By Dave Johnson
W&M Athletics
His name was Art Matsu, and he graduated from William & Mary in 1927.
He played football in the days of leather helmets and was a triple threat — run, pass, kick. Sportswriters across the country praised his talent, leadership, tenacity and brains.
They also made it a point to include his race. Matsu was of both Scottish and Japanese descent, but he was referred to as the team's "Jap Captain" or "Jap quarter back." There were backhanded compliments like "Unlike many of his race, Matsu is tall and thin."
Because this was almost a century ago, Matsu's name might not be as prominent as some other Tribe lettermen. But with university's Asian Centennial underway, he is finally getting his due.
In April, it was announced that the arched walkway at Zable Stadium would be named the Arthur A. Matsu Arcade. Four months later, Gov. Ralph Northam said Matsu's name would be honored on one of five historical highway markers to commemorate Asian American Pacific Islander history in Virginia.
"As someone who has been researching Art Matsu since my student, Anthony Elopre, found an old magazine article in 2007 as he completed a research assignment, I am relieved that Art's legacy will finally be receiving the honor and acclaim he deserves," said Francis Tanglau Aguas, professor of theater and APIA studies and co-chair of the Asian Centennial.
"The commitment of the APIA Studies program faculty and students to enshrining Art Matsu's story is more than academic. The research we found goes beyond his exceptionalism in sports but even more so on his private and personal fight to be duly recognized as an American citizen."
Matsu was born on April 30, 1904 in Glasgow, Scotland. According to biographical accounts, his family moved to Canada before settling in Cleveland. He took to athletics — particularly football, baseball, basketball, track and swimming.
Matsu enrolled at William & Mary in 1923 immediately became a nationally known quarterback and kicker. He was voted team captain as a senior, and his team finished 7-3.
In his book "Goal to Goal: 100 seasons of Football at William & Mary," Wilford Kale wrote that Matsu kicked a 47-yard field goal in a 9-6 win over Chattanooga — his final game.
Matsu was also popular on campus. He served as president of the Varsity Club and was a member of the Seven Society and the Order of the White Jacket.
But there were obstacles.
In 1924, Virginia passed the Racial Integrity Act, which redefined the commonwealth's ban interracial marriage. A white person was classified as someone "who has no trace whatsoever of any blood other than Caucasian." Which meant Asians and whites could not marry.
Many believe Matsu's rising popularity, along with his handsome features, were a reason behind it.
After graduating in 1927 with degrees in business administration and economics, Matsu played in the National Football League with the Dayton Triangles. According to Pro Football Reference, he played six games in 1928, four of which he started, but no statistics are available.
Matsu then went into coaching, first at the high school level in North Carolina and Virginia and then as an assistant at Rutgers. He was in New Jersey when Pearl Harbor was bombed on Dec. 7, 1941.
Nancy Hulse, Matsu's daughter, recently told William & Mary's Oral History that her father was not sent to an internment camp. He was, however, "restricted," meaning he could not travel outside New Jersey. Because of this, she said, he nearly missed his father's funeral.
"I do know from information that I have that he tried to get into the military," said Hulse, who is 92 and living in Pennsylvania. "The president of Rutgers had helped him, but because he was 50 percent Japanese, that didn't happen."
In 1960, Matsu moved to Arizona, where he worked in real estate and did some scouting for Arizona State's football team. In 1969, he was inducted into the William & Mary Athletics Hall of Fame.
Matsu died on May 28, 1987, at the age of 83. According to his obituary in the Arizona Republic, he was survived by his wife, Eva, his daughter, Nancy Hulse, his son, Arthur, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
"Usually, people who are forced to have to fight for their citizenship are quite a distance from us," Aguas said. "But in Art Matsu, W&M had a living community member during World War II who was undertaking this enormous act of agency.
"That is the deeper example of Art Matsu's legacy. He modeled conviction and courage despite tremendous obstacles."
