TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
C.R. Roberts 1936-2023 Educator and Administrator K nown for his legendary 1956 performance against the University of Texas Longhorns, former University of Southern
“ROBERTS ALSO ASSISTED IN USC’S DEFENSIVE EFFORTS AND LED THE TROJANS WITH 67 TACKLES AND SIX PASS DEFLECTIONS IN 1956 ...”
from USC with a B.A. degree in business admin- istration, the New York Giants selected Roberts in the 14th round of the 1958 NFL draft. Roberts declined to sign with the Giants and continued playing one more season with the Argo- nauts. After two seasons in Canada, Roberts joined the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, where he played four seasons. His last profes- sional football season was in 1962, when he played for the 49ers and the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats. After his playing career was over, Roberts was a high school teacher and admin- istrator and started a tax consulting business. In 2007, USC named Roberts to its USC Athletics Hall of Fame. Brother C.R. Roberts is survived by his three children, Dr. Cathy Creasia, Chandra Roberts, and Craig Roberts, and his four grand- children, Christian Roberts, C.J. Roberts, C.C. Creasia, and Caulin Creasia. ♦
California (USC) fullback C.R. Roberts entered the Chapter Invisible on July 11, 2023, in Norwalk, CA. Born on Feb. 29, 1936, Cornelius R. (C.R.) Roberts grew up in Mississippi and moved to California in grade school. He graduated from Oceanside High School, north of San Diego, after being named the 1953 state football player of the year as a senior, scoring 65 touchdowns. Roberts played two seasons at USC where he earned varsity letters in 1955-56 and All-Pacific Coast Conference in 1956, as he led the conference in rushing with 775 yards on 120 attempts. Roberts also assisted in USC’s defensive efforts and led the Trojans with 67 tackles and six pass deflections in 1956, and was the kick return leader on special teams with nine attempts for 234 yards
(26.0 avg) and 1 TD. He had three 100-yard rushing performances in his career. In their opening game of the 1956 season, USC traveled to Austin, TX, to play the University of Texas. Upon arrival, the Trojans tried three different hotels before finding one that would allow its Black players to stay. USC officials had permitted Roberts to travel despite Texas’ segregation laws. The Trojans won the game 44-20. Roberts rushed for 251 yards on only 12 carries, setting a Trojan single-game rushing record. USC’s coaching staff pulled Roberts early, fearing rioting by the segregated crowd. Roberts’ performance in
the game and his resiliency to play in hostile conditions is a part of USC football lore. “I was upset that they didn’t want me down there,” Roberts said in a 2015 USC online article for Black His- tory Month. “Damn right, I had something to prove to them.” A Life Member of the Fra- ternity, Robert was a 1955 initiate of the University of Southern California Chapter, Beta Omega of Kappa Alpha Psi, where he led the chapter as Polemarch in 1956-57. Roberts did not play his senior year but played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Toronto Argonauts while paying for his classes. After graduating
82 THE JOURNAL ♦ FALL 2023
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