History-making promotion

Black quarterbacks unable to find work in the United States frequently look to the Canadian Football League for employment. Now maybe would-be black head coaches will view the CFL in the same light. Earlier this week, Willie Wood, a former all-pro defensive back with the Green Bay Packers, became the league's first black head coach, moving up from his assistant's job with the Toronto Argonauts to replace Forrest Gregg, who moved on to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The NFL has yet to hire its first black head coach. Several years ago Grambling's Eddie Robinson was rumored to be a strong candidate for a job with Los Angeles, but the Rams hired George Allen. Though presently there are no black baseball skippers, Frank Robinson (no relation to Eddie) broke the majors managerial color line with Cleveland in 1975. Pro basketball, the most integrated of the major pro sports, owns the best track record of hiring blacks, with Lenny Wilkens and Al Attles currently holding head jobs.