Racism In College Basketball

Most of us have had the dream at some point in our life. That dream of draining a last-second three pointer to win an NBA championship, or hit a home run to win a World Series. This is a dream that every human should be able to chase. Unfortunately, until recently some people were not able to turn this dream into reality simply because of the color of their skin. Racism cause widespread hatred throughout the entire sports community and the entire world as a whole. Through bravery, persistence, and determination, several African-American individuals and teams have knocked down the wall of racism in sports, and paved the way for African Americans to pursue their dreams of playing collegiate and professional sports. Some of these teams and players
Breaking the racism barrier in college sports requires just as much bravery. Perhaps one of the most well-known icons in college basketball is the Texas Western men’s basketball team of 1955-1956. Before this team came along, college basketball was strictly a “white sport.” The Texas Western Miners team became the first college basketball team with an all-black starting five. This team was put under the national microscope, and performed to a higher standard than anyone expected. Throughout their journey to the NCAA tournament, this team faced more adversity than most people face in a lifetime. At almost every game they were called horrible names and treated with utter disrespect. Texas Western would face all of the racism head on, and make it to the National Championship game against the Kentucky Wildcats. When it is looked back upon now, the 1966 NCAA Championship game was more than a basketball game, it was a fight against racism. The 1965-66 Kentucky Wildcats weren’t just any old team. They were coached by the infamous Adolph Rupp, who was viewed by many as one of the biggest racists in sports at the time. The championship game featured an all-white starting five vs an all-black starting five. According to ESPN Classic, all of the referees and all of the crowd was white. High up in the bleachers, white fans proudly displayed their confederate flags. In despite of the racist
Kenny Washington was a dominant running back on his high school football team. Washington went on to play football for the University of California Los Angeles, where he continued to be an unstoppable force on the football field. According to biography.com, in 1939 Kenny Washington became the first player in UCLA history to be named a football All-American. Even though he was a fore on the football field, when his college career ended, Kenny Washington was passed up by NFL scouts. Rather than playing professional football right away, Kenny Washington turned to coaching. He coached the UCLA freshman for a short time. Washington then played four seasons of semi-professional football for the Hollywood Bears and San Francisco Clippers. In 1946, the NFL finally lifted its race ban and Kenny Washington was signed by the Los Angeles Rams. According to biography.com, Kenny Washington averaged 6.1 yards per carry over his 3 reasons with the Rams. He ran for a 92-yard touchdown run, which set the franchise record for the Rams. Washington was inducted into the College Hall of Fame in