Aaron Marsh, an Eastern Kentucky football standout who became one of the school's first Black student-athletes and later played for the Boston Patriots, died Aug. 7 in Shelbyville, Tennessee. He was 81.
Marsh spent two seasons (1968-69) in the American Football League — the Patriots' last years in the AFL prior to the NFL merger. He played 16 games at wide receiver under head coaches Mike Holovak and Clive Rush. The Patriots played their home games out of Boston's Fenway Park in Marsh's rookie year before moving to Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass. in 1969.
In 16 games, Marsh caught 27 passes for 439 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed four times for eight yards. As a kickoff returner, Marsh racked up 210 yards on 10 returns over his two seasons with Boston (the franchise rebranded as the New England Patriots prior to the 1971 season).
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Marsh was born July 27, 1945, in Dayton, Ohio, and attended Springfield High School. He enrolled at Eastern Kentucky State College in 1964 and played for coach Roy Kidd. Marsh spent his first two seasons at tailback before moving to wide receiver for his final two seasons in college.

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