his master’s in education
from Kansas State in 1974 and was a charter member of the school’s athletics hall of fame in 1990. He was placed in the school’s football ring of honor in 2002. Brother Veryl A. Switzer is preceded in death by his wife of 41 years, the former Fern N. Stalnaker, his parents, his brothers (Frederick T, LeeEverett, and Harold), six brothers-in-law, and three sisters-in-law. He is survived by his daughter, Teresa, sons, Veryl Jr (Kris) and Calvin (Cara); granddaughters, Amanda Fern (Kimberly), Samantha Leah, one grandson, Sean Allen; and a host of loving nieces, nephews, and grandnieces, grandnephews, and cousins.
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