On this day in 1966, Texas Western, (University of Texas-El Paso), beat heavily favored Kentucky 72-65 at Cole Field House in College Park (MA) to win the NCAA basketball championship. Coached by former Oklahoma A&M star Don Haskins, the Miners became the first team in NCAA history to start 5 black players. Beating Kentucky and it's Klansman Coach Adolph Rupp, changed the face of basketball forever. As for Hall Of Fame coach Adolph Rupp, it would be a decade before he had a black starter playing for his beloved Wildcats. For decades, Haskins insisted that he was not trying to make history 51 years ago tonight by starting 5 black players, he was simply trying to win the title in what was essentially a home game for Kentucky. Sports is and always has been a great equalizer in America and her non-stop issues with not just out history, but with race in general. Ironically, Haskins and Oklahoma A&M, coached by Hall Of Famer Henry Iba, were defeated by Kentucky in the 1949 Final Four. Haskins later wrote a New York Times Best Seller about his career in general and that 1966 National Title in particular, titled "Glory Road". Just some nostalgia in the middle of the Madness. A boy. A ball. A dream. vs
Stat - The book is very good (needed a better editor). The only similarities between the book and the movie is the title. Movie was awful.
Texas Western could have given the 1969-1970 Houston Wheatley team a good game...talk about dominating!!!! They were the original Phi Slama Jama!!
