The film emphasizes how serious racism was during the 1960s, and focuses on the discrimination the team had to go through along the way due to the simple fact that most of the players on the team were black. Mar 19, 2018 texas western roared away to a 30point halftime lead and cruised to a 9356 victory over loyola of new orleans wednesday night, dec. Miami heat president pat riley reflects on 50th anniversary. What texas western did was put an emphatic end to any lingering doubt about the worth of diversity in the sport, especially in the slowchanging south, where adolph rupps storied kentucky team.
Growing up in the 1940s, he had a love for basketball but he lacked raw talent. Don haskins and the texas western basketball team essay cram. Nothing the cast does, however, is quite as moving as the appearance during the final credits of some of the real texas western players, who reflect, along with mr. Harry flournoy, team captain of the 1966 ncaa championship texas western basketball team, speaks at the teams induction into the basketball hall of fame in 2007. The team made history by winning the national championship in 1966, becoming the first team with an allblack starting lineup to do so. With josh lucas, derek luke, austin nichols, jon voight. Member of famed 1966 texas western team rooting for texas. Utep athletics back then, there were very few games on tv. His friend, herman carr, who was black, was a better player and they had played many games together during the course of their primary school years. On march 19, 1966, texas western college defeats the university of kentucky in the ncaa mens college basketball final at cole field house in college park, maryland. Like the film, it then focuses on the 1966 texas western mens basketball team and the aftermath of the championship. If basketball ever took a turn, that was it, said nolan richardson, the arkansas coach who played for haskins at texas western. Playing with confidence, determination, and intensity, texas western made history on march 19, 1966 when the miners became the first team in history to win the ncaa championship with five africanamerican players in the starting lineup.
Smexico border had existed for years, race wasnt an issue for the texas western college basketball team. In story of big game, sad chapter on racism the new york times. Dave lattin played center, and his grandson plays saturday for oklahoma. In the movie, coach don haskins is a girls high school basketball coach just before getting the job at texas western university now texasel paso or utep. The 1966 ncaa basketball championship pitted allwhite kentucky. Texas tech coach tubby smith who was kentuckys coach from 1997 through 2007, winning a national title there remembers watching the kentuckytexas western game on television. Glory road unrelated to the movie, while legendary local writer ray.
Apr 01, 2016 in 1966, texas western became the first team with an allblack starting five to win the ncaa mens basketball tournament. Espn to air texas westerns historic victory in the 1966. Timed to the release of jerry bruckheimers movie, the moving autobiography of hall of fame basketball coach don haskins and his storied team of players, the texas western miners in 1966, college basketball was almost completely segregated. The story of high school girls basketball coach don haskins making his way to the division i level and putting together a team at texas western. The 196566 texas western miners basketball team represented texas western. Texas western college, then a small and uknown school tucked away in the far corner of west texas, came out of nowhere to pull the biggest upset in the history of college basketball in 1966.
The team made history by winning the national championship in 1966, becoming the first team with an allblack starting lineup to do so the miners defeated kentucky an allwhite program until 1969 7265 in. Before the 1966 texas western basketball team, there werent many africanamericans playing college basketball or getting recruited by college coaches. In 2006, the movie glory road, depicting the significance of this game, was released. Rent glory road 2006 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. Fifty years ago, a small school in west texas quietly climbed the national collegiate basketball rankings.
The names are not remembered individually, but what the texas western basketball team did as a team eventually became a cultural and sporting. In 2007, the entire team was inducted in the naismith memorial basketball hall of fame. On march 18, 1966, the miners defeated utah 8578 in the final four to advance to the national championship game the following night. In real life, haskins not only coached girls hoops, but also football and boys basketball teams at a couple of small high schools in texas in the mid1950s. Where are they now emerson grad harry flournoy nwi preps. Texas western celebrating historic title 50 years later. The following year, the team was inducted into the naismith memorial basketball hall of fame.
The team made history by winning the 1966 ncaa university division basketball tournament in 1966, becoming the first team with an allblack starting lineup. Texas westerns coach don haskins was white and he is a pivotal. In the movie the team played against kansas in the regional final and the following game was the national championship, which is incorrect. Glory road has oodles of glory but how faithful is the movie to the facts. In 1965, the coach of the high school girl basketball team don haskins is invited by the texas western miners to be their coach. Harry flournoy, team captain of the 1966 ncaa championship texas western basketball team, speaks at the team s induction into the basketball hall of fame in 2007. Its also available for the nba, football, hockey and baseball. In 1965, coach don haskins inherits a losing basketball team at texas western university and brings on seven black players, angering others at the school and resulting in threats of violent retaliation. Nevil shed, a member of the 1966 texas western college basketball ncaa championship team speaks of his recollections about the teams title game. In 1965, coach don haskins inherits a losing basketball team at texas western university and brings on seven black players, angering others at the. The 1966 texas western mens basketball team holding up their championship trophy. Its implied that haskins is breaking all kinds of barriers just by recruiting. Mar 19, 2018 the 20 best basketball movies ever made.
Significance of texas westerns 1966 ncaa title not realized. The inspiring true story of the underdog texas western basketball team, with historys first all african american starting lineup of players, who took the country by storm, surprisingly winning. Don haskins was the head basketball coach at texas western college from 1961 to 1999. The miners victory over university of kentucky, coached by legendary adolph rupp, in the finals of the ncaa tournament was a story of triumph of character. Nov 30, 2005 timed to the release of jerry bruckheimers movie, the moving autobiography of hall of fame basketball coach don haskins and his storied team of players, the texas western miners in 1966, college basketball was almost completely segregated. The ncaa tournament was a 22 team tournament at the time. Texas western and its allblack starting five had shocked adolph rupps allwhite kentucky team and won the national title. Glory road is a 2006 american sports drama film directed by james gartner, based on a true. In 1966, texas western became the first team with an allblack starting five to win the ncaa mens basketball tournament. When the 1966 texas western team was on the road, the players were commonly denied access to hotels, restaurants, and other public facilities. Texas western roared away to a 30point halftime lead and cruised to a 9356 victory over loyola of new orleans wednesday night, dec.
Apr 05, 2019 member of famed 1966 texas western team rooting for texas tech to join miners in history. No one commented that there five black starting players on the western texas team. Remembering glory road and its place in sports movies. The texas western upset victory is considered the biggest, most important victory in college sports.
Jan 30, 2020 in 2006, the movie glory road, depicting the significance of this game, was released. Sep 22, 2016 in the movie, coach don haskins is a girls high school basketball coach just before getting the job at texas western university now texasel paso or utep. Where the players are now 1966 texas western championship. Glory road is the story of coach don haskins 196566 texas western college basketball team, which started five black players while defeating the allwhite kentucky wildcats in the 66 ncaa. Led by don haskins, a gruff, straighttalking coach known as the bear, the texas western miners lit up the 1965. Mar 16, 2016 texas tech coach tubby smith who was kentuckys coach from 1997 through 2007, winning a national title there remembers watching the kentucky texas western game on television. Significance of texas westerns 1966 ncaa title not. Texas western now known as texasel paso made history by having an allblack starting lineup for the first time in ncaa championship history and defeated kentucky. Against all odds, the team achieved the impossible.
Texas western team against kansas during 1966 ncaa tournament. During the course of the 196566 national championship season, texas western guard orsten artis was one of the key reasons the miners went 281 and beat kentucky for. Member of famed 1966 texas western team rooting for texas tech to join miners in history. Texas western championship team s photos 1966 texas western team throughout the years texas western team against kansas during 1966 ncaa tournament texas western championship team at the white house presentation of the retiring of bobby joe hills jersey at the don haskins center members of the 1966 championship team during a book signing in 2006. Despite the lack of budget, haskins sees the chance to dispute the. Fifty years later, kentucky reflects on impact of being on. He and froebel grad orsten artis played for don haskins at texas western now texasel paso and was on the 1966 team which beat kentucky for the ncaa mens basketball title. Jan, 2006 nothing the cast does, however, is quite as moving as the appearance during the final credits of some of the real texas western players, who reflect, along with mr.
Mar 18, 2020 on march 19, 1966, texas western college defeats the university of kentucky in the ncaa mens college basketball final at cole field house in college park, maryland. March 3, 2020 watch the njcaa region v basketball championship tournament february 7, 2020 basketball 2020 pink games february 17, 2020 january 20, 2020 hot dog eating contest sponsored by westerner basketball. Espns presentation of the game will be reaired on sunday, april 3 at 11 a. In 1966, texas western coach don haskins led the first allblack starting lineup for a college basketball team to the ncaa national championship.
Feb 23, 2010 the story of high school girls basketball coach don haskins making his way to the division i level and putting together a team at texas western. Every day, well send you an email to your inbox with scores, todays schedule, top performers, new debuts and interesting tidbits. In the end, his texas western miners team comprises seven black and five white athletes. Ballingers fred schwake, an athletic trainer on the 1966 texas western basketball team, is hoping texas. Don haskins of tiny texas western university, who bucks convention. It helped put the 196566 texas western college team back in the spotlight. During the course of the 196566 national championship season, texas western guard orsten artis was one of the key. The movie skipped a crucial game that texas western had played. Mar 17, 2016 what texas western did was put an emphatic end to any lingering doubt about the worth of diversity in the sport, especially in the slowchanging south, where adolph rupps storied kentucky team. Gary loses a true history maker in harry flournoy college. Texas western defeats kentucky in ncaa finals history. In story of big game, sad chapter on racism the new york. Texas history history made by the 19651966 texas western.
Glory road is a 2006 american sports drama film directed by james gartner, based on a true story surrounding the events leading to the 1966 ncaa university division basketball championship the historic name for what is now known as the ncaa division i mens basketball tournament. Espn classic texas westerns 1966 title left lasting legacy. For basketball fans and general audiences alike this is a good movie worth checking out. And the wheels turned, a utep student produced documentary on the ncaa championship game of 1966 produced by cotton productions. Texas western finished the 19651966 season ranked third in the ap college basketball poll. Watch the 1966 march madness classic game between texas western and kentucky.
1478 806 688 181 430 827 1315 73 1229 839 716 1134 1514 485 1127 633 343 1487 473 89 32 564 1221 777 409 45 22 1160 1241 292 1005 1415 200 47