Growing up, Dale Post was determined to overcome several adversities he had faced from an early age, a determination that turned him into a fine athlete and earned him a place in the 2008 Auburn High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Sally Jo Widmer-Post, the late Post's wife, said that there were two events that happened early on that shaped the man that Post would become.

“He lost his father when Dale was 16 months old,” Sally Jo said. “He was in a car accident. And when he was in the third and fourth grade he was in a wheelchair. And he was determined that as soon as he got out of it he was going to do the things that he needed to do to fix his body and became a great athlete.”

By the time he had entered West High School, Post was well on his way to a great career in both football and wrestling.

It was through football that Post met coach Bob Dean, who would help Post shape his career on the field, but also have a far deeper impact.

Post earned All State status for wrestling and Sally Jo said that Post's friends recalled him only losing on match early in his career. After graduating in 1953, Post went on to Xavier University, where he continued his football career and earned a place in the history books, not only as a fine athlete, but also as a pioneering player bringing racial equality to collegiate sports.

Post was the first black player to play in an interracial game in Florida, competing in the Orange Bowl.

Post went on to become a teacher, getting his start at St. Mary's in Auburn, before moving onto the public school system. He taught for 34 years.

Throughout his life, Post continued to be deeply involved with his hometown of Auburn community, schools and athletics.

Post was a founding member of the Auburn Teacher's Association, the New York State United Teachers and lobbied to have Martin Luther King Day become a holiday for county employees. He was also an active member in the NAACP, serving as president from 1969 to 1971.

Post also coached basketball and football during his teaching career and also served as the voice of the Maroons for high school football games for almost 20 years.

During this time, Post also helped get high school basketball games televised, and was always working to create equality along the way, making sure that girls' games were broadcast as well as boys' games.

“He was very humble,” Sally Jo said. “He had great athletic prowess, but he was always humble and always thankful for the opportunities that he had.”