A Championship in 1966 Was a Step for Integration
Summary: In 1966, the Texas Western basketball team defeated Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament. It was a monumental upset in college basketball history and is considered a prominent step in integration in college sports, but also in general. Led by Coach Don Haskins, the team went 28-1 in regular season but were still considered an extremely unlikely team to win a game in the tournament, much less win the tournament itself. Don Haskins started live African American players in the historic game against Adolph Rupp and his all white team of players. This was the first time a starting team included all five black players in history. It was truly a turning point in the fight for civil rights in the athletic spectrum.
Class Connections: This article is related to our class because its sole purpose is to shed light on a significant event in the battle for civil rights during the 1960s and 70s. We have discussed major leaders of peaceful demonstration like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, but we haven’t talked about major events in places such as sports or music. This article talks specifically about the achievements of the Texas Western team winning over the racist Adolph Rupp, definitely a defining moment for civil rights for black people.
My Beliefs: I think that it was historic what Don Haskins did back in 1966. I personally am a strong believer in civil rights for African Americans and other minority groups in the world, so I really appreciate the game against Texas Western and Kentucky because it is so important in terms of integration in college sports. To judge someone by the color of their skin makes no sense in my mind, and shouldn’t affect other people as well. Racial inequality is still a big problem in this country and we need to come together as a people in order to end this injustice.
No comments:
Post a Comment