Preserving History & Legacies

CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH

NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL & BLACK COLLEGES

Baseball was embraced as America’s first national “pastime” in sports, but as with other public gatherings, Negroes were excluded from participating in front of white audiences.
Nonetheless, it created a separate venue which they built their own institutions for leisure time. And it created some of the legendary icons of the game. They played in cornfields and sandlots and built rivalries that soon brought about the establishment of organized leagues. There were the folks who became owners and architects who organized teams and built stadiums and traveling teams which have been chronicled in the movies. And when the color barrier became threatened by integration, it opened up a new era for black college players that slowly saw the best the Negro League baseball had to offer and paved the way for others who went on to achieve the highest honors in the sports. The “Other Boys of Summer,” a new documentary by historian and filmmaker Lauren Meyers continues to extol the virtues of a movement that coincided and contributed to the Civil Rights movement in sports.

Join many of the living legends of the Negro League in Spartanburg, SC celebrating Black History Month on February 17, 2020. Filmmaker Lauren Meyers will feature the film at three locations along with panel discussions about diversity and equality. For more info, contact Luther Norman (864)205-7249.

Different.. Unique

A Celebration of Black College History in Sports

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Legends

Most Black college legendary figures are described as: winners…leaders…dedicated…surrogates…spiritual…humble…and proud. Whether they’ve departed or still around, their legacies are filled with testimonials from those who lives they have touched.
Clarence “Big House” Gaines fills the bill.
See for yourself.

(Courtesy of the Shadow League)

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY

1868      HAMPTON INSTITUTE    founded by Gen. Samuel A. Armstrong
1894      HOWARD UNIVERSITY defeated Kendall College, 6-1 in the
first interracial college baseball game
1955   TEXAS SOUTHERN, the first Black college to appear in the
NAIA National Invitational Tournament, coached by ED
ADAMS, the FIRST BLACK COACH inducted into the HELM
HALL OF FAME
1957   TENNESSEE STATE A&I   won the first Black College Men’s
NAIA Basketball Championship when they defeated Southeast
Oklahoma, 92-73. They were led by Hall of Fame coach John
B. McLendon, Jr. and All-America Dick Barnett.
1958 TENNESSEE STATE A&I won their second NAIA Men’s National
Basketball Championship, led by MVP Dick Barnett. The Tigers
defeated Western Illinois, 85-73.
1959 TENNESSEE STATE A&I won their third consecutive NAIA
Men’s National Basketball Championship, led by Tournament
MVPs Dick Barnett and head coach John B. McLendon, Jr.
They overcame Pacific Lutheran, 97-87.
1961      Grambling College, led by Hall of Fame center Willis Reed
captured the NAIA Men’s Basketball Championship with a 95-
75 victory over Georgetown, KY.
1962      Prairie View A&M followed the Tigers of Grambling with their
first NAIA Men’s NAIA title. All-America center Zelmo Beatty
led the Panthers to a 62–53 victory over Westminster (Pa.)
1965      Central State, Ohio won the first of two NAIA titles, led by All-
America and MVP center Ken Wilburn, defeating Oklahoma
Baptist, 85-51. The Marauders repeated in 1968 with a close
win over Fairmont State, VA, 51-48.
1970      Kentucky State, led All-Americans Travis Grant and Elmore
Smith performed the second NAIA triple championships with
victories over Central Washington, 79-71; 1971 (102-82 over
Eastern Michigan and 1972 (Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 71-62).
1976      Coppin State captured their first NAIA championship with a 96-
91 win over Henderson State, AR.
1977 Texas Southern finally broke through with their first NAIA title,
defeating Campbell College, NC, 71-44. The first Black college
to make an appearance in the NAIA tournament became the
last to win the prestigious title.