He was also the first Indigenous man to lead an Australian sporting team, something he did 10 times.
Ella was a young boy when the 1967 Referendum changed the law to include all Aboriginal Australians on the census and empower the Federal Government to legislate for them.
Now, as the 50th anniversary of the referendum approaches, (may 27) Ella reflects on his career, the impact he has had on Indigenous affairs and his hopes for the future.