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re: Kentucky honors the first black players in the SEC
Posted on 9/23/16 at 2:30 pm to TouchdownTony
Posted on 9/23/16 at 2:30 pm to TouchdownTony
I guess I should have put a sarcasm tag on my post for the benefit of some of you.
0
Posted on 9/23/16 at 2:32 pm to Dire Wolf
I'm proud of Kentucky for honoring those guys 
Posted on 9/23/16 at 2:46 pm to TouchdownTony
quote:
I want to say, and this is odd but UK basketball didn't integrate until 71. Great Kentucky high school players left that state, Wes Unseld being one.
Wes Unseld was recruited by Rupp. He didn't think UK would be that interested which resulted in an awkward home visit with his family and then there was the concern about playing in the South before the Civil Rights Act was passed. Larry Conley talked about when he met with Unseld, he expressed that he didn't want to be the first black player in the SEC. And that made sense for a guy good enough to go just about anywhere.
ETA: Butch Beard actually tried to get out of his LOI with the Missouri Valley Conference to come to UK after a change of heart. The family hired an attorney to try to get the release but it didn't work out.
This post was edited on 9/23/16 at 2:50 pm
Posted on 9/23/16 at 3:04 pm to kywildcatfanone
quote:
I think it shocks a lot of people that UK was the leader in this.
:kige:
Kentucky was first in lists of things folks forget
Kentucky was the first current SEC school to play football by about a decade
Guy that established the SIAA (SEC's roots) was from Kentucky
First SEC president was the UK president
First elite black basketball coach with Tubby
Posted on 9/23/16 at 3:21 pm to Dire Wolf
I was't aware of this story. Thanks for the post.
Posted on 9/23/16 at 3:32 pm to Dire Wolf
quote:
I always loved this quote "Sam Cunningham did more to integrate Alabama in 60 minutes than Martin Luther King did in 20 years."
Cool quote, but it's a myth, unfortunately. Bama had begun integration before the 1970 USC game took place.
Posted on 9/23/16 at 3:32 pm to BluegrassBelle
quote:
ETA: Butch Beard actually tried to get out of his LOI with the Missouri Valley Conference to come to UK after a change of heart. The family hired an attorney to try to get the release but it didn't work out.
He really did want to play for UK. Louisville and MVC sort of passed the buck as to who wouldn't let him out of his scholarship.(Contrary to the headline it didn't work out and he went to Louisville.)
Posted on 9/25/16 at 12:37 pm to I-59 Tiger
All I can say is this was loooong overdue.
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