Lt. Col. John Mosley is one of the most prolific personalities ever to step foot in Fort Collins. 

Mosley’s historic feats will once again be honored with the retiring of his No. 14 jersey across all Colorado State Athletics prior to the CSU and Northern Colorado Ag Day football game.

Sept. 8, 1939, was the day Mosley was announced as a recipient of the merit scholarship to attend CSU, then known as Colorado State College, and also the day history picked up the pen.

History then wrote the story of Mosley: the first Black football player to letter at CSU, the second-ever Black wrestler at CSU and a man who loved his country so dearly, he fought tooth and nail to become a pilot for the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II. 

In a 1998 interview prior to Mosley’s induction into the CSU Hall of Fame, he recalled his time at CSC and fighting for his country, courtesy of the CSU Historic Film Collection.

In the interview, he talked about his struggles becoming a pilot. At the time he was training to become one, Black soldiers were not allowed to fly, but he was persistent and eventually earned his wings.

During Mosley’s time as a wrestler at CSC, he was a part of one of the best squads in the entire nation, coached by Julius ‘Hans’ Wagner. While Mosley was at CSC, the wrestling squad took home three consecutive conference titles. 

This typically would merit bids to NCAA championships; however, in his interview, Mosley mentioned the top schools would not wrestle him because he was Black, so Wagner elected not to take the team to the national competition.

Despite facing such unjust discrimination, Mosley persevered, and through that adversity was born. His story stands to remind CSU how truly incredible one person can become.

Mosley first debuted in The Collegian as a wrestler Dec. 12, 1940. He was reported as one of the new wrestlers, weighing in at 175 pounds. 

In his first wrestling season, Mosley took home his first conference title, helping CSC to its third consecutive title by beating Colorado’s Glenn Hedgecock, according to The Collegian’s Feb. 27, 1941 edition. 

Mosley took that momentum into the next season, grappling his way to a second consecutive Eastern Division Big Seven Championship, reported on Feb. 26, 1942. He did so by once again beating Hedgecock to make the 175-lb championship, before going on to win by decision over Wyoming’s Louis Holland to help bring home CSC’s 14th conference title in 15 years.

Mosley’s final year on the mat warranted no different results. On Feb. 11, 1943 The Collegian said CSC “blanked” Colorado Mines 34-0, doing so for the second time that season, with their other shutout coming against Wyoming. 

March 4, 1943 The Collegian ran a picture of Mosley with a caption saying he finished the 1943 season undefeated en route to his third consecutive championship, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest to ever do it.

On the gridiron, Mosley showed versatility. The Collegian reported Mosley played in several different positions, including running back, guard, fullback and blocking back.

As a sophomore, Mosley found himself with an opportunity to grab a spot in the backfield, The Collegian reported Sept. 12, 1940. He would go on to win that battle, kick-starting his illustrious career in green and gold.

Mosley was not only a versatile player but was pertinent to any success CSC football had. He was a three-year letter winner for CSC football and received several other honors.

On the Nov. 25, 1942 edition of The Collegian, Mosley was on the cover for winning MVP of the 1942 squad. The Collegian wrote that Mosley was a squad favorite and an outstanding personality in campus activities. He was also voted to The Collegian’s Big Seven All-Conference first team in that same edition.

That wasn’t the only honor Mosley received that year, also earning a nomination to the Denver Post’s All-Conference First Team, according to the Dec 3, 1942 edition of The Collegain.

Mosley was not only an athletic ace, he was one in the community and classroom as well. In his 1998 interview, Mosley said he wanted to go to school to become a veterinarian, mentioning that he still wanted to be one at the time of the interview, but he was not allowed to because of discrimination.

Mosley had a big year in 1942, not only because of his MVP recognition on the field but in terms of leadership as well. He was elected as a representative on the athletic council, The Collegian announced in its May 7, 1942 edition. 

CSU Athletics Volunteer Historian John Hirn said the athletic council was composed of the athletic director, some coaches, student athletes and faculty, and they governed the athletic department. He also said having Mosley on the council was a big deal, as the council was reserved for seniors.

For his 1942 efforts, Mosley was named one of 20 CSC students in the American Universities and Colleges Who’s Who as a football star, receiving national attention, The Collegian reported Nov. 12, 1942.

On top of participating in two sports, Mosley also worked a job. He said Sparks Alford, who owned the Trailways Bus Station, gave him a job and was a big supporter of him and the team. 

Mosley somehow also found time to be a showman on top of all of his other accomplishments. The Collegian reported Nov. 13, 1941 that Mosley and fellow football players Chuck Mueller, Chet Maeda, Chris Tolos and Ken Murphy sang at the National Western Stock Show in Denver as part of the Shower Room Quintet. He also performed in a show called JukeBox Junction.

Hirn also mentioned Mosley was part of the Cosmopolitan Club, a group he said was formed in the 1920s to help diversity on campus. Hirn said this was also important.

Mosley was also an important part of the Independent Student Association. He was elected vice president, which was announced Feb. 4, 1943.

Throughout Mosley’s interview, he beamed with pride for his coaches, his teammates and his school. 

“I’m just saying that the school has come a long, long way, and I’m so proud of it now,” Mosley said in the 1998 interview. “And (I’m) so willing to participate in anything that will enable it to become the top — of course it is a top school in the country anyways.”

The man many called Mose who radiated admiration for his alma mater will soon be an everlasting token of what it means to be a CSU Ram.

Reach Damon Cook at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @dwcook2001.

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