On February 19, 1981, the St. Louis Cardinals hired Emmitt Thomas as the team’s wide receivers coach.

The NFL Hall of Famer played cornerback for 13 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs (1966-78). He finished his career with a franchise-record 58 interceptions.

At the time, Thomas was the youngest member of the Big Red coaching staff and just the second black coach in the team’s history.

“We’ve been trying to encourage the situation (hiring black coaches) for years,” team owner Bill Bidwill told the St. Louis Post Dispatch. “We’ve made some offers to people over the years. If we can find qualified people to coach, people who are good teachers, we’re going to hire them.”

“If the individual is a damn good coach,” said Jim Hanifan, who recommended Thomas to Bidwill, “I don’t care if he’s orange or green, or black or white, I want him.”