— , _ , g...__.....~
‘ .
x
I:
q.»
..
lv
.
.
\ ' ‘
A
.
. .
P
’
.
‘
‘
5:
-..,
M
w,
M
n
I.
So.
.
. . H. . .

   

 

.. %;

     

 

' ,
v
, - n
o

   

   

   
 
 

A . . ,
. . ., -r.',-r.r."r.xt- 5'4- 5-"

 

u mum; lilzllfljlljml Lu! in (I1 “M “111711ng N

 

. ; -9 D‘ u
'0 L. .
{ \ I" ’

 

$21198ng {55T‘1’2‘2QOD1

CM {1473’ AUG 1 6 2011

{3141. ' n 7 1091‘
\ ,.., g; , ,
:gaa FE

’ W“ 9‘ 33335 95 2004 25211

H‘fiui'42

W9 012001 WHM‘W

(

w i 2 2013 L L L

 

THE BLACK ATHLITI AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

      
   

L I B R A R Y
Michigan State
1,3) University

M—

 

 

BY

BETH J. SHAPIRO

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the Heater of Arte degree
in the Department of Sociology
Michigan State Univeraity
December. 1970

THESVS

 

é, LIBRARY

. Michigan State
ABSTRACT University

 

Michigan State University‘s Athletic Department has been widely
praised for the Opportunities it has offered black athletes, yet the
protests of black athletes have been heard there as well. the purpose of
this study was to examine the conditions and perceptions of a sample
group of black athletes at Michigan State University.

Forty-four questionnaires were distributed to black athletes in
attendance at Michigan State University during January and February of
1969. Twenty-three of the questionnaires (521) were completed and returned.
Ten black and two white former football players, and one black former
assistant football coach were interviewed. The athletes examined for the
data on degree attainment were black and white letterwinners in football,
basketball. track and wrestling who were freshmen from Fall Term, 1960 ,5,,
to Fall Term, 1964.

A great many of the black athletes surveyed, came to Michigan
State University with the major intention of receiving an education. Yet
only 461 of the black letterwinners sampled had graduated, and only a hand-
full graduated with their classes. While most of the black athletes felt

\erdiscriminated against by the coaches, on the field and in academic counseling,
the claims were difficult to verify in most instances. Hostility does exist
between white and black football players, but again it was difficult
to prove that discriminatory practices have occurred.

Ior the most part, the black athletes at Michigan State University
feel cheated and discriminated against. The militancy and developing black
consciousness among these athletes is not an isolated situation. It is a
part of the larger struggle of the black community's fight for survival
within white America.

ii

~ --~- '~- &n-a w..- ““ A e + 4- A...

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I wish to thank several pe0ple for their invaluable help.
Specifically Lamarr Thomas, for aiding me in the distribution of the
survey; Peter BishOp and Paul Tress, for their hours of technical advice
concerning statistical inferences; Dr. Thomas Freeman and his staff
in the Michigan State University Office of Institutional Research; and
especially to Harry Webb for his inspiration and interest in the study
of the sociology of sport. I would also like to thank my committee:

killiam Ewens, James McKee and Vincent Salvo.

BJJ.S.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter
I. INIRODm'l'lON..............
Review of the Literature. . . . . . .
Appraisal of the Literature . . . . .
Problem Reformulation . . . . . . . .
(hhthodology . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ll. BLACK.ATHLETIS AND IDUCATION . . . . . .
Desire for a College Education . . .
Academic Advising . . . . . . . . . .
Degree Attainment . . . . . . . . . .
Ill. DISCRIMINATION . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Discrimination by the Coaching Staffs

Discrimination by White Athletes. . .

The HBO Black Athletic Boycott, May, 1968

1v 0 comm 1m 0 O C O O O O O O O O O O O 0
Cone lulion e e e e e s e e e e e a e e
implications for Further Study. . . .

WW“ 0 O O O C O C O O O O O C O O O 0 0 O C
Atmm O O O O O C O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0

iv

Page

ll:
24 t
24¢
28 ‘
31 ,
32

32~.

34

36

37

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The decade of the 1960's has seen the growth and develOpment of
important protest movements within American minority communities against
institutional racism. These movements have focused white America's
attention to many problems that she never wished to deal with, and some-
times which she was not even aware Of.

Since 1967, the sports world has been the scene of several protests
Of its own; protests that are direct outgrowths of the "Black power” move-
ment. Sports became "integrated" in the late 1940's and early 1950's, and
has been looked to as an example of an institution in American society
that has provided equal Opportunities for black and white alike.

(Southern college athletics were considered the exception.)

Michigan State University's Athletic Department has been widely
appraised for the Opportunities it has offered black athletes, yet the
protests of black athletes have been heard there as well. The purpose of
this study was to examine the black athletes own perceptions of the condi-
tions they experience and of the Opportunities they are Offered. For the
most part, the black athletes at MSU feel cheated and discriminated
against. The militancy and develOping black conciousness among these
athletes is not an isolated situation. It is a part of the larger
struggle of the black community's fight for survival within white

America.

Review of the Literature

There has been very little written on black athletes as a group
or on racism and sports, for the area has only recently been studied.1
It should be noted that there has been almost no empirical data collected.

Simon and Carey (1965), of the University of Illinois wrote a
paper concerning a struggle that took place on that campus during the 1963
academic year.between the black athletes, the NAACP, and the Athletic
Association. The local NAACP charged the University's Athletic Association
with discrimination against the black athletes without the consent of
nearly all Of the black athletes involved. The paper attempts to sort out
all of the events, to put them into perspective, and to discover if
discrimination acually existed at the University of Illinois. The
researchers could not prove that discrimination by race actually occurred
within the Athletic Association, but they did prove that the NAACP did
act without the consent of the athletes they were trying to aid.

Three major books have been written within the area of race and
athletics. One of the first books was written by Thompson, an English-
man (l966). Thompson's most important thesis is that sports often reflect
a society's characteristics and play a vital role in uniting diverse
sections of communities. Thompson states that the United States is an
example of how athletics can influence a society. 3

Modern sport undermines any system of social stratification
based on colour. The requirements of sport which brought
non-white players into professional teams in the United
States demanded a measure of social acceptance, not only on

the field, but in the sharing of lockers, changing rooms,
travel facilities and accomodations.

(1966:11)

 

lDave Maggyeasy. a former professional football player, has written a
book which was not released at the time of this writing. It should be a sig-
nificant work.

harry ldwerda has written another book entitled Revolution in Spor ,
which was net in print at the time of this writing.

 

 

 

He also states that when an athlete becomes famous, he becomes a symbol
of pride for his community and his prestige enables him to influence the
pattern Of segregation directly.

The most important contribution of sport to race integration

in the United States is, perhaps, the Opportunity for Negro

sportsmen to be seen by their fellow players and the specta-

tors as individuals, as good football or baseball players, or

as athletes, rather than Negroes. (1964:12)

Olsen, a journalist, wrote a series of articles for Sports
illustrated Magggine (l968-a, l968-b, etc.) which was later compiled in
book form (1969) This book discusses the conditions of black athletes in
college and professional athletics. Olsen has not done an empirical study,
but his book is a descriptive analysis of the conditions of blacks in the

J

athletic world and how they themselves perceive their role within American

 

 

 

 

 

m

 

 

 

 

 

 

athletics.

«n.h

 

Most Americans believe that sports have been good to blacks.

Olsen finds that this is not so.

Almost to a man, they are dissatisfied, disgruntled and
disillusioned. Black professional athletes say they are
underpaid, shunted into certain stereotyped positions

and treated like aubhumans by Paleolithic coaches who

regard them as watermelon-eating idiots. Black collegiate
athletes say they are dehumanised, exploited and discarded,

and some even say they were happier back in the ghetto. (l9b9z9)

Olsen states that for years ghetto children have been told that sports
was a way to escape from the ghetto. Yet only a few ever really beOOme
successful and an oppressive system of racism and exploitation is still

maintained a

Olsen's position is different from Thompson's. While white
America can admire a black athlete’s exploits on the field, it does not

mean that he necessarily stOps being black, or being treated like other

blacks off the field. Olsen examines the hardships that a black athlete
_...______.,_t__________,

 

faces functioning within a white university; hardships in becoming a
‘-r-fl—"““-~\‘_______.,,r———~———~we"mvA-e\____h____,gfl,-‘___fl_,_

successful athlete, maintaining his eligibility, acting as the coaches
.r_eaga“_H_____fl#____fi~__iflfl_fl_ __,_flflm_wm_ _,,

gapect him to act “Wanna" towards black power,

H‘F____ -

 

“—“F-——-——_-.........—,.__._ _.____..... WW;

attitudes towards whites, ‘t°')'_’9b“§f‘?9$ himself daily to_racist
_coeches. '

The simple fact is that the black athlete who enters a

white college must cram his belated education into four

hectic years. He must make up for Black schools that

are under-financed, under staffed and markedly inferior,

and he must excel on the playing field all the while. (1969:78-79)
Most black athletes are ostracised on white campuses, and are told,
bluntly or subtley to stay away from white woman. Olsen portrays the life
of the black collegiate athlete as very lonely..

Not only does Olsen examine the athletes themselves, but he
studies their coaches as well. The coach and his staff are very important
in creating the collegiate environment of the athlete and yet “some of
the best coaches, some of the most patient and understanding, seem to
have a blank space where Negroes are concerned" (1969:111).

Olsen concludes that integration in American sports is a myth,
that equality is non-existent and that the world of sports reflects the
basic probleae that exist generally in American society.

ldwards (1969), a black sociologist and ax-trackman, has written
a book about the protests of the black athlete. The first chapter

describes briefly the general conditions of black athletes, and says
essentially the same things as Olsen's book. In chapter two, ldwards
indicts the mass media for its relationship to the black community: ”As
a group, they have seemingly been singularly unmoved by the frustration

and fate of Black people, even of Black athletes." (l969:3l)

Edwards further says, "that Negro and white sports reporters in
America have contributed to the conditions in the athletic industry that
have prompted the revolt of the black athlete" (1969:36). Sports reporting
Often perpetuates the myth that black athletes are not capable of being ___‘
in leadership positions.

The remainder of Edwards' book contains descriptions Of black
athletic boycotts at various campuses around the nation, and most notably

the boycott activities surrounding the 1908-69 Olympics.

Appraisal of the Literature

 

Simon and Carey stated that black athletes who are not doing
especially well in athletics would be more apt to feel discriminated
against and would have more resentment towards the university. They also
state that complaints about inter-racial dating are not prima facie
evidence of discrimination and that ineptitude on the field could have
been the reason why the particular athletes involved did not play. Yet,
the researchers did not prove that this was the case. The only evidence
discovered was that the NAACP did in fact act without conferring with the
black athletes involved, and that internal divisions within the black
community deveIOped as a result of this. The Simon and Carey study would
have been more valuable if it had speculated about why conflicting percep-
tions about discrimination occured.

Thompson's book lays a very good foundation for examining race
and sport. his statements that sports are a reflection of society were
probably accurate, but when he applied his theory to American society,
he may have applied it inaccurately. If one accepts Olsen's and Edwards'
theories, sports does reflect the values and actions of American society,

V/but the athletic world is stratified by race as is American society as a

whole; and that American athletics has done very little to change the
patterns of social stratification with regards to race. If anything,
American athletics has perpetuated the existing stratification system by
channeling potential black professionals into the world of sports.

At the most, sports has led a few thousand Negroes into a

better life, while substituting a meaningless dream for

hundreds of thousands of other Negroes. It has helped to

perpetuate an Oppressive system. For every willie Nays or

lob Hayes there are countless Negroes who obviously had abun-

dant will and determination to succeed, but who dedicated their

childhooda and their energies to baseball gloves and shoulder

pads. If there were other ways out and up, they were blinded

to them by the success of a few sports celebrities. These

are the Negro doctors, who never were, the Negro lawyers who

are so desperately needed. . . This has been the major effect

of sports on the Negro and it overrides all others. (Olsen, 1969:11)

Thompson states that blacks who become stars are viewed as

athletes, not as blacks. Olsen and ldwards state that this is not true.
Olsen's book is the most comprehensive of the three books. While he does
not tabulate and code his findings, he does provide his readers with a
valuable background and with a national picture of the conditions of
black athletes. ldwards' book was very disappointing. The bulk of the
book is spent describing particular "revolts", and his analysis seems
rather superficial compared to Olsen's more extensive work. All of the
literature was able to provide the study with a perspective, but Olsen's
book was by far the most important in providing this study with a

national framework and with a social analysis of the overall situation.

Problem Iaformulation

In a society that has industrialised so that leisure time has
increased to very large prOportions, it is crucial for the members of that
society to understand the role that the particular forms of leisure activity

may take. To many, athletics has been viewed not just as a profession or

 

[3- "7

as a leisure activity, but also as an industry: big business and a
central component Of America's economic and cultural life. Yet, as we
have seen, there has been relatively little attention paid to the area of
race and sport within the social sciences. Moreover, the literature
which does exist is highly speculative in nature and the conclusions
reached have, generally, not been based upon firm empirical evidence.
This present study is concerned with empirically documenting some
of the more speculative ideas of previous authors at one well known
Big Ten School, and is somewhat exploratory in nature. More specifically,
the present study is concerned with documentation of the following
questions at MSU.
1) Do black athletes come to Michigan State University to
receive an education or to participate in sports?
2) Are black athletes counseled differently from white athletes?
3) Do the black athletes acquire degrees at the completion of
four years at MSU?
4) Do the black athletes perceive that they are being discrimi-
nated against by the coaching staffs?
5) Do the black athletes feel discriminated against by their
white teammates?
Methodology
Several methods of research have been employed in this study:

survey questionnaire, interviewing, and data collection through the

Michigan State University Office of the Registrar. The questionnaire was

distributed during January-Pebruary, 1969 to 44 ;hack athletes who were,
\ 1/,/

at that point in time, in their second to fourth years of eligibility at

MBU. lxactly what percentage of the total of black athletes in attendance

at that time. I was not able to ascertain, for the Athletic Department
refused to release "racial" information. A black football player
distributed the questionnaire for the researcher.

Twenty three of the questionnaires (521) were completed and
returned. Another five were returned blank with an explanation of fear
of reprisal from the Athletic Department. Nineteen questionnaires were
returned by football players, two by basketball players and two by trackmen.
It should be noted that the directions on the questionnaire itself
explained that the form need not be signed. One athlete wrote on the
form "Name and state withheld because mass discrimination is still going
on." All of the data collected from the questionnaires reflects the
bias of football players.1

The interviews were conducted with 10 black football players
and two white football players who were no longer eligible. The basic
format of the questionnaire was used, but the interviews allowed for
more freedom in the responses.

The Athletic Department itself was not very helpful. I was able,
however, to obtain interviews from a black former assistant football
coach. and from a current black assistant football coach. The data on
graduation rates was collected through the aid of NBU Office of Institu-
tional lesearch. Lists of black and white lattermen were used as the
sample studied. All of the letter winners were freshman from Pall, I960

to Fall 1966, and their statuses are current through November 6, 1970. .A

total of 156 athletes were studied who earned letters in football, basket-
ball, track or wrestling. Nine of the black latter winners earned letters

in two of the sports. They are counted only once in the composite tables.

 

1‘The questionnaire should have been more flexible to allow for open-
ended answers from the athletes.

-_....._-__

 

CHAPTER ll

DUCK ATHLETES AND EDUCATION
With rare exceptions, the American college coach expects
his Negro athletes to concentrate on the job for which they were
hired. The aim is neither graduation nor education. The
sins quo non for the Negro athlete is maintaining his eligi-
bility. . . At the end of the last second of the last minute
of the last hour of a Negro athlete's eligibility, he is likely

to find himself dumped unceremoniously into the harsh
academic world. (Olsen, 1969:10)

Desire Tor A College Education

It is a common belief that most black athletes go to college to
play their particular sport and also as one step on the way to a professional
career in athletics; education is rarely mentioned as being important.
Surprisingly different results were discovered in this study.

Fourteen per cent of the black athletes stated that they came
to MSU only to play ball; 21% said that they came first to play ball,
second to get an education; 421 said that they came first to get an educa-
tion, second to play football; and 281 said that they came strictly to
get an education, the athletic tender providing them the funds to do so.
That is. 701 of the black athletes surveyed came to MSU with the primary
intention of getting an education.

Wises
The freshman black athlete, as all other freshman students, is

assigned to an academic advisor. It was discovered that nearly

all freshman athletes, black and white, are initially assigned to one

man, employed by the Athletic Department. (Those athletes who arrive at

360 with a superior academic background are assigned to advisors through

h...:.‘—.. .4 .-». a-_

 

10
the normal procedure.) This advisor prepares class schedules for the
players. The players do have the Option Of rejecting this man's advise,
but most questioned stated that as freshmen they were afraid to stand
up to this man for fear Of never being given a chance to play ball
during the playing season.

:The_schedules prepared for the athletes (excluding the University

‘\

 

College courses whizhfiill stud;;::’;;e required to take) contain, for
._ _ ,__.——\-——~w‘n_—-h ______ ,__ r; - _ , __ _ __ , -*--‘ ' -*- —n-. 7 -
\the most part, Health, Physical Educgtionnandfigecreation cougges HPER .

““E____——-—-—-—-—‘—”'-

 

 

Many of the black athletes reported that when they requested other courses
for their schedules, the advisor attempted to talk them out of their
preferences by telling them that they were not prepared for the academic
competition in college, or that they just did not have the ability. 'Those
insisting on determining their own programs were warned that if they got
into academic difficulty, they would immediately be forced hack into
HPZR courses. or would fail and lose their eligibility and/or be with-
drawn from school.

The white athletes interviewed said that the academic advisor,

pm ‘N_ r. .— "huh‘h‘u‘. a.» __-__-
while hard on the players, always had the best interestsof the atletes

 

bin mind. They said that while he was concerned with the players'
eligibility, he was also concerned with their acquiring a degree. The
white athletes implied that the advisor was a man they could always go
to when they were in trouble and that he always went out of his way to
help them. They did not think that he discriminated against anybody
because of race. One of the white athletes questioned said that most of
the time the blacks are trying to "get off easy" and that's why they

have such a hard time with the advisor.

One black athlete, who was interviewed, said that he tried to take

',/

 

ll
courses outs.de of the HPER Department his sOphomore year. He reported
that he was earning B's and C's in Humanities (a University College course)
but did need help in his other classes. The Athletic Department required
him to attend tutoring sessions in Humanities, which he felt he did not
need, and refused to obtain help for him Otherwise. Tutoring was taking
up too much of his time for studying, so he stOpped going. Shortly after
that, he said that he ended up sitting on the bench all the time.

A prominent athlete, who played football at MSU from 1964-1966,
stated that, "most of the guys don't want to take physical education
courses, but they get so hung up in phys. ed. because of the Athletic
Department, that by their senior years, they are only freshmen academically.
Phys. ed. courses don't do you any good.'_MAnOther forme:_a£hlete\gaidfthat

M

unless one is "valuable" to the team, one does not learn that grades below
'\ ___, _, _ —« VWMM ..—'

“huh...

C should be repeated. Once the athletes attain junior standing credit

m‘

 

 

 

wise, they are assigned to regular academic advisors. It is at this point
that they find out that courses need to be repeated, and that they have

a long way to go before graduation. "With being our

 

counselor, it's a way of controlling the guys. He is concerned only with
big ten eligibility, not with University eligibility. I wanted to be a
History major. I ended up in HPIR and will graduate in it now because ‘ “

I've got so many credits in it."

Degree Attainment [::::::]

Tables I-XII are concerned with degree attainment for white and

 

black letter winners in football, basketball, track and wrestling. Those
fOur sports were chosen because they showed some significance in integration
within the sport during the period studied. All graduated lettermen who

attained their letters and degrees during any time period at MSU, but who

12

were freshmen from Fall Term, 1960 through Pall Term, 1964 are included

in the sample. If the sample had included all athletes who had received

tenders from HSU, the statistics for both black and white athletes

who had not yet graduated may have been prOportionately larger.

TABLE I

press: ATTAINHINT BY sacs, convosxrr ovrn FOOTBALL,
BASKETBALL, wazsrtinc, rsscx

- -— --—- “—w-- —.-———_—— —--—-.. - -

 

 

White Black Total
Graduated From College 82.31 66.51 72.41 (113)
Not Yet Graduated From College 17.71 53.51 26.61 (43)
Total 1001 100% 1001
(113) (as) (156)
x2 - 9.419 p L..oos

 

-0 o-.. “

TAIL! l portrays the relationship between race and degree attain-
ment for all the athletes in the sample. Statistically, there is a
dependency between race and degree attainment at the .005 level of
significance. Examined percentage wise, 82.31 of the white athletes have
;raduated through November 6, 1970, yet only 46.51 of the black athletes
have graduated. According to MSU Evaluation Services, seven years after
the first term in attendance at M50, 551 of all the male students receive
degrees.

Comparing the data, it becomes apparent that on the whole, the
letterwinners in the sample have an average higher graduation rate than
the male student papulation of the University. But the rate for black
athletes is considerably lower than the rate for white athletes and

somewhat lower than that of the male student papulation at large.

13
TABLE II

DEGREE ATTAINHENT AND RACE, FOOTBALL PLAYERS ONLY

—.—-—.__-...--. u - —. . .- - . . .._._-.— -.... - v-»-__..--- - -....._..-- ---. . ---a-
——-. —--—-—.—-s

m“... _ _. .r.. .

,_ White _ Black Total
Graduated Prom College 761 33.3% 611 (A7)
Not Yet Graduated From College 242 6b.bz 391 (30)

Total 1001 1001 1001
(50) (27) (77)
x2 - 8.058 p <. .005

*...--'«r- ----—.--

TABLE III

DEGREE ATTAINHENT AND RACE, BASKETBALL PLAYERS ONLY

._-_..- —......-—.-

White Black Total

 

Graduate from College 88.91 71.41 84% (21)
Not Yet Graduated From College 11.1% 28.b1 161 (A)
Total 1001 1001 1001

(13) (7) (25)

-<s ._ --_ .- .. . _ - ~.—_. . . .—__.- m—‘un’-o—.m- —- _~- - .-...__. ..... .. -_..-._. l—w.-i__ .—._..

p = .306 (Fisher exact test)

--- _- - -.._-.__.. -- —.—.~-.—.-—-_-— .-.__....—-—.—._.—.-.__-_ W...“ --..__-_

TABLE IV

DEGREE ATTAINHENT AND RACE, TRACKMEN ONLY

 

umfl-Wgfi q... - n..—-.7 7.....-— a:

 

-_..~.—.-.—__—~_.. ~--_—. _—._.—...-....._.._.

white Black Total

 

”--~-—..-— —.._ -..-.

 

*-

Graduated Prom College 86.62 73.31 81.11 (30)
Not Yet Graduated From College 13.61 26.71 18.91 (7)
Total 1001 1001 100%

(22) (15) (37)

b—----..----...._- -—.-- - . _ _ o. 1 - -

p . .211 (Fisher exact test)

.

 

 

- «.3...

14

-_. -. *fi -
-——~_—.~__-‘_M

“NHJ _

TABLE V

DEGREE ATTAINHENT AND RACE, WRESTLERS ONLY

*--—-
Onao—v- -—~
_ ‘ _,, _” -‘ *.-—-.—.-_
t .—...-- . -. . ,.... -. ..-_ ....---... ... -._--..E_ ......-.-._._...-.. -_- -__... .. -_._. --..

W“ Black. 3952.1...
Graduated from College 86.91 33.31 80.71 (21)
Not Yet Graduated From College 13.11 66.62 19.31 (5)
Total 1001 100% 100%

(23) (3) (26)

m..-~-- _ _..—_~-———m .m_—---..

 

p - .084 (Fisher exact test)

-.- —. H-.. .-

-..m—»—.-—.._-—-——..-—.—.. 4. .._c. ._.. ....- a. -.- --

Controlling for each sport, there is no significant difference
between black and white athletes in basketball (TABLE III) and in track
(TABLE TV); but in wrestling (TABLE V); the direction, comparing white
and black wrestlers, tends to show that more white wrestlers graduate than
black wrestlers and .084 level of significance. _The largest discrepancy

is found within football AB I , where 762 of the white football

letterwinners have graduategfiggmpgred with_901y,33.31 of the black athletes.
. ——-""' \___~_ _\

_.___s.—
.,__..__-v— —-—-—-—.———-'—’

 

 

n+7 ——»— _.———-

TABLE VI

amass ATTAINHENT sun sacs, msmuu. PLAYERS, rucmu AND wussmas

-m t ———i—‘ ‘—
1‘ I 1 cv‘ -u—--

 

White Black Total
‘ Graduated Prom College 87.31 66.61 81.61 (Tl)m‘.
Not Yet Graduated From College 12.71 33.31 18.61 (16)
Total 1001 1001 lOOZ
(63) (24) (87)

 

:2 - 3.65 p< .100

—..._—-—»o _m

.-e n.-.—- ‘.-.--

 

 

 

 

 

IS

Controlling for the influence of the large number of football
players in TABLE I, TABLE VI was deve10ped to examine the relationship
of race to degree attainment in basketball, wrestling and track. Examining
TABLE VI, there is a significant difference between white and black
athletes although the significance does decrease from that of TABLE I.

It can be assumed, then, that black athletes, on the whole, do

not gradiate from college as frequently as white athletes, and that
black football players graduate less frequently than black athletes as
a whole.

Referring to the above section on "Desire for a College
Education", 701 of the surveyed black athletes (most of whom were football
players) came to HSU with the primary intention of getting an education,
yet only $6.11 of the black letterwinners and only 33.32 of the black

football letterwinners have actually graduated. The discrepaggymean

“—

 

 

-——..-—-*"

probably be attributed to many factors: lack of desire, lack of intelli-

—__.

_ -- _‘_.—--~_M_
/—'—""_ "" —.-_. _.._.—.___ H‘—

gence, lack of good self image, poor educational background, but the
_1 __- ___ '“'__H- ‘M H‘— “_ -/

black athletes' perceptions of their academic advising may also be a

.....-.e--

 

 

_. .H _

g...

crucial element of speculation for this study. .lt is probably true

__.__.__ -_ -H__

 

that most of the black athletes come to college with inferior educa-

..-~- ‘ +——_..

tional backgrounds, but if this is the case, it should be the responsi-

’ __ _ -'. +_._.—..
‘_ __.—-—-——-—"—-' _‘—-"_——-H--—_.._.__-——-

bility of H50 and the Athletic Department to attempt to correct this
" situation.

A The second set of tables (VII - XII) examine the relative
number of terms completed for those athletes in the sample who have

already graduated.

 

l'lll'tll'lll I ll illi'll"

16
TABLE VII

LENGTH OF TIME TO GRADUATE, COMPOSITE FOR ALL GRADUATED LETTERHEN
FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, TRACK AND WRESTLING

..-.—-.-..-— —-

'V-.. “-w - m- - --.—-.- _--_-_ _ . .._ qwm.“

 

 

 

 

 

 

5335
Number Of Terms
in School As An Undergraduate yl - Black y2 - White
10 *—— l - '""*“—1‘"“"“*“'
ll 0 2
12 l 10
13 2 13
14 2 10
15 O 21
16 3 10
17 3 7
18 3 6
19 1 3
20 2 4
21 0 3
22 0 l
23 . l 1
26 1 1
‘—' ..... n1 - 20 n2 - 93
5, -16.7s ;, -1s.39 s - 1.92 mm

 

 

‘TABLE Vll is a composite table across the four above mentioned sports.
Twelve terms is the normally allotted time for attaining an undergraduate
degree. The average number of terms it takes male students at USU to

graduate was not available. But examining TABLE VII. it can be seen that it

17
takes black athletes 1.36 terms longer to graduate than white athletes.
At the - .05 level of significance, there is a significant difference
between the means. According to HSU Evaluation Services, 351 of all
males graduate with their classes at the end of 12 terms, or before them.
Examining TABLE VII, only 4.61 of the black athletes and 11.51 of the white
athletes graduate before or with their classes. Although there is a signifi-
cant difference between the means in the composite TABLE VII, it should be
noted that there is only a significant difference between the means with

white and black football players.

TABLE VIII

LENGTH OF TIME TO GRADUATE, FOOTBALL LETTERHINNERS

 

539.9.
Number of Terms

 

 

 

 

In School As An Undergraduate y1 - Black y2 - White
_M._-m"”__. :24_ ..n.. 0 4 -“---i__
13 0 6
l4 0 ‘8
15 0 10
16 3 3
l7 2 l
18 l 2
l9 0 l
20 l 2
21 0 1
22 0 0
23 l 0
24 A l “V--_-.9
nl - 9 n2 - 38

y, - 18.5 372 - 14.9 r - 3.969 p< .005

 

TABLE IX

 

 

 

 

Race
Number of Terms
in School As An Undergraduate yl - Black y2 a white
11 WW o ””2 '
12 1* 0
13 0 2
l4 1 0
15 0 4
16 0 3
17 l 3
18 O l
19 l O
20 l 0
21 0 0
22 0 l
...--_._____._;;_.:.5_ “ $13,--- _.
3?, - 16.4 $2 - 15.1.3 s - .663 p) .100

--‘---- ”-

LENGTH OF TIME TO GRADUATE, BASKETBALL LETTERNINNERS

—. ~- ---.—.-——._o_ ..--- o -..a—.---.———._.. ‘0‘-

- “— “-G’”... -—-—

”mu—O..- --. p.-. . M— «9..--..-

18

.--..

..—.--——~ .“

*This individual was in the Veterinary Medicine program which

requires more than 180 credits (12 terms) to graduate.

schedule for his major.

(The researcher adjusted for this.)

He graduated on

———'—....-.

TABLE X

LENGTH OF TIMI TO GRADUATE, TRACK LBTTERHINNERS

. —-—-—--———--———-v-.w-. -- -—...

 

Number of Terms

In School An An Undergraduate yl .

~‘ ~-~-‘oo- “0.“-

 

- ,..-..._. . o

10

11

12

13

1b

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

 

$1 - 16.727

y2

a”...

Race

 

Black

V'1

. 15.631

0

- Whit
2 e

19

 

1 ‘4 IIIIUIIIIJ

.--.—-—..n—- -

.-.. uefifi-_.

TABLE XI

LENGTH 0? TIM! TO GRADUATE, WRESTLING LETTBRHINNERS

 

 

 

- _.__w "a, —- :rg:::«f¢+_erfeffitn , u , ngé
Number of Terms
In School A: An Undergraduate yl a Black y2 - White
.. .m,r__~_.w__~_,-_.__16_,."_..“.._- --H. u. .u.,. 0,- .V . -u. l
11 O 0
12 0 2
l3 0 2
14 0 2
15 0 a
16 0 2
l7 1 1
18 0 l
19 o l
20 o 1
21 o 2
22 0 0
23 0 l
”Hm—1 e "'32 . 2}}
37, - u 72 - 15.95

Confidence interval for ;2 is 14.333 to 17.567 at - .05

 

‘. — 0.- a- ..~-—--.-.... _ _- -- ‘- ~ -.. ‘ -.--I'A- -.. r. .. '--

‘flo—“O- -. .1. “a...

 

21

In TABLES VIII. X, and XI. no significant difference can be found. The
researcher, consequently, developed a composite table for basketball,
wrestling and track (see TABLB XII) to control for the effect of football
letterwinners on the composite for all sports. At the - .05 level of
significance, there is no significant difference between the means.

TABLE XII

~I— . .—

LENCTH OF TIME TO GRADUATE, COMPOSITE WRESTLING, TRACK, AND BASKETBALL

- g... -—
——_-.-—... u—--c—. - -._ — .....--..

 

§_a_c_e_
Number of Terms
In School As An Undergraduate yl = Black ’2 a Dhite_ ‘
10 l 1
ll (1 2
12 l b
13 2 7
la 2 2
15 O 11
16 0 7
17 3 6
18 3 4
19 '1 2
20 I 2 2
21 O 2
22 0 1
23 1 1
24 -- 0 1
nl - 16 n2 - 55
341 - 16.4375 yz ... 15.691 2 a .8194 p).1oo

\..... .V . .~... ..~ - —-._

22

The mean number of terms it takes white football players to
graduate is not significantly lower than the mean number of terms for all
white athletes in the sample._UBut~mean’ngmE5E_gfMt::m:_£grfblgg§_£go£bgll

rplayers to graduate is significantly larger than the mean number of terms
\ame-_ eh“ -_h_,_____,_____~§‘________,_,__

‘N
to graduate for all blac e sam 1e.
_/ H ““E—
!g_black football players graduat ith their classes at the end _’,,2

of twelve terms; while 8% of the white football players did graduate with
/——~v -— ‘ H

M...

 

 

their classes. Both of these figures are far below the all-university
wide average of 351 for males.

A black former assistant coach offered a partial explanation for
the low graduation rates for football players, both black and white.
Twenty years ago, he had played football at MSU. ’90r103_Sb€ Winter Term, ///__,
'the athletes too§_heavy#§lgsseloadsflto~meke~up for the-light'ioads‘taken
during football season and spring training. ngistated that now the athletes
are not able to do that, for an "optional" winter.training schedule now
exists. He stated that it is Optional in that the athletes are not required
to attend, but tneir chances of ever playing are highly diminished if they

do not attend. This leaves them with a crowded schedule all year long.

it should be considered that working out intensively several hours a day,
\\x . 1

x,

scv.£31“33§3 ofthe week is not conducive for creating an academic
environment for those already at an academic disadvantage.

Black football players do not perform academically as well as
black athletes in other sports. As mentioned above, this could be due to
the large amount of time spent practicing. Low graduation rates in
football players could also be accounted for (putting individual differences

aside.) by the fact that they, particularly are not academically advised

correctly, and that special academic assistance in the form of tutoring

23

and remedial work is not being provided for them.

The above data supports the claim that not only do black athletes
not graduate at the completion of their four years here,but also that 53.5%
of them do not graduate at all; and that this figure is well below the
average for the male population of the University. Compared to white
letterwinners in football, wrestling, basketball and track, the figures
are even lower. Only 17.71 of all the white letterwinners in the sample
did not graduate, which is well above the average for the male population

as a whole.

.‘I‘ '1' .I I'll Ill ill I. ‘1 '1

24

CHAPTER THREE

DISCRIMINATION

piscrimination_§y;The Coaching Staffs

Proving that discrimination by race by the coaching staff and
white teammates actually occurs is a difficult problem, for nearly all
of the evidence was derived from the perceptions of the black athletes
themselves. The important aspects this study considered were whether or __fߢ,
not the black athletes perceived prejudice and discrimination. Because
this researcher was not able to survey the white coaching staff and the
white athletes, the results of this study cannot validly be compared with
any other sample.

The HSU Athletic Department and Administration pride themselves in
the progressive strides towards racial harmony that have been made at MSU.
when the researcher was acquiring information for this study from the
"80 Information Services, she was told, "We don't collect racial information.
we love each boy the same. Color doesn't matter. They are all Spartans.“
The black athletes feel that this is not true. One ex-football star, who
now plays with a semi-professional football team stated in an interview
that at HBU, "1 found out what it was like to be discriminated against."
Another black football player said, "If I had it to do all over again, 1
would not come to H50. because you do not get an equal break in nothing --
including football. . . Yes, I do feel the coaches discriminate because of

color. Rather then see too many blacks playing, the coaches will stack
black players in the same position, even if they have never played that
position in their life. . . At HSU. sports is politics; it's not what

you know, but who you know."

25

The consensus among the black athletes in this sample was that the
stacking of positions is a very common occurence. The black athletes
described several instances where black players were playing behind other
blacks so that room could be made in the parallel position for a white
player, whom they considered to be not as good. They described one incident
where the opposite occurred. 5-b1.‘5~flg:::::3:fk wasflmoved from a second
string quarterback position to one he had never played before, in the
defensive backfield. The black athletes thought that the Head Coach had
no choice but to play another black in the starting quarterback position,
as he was the only experienced quarterback on the team, and had a successful
season the year before. But the black athletes felt that the Head Coach
did not want to have a black quarterback backing up another black quarterback.
historically, blacks have been excluded from quarterback positions in
integrated football teams, professional and college, because the position
is considered to be one of leadership, and intelligence. Host white
coaches have not trusted the abilities of black quarterbacks or have bowed
to the prejudices of sports fans and financial supporters. The result of
this particular situation at H50 was that the quarterback turned defensive
back broke a vertebrae in his neck and will never be able to play football,
or any other contact sport again. The other blacks on the team, secretly
held the head Coach responsible. The coaching staff felt the player in
question was too talented to play on the second string, so they thought
they were doing him a favor by starting him in another position.

The black athletes feel that many of the coaches talk down to them,
and, that they treat them as animals. Some black athletes noted incidences
'~_____“______’____________

where a white athlete was injured and immediately removed from a game; but
/,mm

should the same injury occur to a black player, he would be given a shot of
_u- e\\\~\*“~_ __

’J

A —— -"‘“‘——“‘-—-’— -—«-—— .. ____,___.-___ ,_ .. _ — _._._.-_. --“_ _.__.— o,“

\..._.-/

 

26
novacaine and put back in the game. It was not possible to substantiate
this claim at all.

A black ex-assistant football coach, when speaking about one of the
white coaches, said that, "He has a tendency to strip them of their manhood
because of the way he talks down to them. . . There has to be a certain
amount of discrimination." He also mentioned that the athletes are not
receiving the motivation that they need to bring out their talents. Rather,
their individual needs and personalities are ignored, they are all treated
the same because they are black, that is of course unless one comes along
who is a super star.

This same es-coach referred to a case where an extremely promising
athlete was "chewed out" so much that he just gave up trying and spent most
of his freshman year sitting on the bench. he said he never had and never
would recruit a black athlete to play football at M50.

The coaches' attitudes towards interracial dating, while not
explicitly expressed, are still felt by the black athletes. The black
athletes surveyed said that the "situation" is a lot better now than it
was in the early 1960's; but better, only because the attitudes are not

blatantly translated into action. Tet stories of benchings are still handed

down as warnings to each freshman group of athletes by the "experienced" -——”

varsity members.

One of the better known stories deals with a former HBU football
player. now playing for a professional team. This athlete was secretly
dating a white girl his first two years at college. One of the assistant
coaches discovered this a year or so later. During the playsr's senior
year he was elected co-captain of the football team, but as the story goes,

he sat most of that year on the bench. When he was drafted to play football

27

by a professional team, a letter was sent to the Head Coach of that
/,,g
team concerning the player's social "activities".

Another football player was openly dating a white girl in the
early 1960's. After several ignored warnings, it was reported that his
scholarship was taken away, and returned only when the girl involved
complained to the administration of the University. Whether or not these
incidents actually occurred is not the most important aspect to consider.
what is important is that these stories act as unofficial warnings to the .//~«
black athletes. The black athletes surveyed felt that the super stars
need not be intimidated, but that the average ballplayer has a lat to
lose if he is caught "messing around".

All of the football players in the sample felt indirectly pressured
by the coaching staff, and were indignant about having their private lives
interferred with. One athlete was specifically told by the head coach,
that he was not opposed to interracial dating per se, but he did not want
his players to date “tramps" and girls with bad reputations. An
ex-football player said that he was told by a coach that "they didn't go
along with that sort of thing here". Many of the athletes said they were,
at one point in time, afraid to walk to classes with a white girl for fear
of being seen by a coach. Others said that the coaches used to come to
the dormitory grills and cafeterias to check up on them.

To consider whether or not punitive actions have been taken in
the past or are being taken now is of secondary importance to the fact that
a significant number of black athletes perceive it to be true. Should
their perceptions be erroneous, the coaching staff has done nothing to
counteract these misconceptions; rather their actions reinforce the stories.
Black basketball players said that there was no discrimination because of

interracial dating. both said that discriminatory practices did occur, but

they declined to give any examples.

28

A black assistant coach stated that the situation has changed a
lot the past two years and that black players are not intimidated concerning
interracial dating. Another study should be done to compare the findings
of this study with a more current group of athletes, to see if conditions
have really changed.

Several white ex-feothall players were interviewed, though not
enough in numbers to be considered a representative sample. Those
interviewed, are considered by their peers to be more "liberal" than
the average white ”jock". These athletes stated that discrimination
according to race is very rare. According to their perceptions, stacking
does not occur, but that so many top quality athletes are brought to MSU
that many good ball players will end up playing second and third string.

One white player characterised football as a military organization,
very rigid and authoritarian. he said that many of the blacks have a ///,_
hard time adjusting to that. Those white athletes heavily criticised
the lead Coach,but only concerning his technical ability as a coach, not
because he was considered to be a racist and discriminatory.

Discrimination E! White Athletes

The black athletes perceptions of the attitudes of their white
teammates was. on the other hand. very interesting to observe. when
answering the questionnaire, all but one athlete stated that they experienced
no racist behavior from their white tea-ates. but after observing a

situation that occurred after the questionnaires were returned, this was

not the case. lather than asking the straight forward question on the
questionnaire. "Is there overt hostility, or racism from white teammates?",
it would have been more productive to present a series of situations, and

to have asked them to project their reactions and what they would expect

29
their white teammates reactions to be. Fortunately, a situation presented
itself, that allowed an observation of the black athletes perceptions and
reactions in this area.

505 and some other white students had been demonstrating in the
Winter, 1969 around two demands: 1) The rehiring of a radical professor,
and 2) The implementation of an Open admissions policy for all black,
third world and white working class pe0ple. Several of the white athletes
came to an evening rally with the intentions of disrupting it. Fights
broke out and the next day, the athletes came back about four times stronger
to try to "disrupt" a rally at the Administration Building.

A few black athletes were approached to join the "counterdemnnstrators“
and they became extremely angered. One of the white athletes asked a well-
known militant black athlete saying that, "_____ and _____ (two white
assistant football coaches) said it was ok to go beat up the hippies,
come on", and then immediately said, "Oh, I forgot, you're one of those".
The blocks quickly organized themselves and went over to the Administration
Building to "defend" the white demonstrators. They began to identify with
the white demonstrators, viewed them as friends (they were personal friends
of some of them) and felt that the white athletes would love to do the
same thing to them (the blacks) if the occasion ever presented itself.

when the black athletes arrived at the Administration Building,
they were ready to fight. Why did the black athletes become so involved
to the extent of engaging in physical struggle? Racial tension must have
existed before this incident. Several of the black football players were
talked with after this incident occurred. The black athletes said that
they knew that the white athletes were encouraged by the coaching staff,

whom they considered to be racist. Because one of the demands was in part

30
a black demand and was as the black athletes perceived it, in their interests,
they perceived the coaching staff's encouragement and the white athletes
enthusiasm against the demonstrators as being in direct opposition to their
interests.

Their perceptions of discriminatory practices on the field by
coaches led to a lot of resentment of those white athletes who they felt
should not play in starting positions. One of the most interesting things
observed was that the black athletes were not surprised by the actions of
the white athletes. Many black players stated that they knew the white
athletes were like this all along and knew that a showdown would come
sooner or later.

Hostilities began to develop in May, 1968 when the black athletes
boycotted all activities of the Athletic Department. One of the organisers
of the boycott did not play football the following season because of a leg
injury. One black football player said that several of the white athletes
were openly glad that the athlete in question would not be playing because
they said it would improve the morale of the team.

An ex-assistant coach mentioned that the white athletes' counter-
demonstration was initiated by the Varsity Club, a predominantly white
organisation. This incident further polarised the football team along’
racial lines. The black athletes felt that the white athletes would love
to try to beat them up as well. They were very sensitive to the fact that
several of the coaches were present at the Administration Building and seemed
to be enjoying the whole situation until the black athletes arrived with
the intentions of stopping the whole incident. The coaches appeared to

become disturbed only when they realised that an intrateam fight might occur.

31
The H52 black Athletic Boycott, Hgy, 1968

Nearly all of the black athletes at Michigan State University
boycotted all athletics for several days. in the spring of 1968. The
boycott came as a surprise to many observers who felt that Michigan State
University was a haven for black athletes. The list of grievances is noted
in the Appendix. A major focus of the protest concerned employment practices
of the University in the area of athletics. Yet, two demands specifically
dealt with areas of academic counseling for blacks. Nearly all of the
white athletes were angered with the boycott itself, the demands and/or
the methods of boycotting per se.

Michigan State University should be credited with dealing successfully
with most of the demands. As of November, 1970, there is one black
assistant football coach (out of a possible 8), there is one black assistant
basketball coach (out of 3), and one black assistant track coach (out of 3).
More blacks have been hired servicing the athletic facilities, there is one
black trainer (out of A), and there are at least two black cheerleaders.

The athletic counselor does not have a black assistant, and it
appears as if the quality of academic counseling has not yet changed.

This action was political in nature, yet only two of the athletes
surveyed participated in any black political organisations. Most of the
athletes supported the black student group on campus at the time, but
never went to the meetings. Black liberation movements have had an effect
on black athletes though. As one black ex-assistant coach stated. ". . .they
can't divorce themselves from events in their community or from being
black. They feel that 'we are in this thing together'. They are a very
close knit group." These black athletes are stopping the perpetuation of
the myths that athletics are not only the way out of the ghetto, but also

the model for integration in society.

32
CHAPTER POUR

CONCLUSION

Conclusion

Several individuals have attempted to describe the conditions of
black athletes in America. This particular study was concerned with
investigating and describing the conditions of black athletes at Michigan
State University. If sports are a reflection of the society as a whole,
its values, attitudes and class make up, then investigations in the area
of race and sports should prove beneficial to the development of social
knowledge.

Several things can be concluded from this study. A great many of
the black athletes surveyed came to Michigan State University with the
major intention of receiving an education.

Uhile it could not be verified that black athletes are counseled
differently from white athletes, most of the black athletes felt that they
were. It could also not be verified that the coaches systematically
discriminate against black athletes. yet the athletes feel discriminated
against. These contradictions do raise several points though. why do most
of the black athletes blame their grievances on discriminatory practices?
Many blacks do not trust white people. Because of that, ambiguous actions
on the part of white coaches could reinforce all of the blacks' negative
feelings of being oppressed. While most of the white coaches are not
avowed racists, and probably do not go out of their ways to hurt black
athletes. they. as most of white America, possess stereotypes about black
people. If they believe the stereotypes that blacks are lasy and stupid,
then they eight push black athletes very hard, and more often than not,

be patronising and condescending to them. Coaches do not live in a vacuum;

33
they are products of their environment. They live and work in a racist
society, and are certainly not immuned to it merely because they are
athletic coaches. Social distance is not an influencing factor, because
if they become involved with blacks who do not fit the stereotype, those
individuals become, to them, exceptions to the stereotype.

The emphasis of sports over education, as an effective means of
social mobility, has had repercussions within the black community.

Newsweek states that "the explanation for black pre-eminence in sport is
social not scientific. . . The Negro does not have more muscles: he has ,r”'
fewer opportunities." (Newsweek, July 15, 1968). Since less than 50% of

the black letterwinners graduate, compared to 801 of the white letterwinners,
one could speculate that the academic counseling of black athletes, expecially
black football players, is a major factor; but at this point, that is

only speculation.

Discriminatory behavior by white athletes towards their black
teammates was difficult to pinpoint, except for the incident in February,
1969 described above. There does appear to be a great deal of hostility
between the two groups.

The development of the militancy of black athletes did not occur
in a vacuum. Black athletes were beginning to, in an active way, identify
themselves with the struggles of the black community. As they became more
accepted within the realm of sports, their alienation from society increased,

for they were still not accepted as men by white America, and at the same

time became divided from the black community because of their incomes and
alleged opportunities.
while Michigan State University has made great strides in providing

educational Opportunities for minority group members, it has neglected

34
to seriously deal with educational problems of her black athletes. Dr.
Robert Green, Director of the HSU Center for Urban Affairs once stated
that, "Black students on predominantly white campuses are openly
expressing their disgust at an educational system which reflects most
of the racist aspects of American life." (State News, February 19, 1969.) —’~’—\
The HBU Athletic Department is an integral part of the University and
shares in the responsibility for perpetuating the status quo.

‘lgglications For Further Study

As this study developed and progressed, ideas for other studies,
were discovered. The most obvious idea would be to refine the elements
of this particular study or to develop two sets of questionnaires,
one for black athletes and one for white athletes to compare their attitudes,
as well as to discover if the black athletes sampled in 1968 had different
opinions from those black athletes who are in college in the 1970's.

Stecklein and Pilapil (1965, 1970) conducted two identical
studies of the athletes at the University of Minnesota, during two distinct
time periods. Their studies are extensive concerning the Icldemic
progress made by the athletes. The two samples were athletes and non
athletes. They did not make any distinctions between races. A study
similar to the Stecklein and Pilapil (1965, 1970) studies, using racial
distinctions as well. would truly give a comprehensive picture of the
academic progress made by athletes, black and white alike.

Another area of research would be to investigate the extent that
the opportunity to participate in intercollegiate athletics is a force
in upward social mobility. It would also be interesting to analyse the
data in this particular study by utilising the secie-ecsnemio statuses of

the athletes.

35

There is an increasing growth of what is known as ”jock's lib.”
(Scott, 1970:15) around the nation. This is a positive white response to

the protests of black athletes. Options for study open up in this area

as well. There has been the development of the Institute for the Study

of Sport in Society, in California. Very interesting and much needed

research may begin there.

36

REFERENCES

Edwards, Harry
1969 The Revolt of the Black Athlete. New York: The Free Press.

1968 "The Angry Athlete." (October).

Olsen, Jack
1969 The Black Athlete: A Shameful Story. New York: Time-

W.

Scott, Jack
l970 "Jocks - 1, war - 0,” Ramparts (August): 15 - lb.

Simon, Rita and Carey, James
l965 "The Phantom Racist: Negro Athletes, The NAACP and
Racial Discrimination at the University of Illinois."
Unpublished paper.

Stecklein, John I. and Pilapil, Bonifacio
l965 "Academic Progress of Intercollegiate Athletes."
Minneapolis: Bureau of Institutional Research, University
of Minnesota.

1970 "Academic Pragress of Intercollegiate Athletes: Two
Points in Time." Minneapolis: Bureau of Institutional
Research, University of Minnesota.
Thompson, Richard
1964 Race and Sport. London: Oxford University Press.

37

APPENDIX I
Questionnaire
Age: Year in college: Sport:
Father's occupation: Mother’s occupation:

 

What state are you from?

 

1. What position did you play in high school?

 

2. What position did you play as a freshman?

 

3. What position were you put into on the varsity?

 

4. Why do you think you were switched?

5. Why did you want to go to college (i.e. to play football, to get an
education, etc?)

6. Why did you come to Michigan State? (Versus another large school;
versus a small college; versus a black college, etc.?)

7. Do you like Michigan State? Why or why not? Are you sorry you came
here? Are you sorry you came to college?

8. What kind of grades did you get in high school?
9. What did you want to major in when you first came here?
10. What are you majoring in now?

ll. Why is there a difference? (Answer this if it applies.)

12. What kind of grades are you getting now?

13. Does the athletic department encourage you to study? If so, what

reasons do they give you. (to learn? to get by enough just to stay
eligible? etc.)

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

l9.

20.

2l.

22.

38
APPENDIX I (continued)
00 you want to get a degree?

How many terms from graduation do you estimate you will be when your
eligibility is up?

What do you want to do when your eligibility is up and/or you
graduate?

Were you ever pressured or threatened by the Athletic Department about
dating white girls? If so hoW?

Do you attend BSA meetings? Why or why not?

Does the Athletic Department pressure you about ISA or black fraternities?

Do you feel that the coaching staff discriminates because of color?
If so why? Give examples if you can-~personal, or those of other
people still at FSU or those who have left. Please go into detail
if you can.

Is there hostility, overt racism from white teammates?

Why do you play your sport? Only because you like it? To make a
lot of money in the Pro's? As a step in getting a better job? To
increase your social status with your peer groups, both white and
black, male and female? ltc. . .

l.

39

APPENDIX 11
MSU BLACK ATHLETBS' BOYCOTT, (MAY, 1968)

LIST OF GRIBVANCES
MSU is not hiring enough Negro coaches.
M50 is discouraging black students from participating in certain
sports -- especially baseball.
[GU does not employ enough blacks in jobs in Jenison Pieldhouse,
the Intramural Building, the Ticket Office and the Ice Arena.
There are no black trainers or doctors to treat all athletes.
The athletic counselor is "under undue pressure" assisting all
athletes and should have a black assistant.
Academic counseling for blacks is designed to place them in courses
where they will maintain eligibility. They are forced to take non-
academic courses rather than academic courses that will enable them
to graduate in four years.

MSU has never elected a Negro cheerleader.

40

APPENDIX III
December 9, 1969

REMRKS OE THE PRESIDENT
AT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION
AND HALL OP FAME DINNER
THE WAIDORl-ASTORIA

Mr. Chairman and Mr. Toastmaster, Your Eminence Cardinal Cooke,
all of the distinguished guests at the head tables and all of the
distinguished award winners and all of those who are here on this very
momentous occasion:

It would be momentous because of this organisation meeting to
honor the man that you have honored and I speak of others, of course,
than myself and it would be momentous too because it is the 100th year
of a very great game.

I was trying to think of something that would appropriately describe
how I feel in accepting this award. I would have to be less than candid
if I were not to say that because of the offices I have held I have
received many awards.

But I think Archibald MacLeish, in that perfectly eloquent
tribute to football, quoting Secretary of State Dean Acheson, put it
very well. Be said, "The honors you don't deserve are the ones you
are most grateful to receive."

I simply want to set the record straight with regard to my
football qualifications. This is a candid, Open Administration. We
believe in telling the truth about football and everything.

I can only say that as far as this award is concerned, that it
is certainly a small step for the National rootball Foundation and a
small step for football, but it is a giant leap for a man who never
even made the team at Whittier.

I have looked around that wall. Whittier is not up there, I
can assure you. I didn't hear the Whittier song, either, a moment ago.
In fact, only the coach from Loyola knows where Whittier is. We used
to play Loyola.

I got into a game once when we were so far behind it didn‘t
matter. I even got into one against Southern California once when
we were so far behind it didn't matter.

41

APPINDIX III (continued)

Just to tell you a little about Whittier so the record will be
straight, it is a school with very high academic standing. We had a very
remarkable coach.

Today as we pay tribute to the players, I am glad that one of
those who made the Mall of lame is a coach, Bud Wilkinson.

I pointed out in my acceptance address in Miami that one of the
men who influenced me most in my life was my coach and I think that could
be true of many public men.

My coach was an American Indian, a truly remarkable man and a
great leader. I learned more about life from him than I did about
football; but a little about football.

One of the reasons he didn't put me in was because I didn't
know the plays. There was a good reason for that. It wasn't because
I wasn't smart enough. I knew the enemy's plays. I played them all
week long. Believe me, nobody in the Southern California Conference knew
Occidental's or Pomona's plays better than I did, because I was on that
side.

I learned a lot sitting by the coach on the bench -- learned
about football and learned about life.

Incidentally, since this is a night for confession, I want to
tell you one thing about Chief Newman. He played for Southern California.
He played on their first Rose Bowl team and that first Rose Bowl team
beat Penn State in the only game Penn State ever played in the Rose Bowl.

Now, because Governor Shaffer is here and because I had an uncle
who taught at Penn State and had a very distinguished record and because
somebody suggested that some day I might want to visit the campus -- after
I have left the Presidency -- I can only say that they have a great foot-
ball team.

As a matter of fact, I was going to suggest that we have a super
college bowl after the November or January 1 games and then I thought I
was in deep enough already because look what could happen: Southern
California could beat Michigan and they would claim they were Number One;
Notre Dame might best texas and they would claim they were One; and,
of course, you never know what would happen with Penn State and Missouri.
I understand they are pretty good.

So I can only say this: I understand that Penn State certainly
is among those that should be considered for One in the United States
of America.

 

 

42
APPINDIX III (continued)

Now, could I share with you for a moment, in a somewhat serious
vein, what football means to me? I think that is what the man who
receives this award, particularly one who really doesn't deserve it
because of his football prowess, that is something he is expected to do.

First, without talking about those factors that are tremendously
important that Archibald MacLeish touched on, the character, all of the
great spirit that comes into individuals who are either participants in
the game, participate in it or watch it, I look back on football and have
many pleasant memories: I just enjoyed playing it, watching it, reading
about it over the years.

Among all of the people who have been honored tonight, let me
just say a good word about sports writers. After all, I must say
that this is not an unselfish statement, most sports writers become
political writers in the end -- "Scotty" Reston, Bob Considine, Bill
Nenry. So I am just planning for the future.

But, in any event, thinking of sports writers for the moment,
they have made football live before the days of television and even
now for many who never got to the games.

My first recollection of big-time college football was Brnie
Nevers against Notre Dame in 1925. I see Brnie Nevers here and I sat
in the stands with rather flesburgh when Southern Cal played and lost to
Notre Demo and I know the great spirit between those two schools. But I
remember that game. I remember the score. I think it was 25 to 10 or
four touchdowns to a touchdown and a field goal and I remember that
the sports writers, Bill Henry of the LmA. Times, and others, were
writing about the game, wrote about one play where Nevers went through
the line close to the goal and there was a dispute about whether he
went over and was pushed back.

I wonder whether or not, with the replays we have on television,
the game might have turned out differently if we had had television in
1925. I am not saying it would, Pather Resburgh. I have enough trouble
with Penn State. I don't want any with Notre Dame.

Then my memory goes on, just to share them with you, and interestingly
enough I remember performances by men who lost as well as who won. That
is rather natural, I am sure you can understand.

The first Rose Bowl game I saw was between one of the great Howard
Jones' teams of the early '30s and Jock Sutherland's Pitt teams. Pitt
was overmanned. They had a fine quarterback in Warren Heller; a good passer.
And Howard Jones had a team that beat them 35 to nothing.

43

APPENDIX III (continued)

But my memories of that team was not of the awesome power of
Howard Jones' team moving down with the unbalanced single wing going
down, down, down the field and scoring again and again with that
tremendous blocking, but of two very gallant Pittsburgh ends, Stedani
and Dailey.

For the first half, I remember they plowed into that awesome USC
interference and knocked it down time and time again and held the score
down. The game was lost, but I remember right to the last they were in
there fighting and that spirit stayed with me as a memory and the
years go on.

I think of another game, Southern Cal and Duke, 1938. I had
attended Duke University for law school and I remember that Duke came
there undefeated, untied, unscored upon. The score was three to nothing
going into the last few minutes of the game. So out came a fourth
string quarterback, not a third string, Doyle Nave, and be through
passes as they throw them today, one after another, to Al Kreuger, an
end from AnteIOpe Valley, Southern California scored. It was seven to
three.

I must say that I was terribly disappointed, of course, but the
woman who was to be my future wife went to Southern Cal and that is how
it all worked out. We met at that game.

The years go on and I am not going to bore you with more of my
own recollections, except to give you a feel of what football has meant
to me as a spectator, and college football particularly.

I remember some Ohio State games. I recall going to Ohio State
to a football game, and until you have been to Columbus to see an Ohio
State game -- in fact, until I went to Payetteville, Arkansas, I thought
the Columbus crowds were the most exciting. But in any event, that
year, I think it was about 1958, I went there with Senator John Bricker.
Iowa had a great team. They were a favorite over Ohio State.

They led going into the last quarter. Woody Hayes -- in those
days, it was just three yards and a cloud of dust. They didn't have
the passers. But he had a great big fullback by the name of White and
he ran him, starting at the 35 yard line of Ohio State, ten different
times over the same hole in the Iowa line, going off the left side,
until they scored, and they won the game 17 to lb.

If you think enthusiastic crowds developed in other places, you
ought to see an Ohio State crowd when they beat anybody. ‘

But in any event, on through the years, I come to more recent
_years, years that these younger man here will remember and recall with
the same seat and enthusiasm, I am sure, that I do.

44
APPENDIX III (continued)

This year, 1969, certainly of all the hundred years of football
none could be more exciting. There were never so many great teams,
never so many Saturdays when the favorite could not be sure that he was
going to come through, never so many times when a team that was behind
came on to win or tie in the last quarter.

I am referring, of course, to Southern Cal, what they did to
UCLA.

If you talk to somebody from UCLA they say it should not have
happened. So, watch out, Michigan, for SC, it could happen. I am nor
predicting now. I have had enough trouble with Penn State. I don't
want any with Michigan. Before I get through I will only have friends
in Texas and I didn't carry Texas. So let's not talk any further
about that.

But now, one serious moment. Archibald MacLeish did say what
I wish I could have written about what football means to this country,
what it means to me as an individual, what it means to me as one who
is serving a President of the United States. I can only tell you that
in the Cabinet Room there are the pictures of three men who I consider
to be great Presidents; President Eisenhower, President Woodrow Wilson,
President Theodore Roosevelt. There were other great ones, but these
three in this century, I consider to be among the great Presidents.

All of them had one thing in common. They were very different men;
Eisenhower, the great general; Theodore Roosevelt, the tremendous extrovert,
explorer, writer, one of the most talented men of our time in so many
fields; Woodrow Wilson, probably the greatest scholar who has ever
occupied the Presidency, a man with the biggest vocabulary of any
President in our history in case you want to put it down in your memory
book. A

But each of them had a passion for football. Woodrow Wilson,
when he taught at Wessley and used to talk about the spirit of football,
and later on when he was President of Princeton, he insisted on scholar-
ship, but he recognized and tried to encourage football. T. R. was
dictating a speech one day, a very important one. He got a call telling
of two of his sons participating in a prep school game which they had
won. He dropped the speech and ran shouting for joy to his wife and
said, "They won, they won."

I remember President Eisenhower talking to me after his heart attack.
a. said one of the things he hated to give up was that the doctor
said he should not listen to those football games because he got too
excited and became too involved.

 

45

APPENDIX III (continued)

What does this mean, this common interest in football of Presidents,
of leaders, of people generally? It means a competitive spirit. It
means, also, to me, the ability and the determination to be able to lose
and then come back and try again, to sit on the bench and then come
back. It means basically the character, the drive, the pride, the teamwork,
the feeling of being in a cause bigger than yourself.

All of these great factors are essential if a Nation is to
maintain character and greatness for that Nation. So, on the 100th
year of football, as we approach the 200th year of the United States,
remember that our great assets are not our military strength or our
economic wealth, but the character of our young people and I am glad that
America's young peeple produce the kind of men that we have in American
football today.

I close on a note that will tell you why I think Texas deserved
to be Number One. It was not because they scored the second touchdown,
but it was because after the first touchdown when they were ahead (behind)
lb to O, the coach sent in a play. They executed the play and they went
for two. When they went for two and the score was 18 (B) to lb, they
moved the momentum in their direction. They were not sure ts win because
Arkansas still had a lot of fight left and I remember the great drive
in those last few minutes. But Texas, by that very act, demonstrated the
qualities of a champion, the qualities to come back when they were
behind and then when they could have played it safe just to tie, they
played to win.

This allows me to tell a favorite anecdote of mine in the world
of sports. In another field, one of the great tennis players of all
time, of course -- the first really big tennis player in terms of the big
serve and the rest, in our time -- was Bill Tilden.

When he was coaching, after he completed his playing years, a
young player had won a match in a minor tournament and won it rather
well. He came off the court and expected Tilden to say something to
him in words of congratulation, and Tilden didn't.

The player said, "What is the matter, I won'it, didn't I?” Tilden
said, "Yes, you won, but playing that way you will never be a champion,
because you playeo not to lose. You didn't play to win."

That is what America needs today. What we need in the spirit of
this country and the spirit of our young people is not playing it safe
always, not being afraid of defeat -- being ready to get into the battle and
playing to win; not with the idea of destroying or defeating or hurting
anybody else, but with the idea of achieving excellence.

Because Texas demonstrated that day that they were playing to win,
they set an example worthy of being Number One in the 100th year of
college football.

Thank you.

APPENDIX IV

A STATEPEN'I' BY AN PSU BIACK ATHLETE

I think that it is totally deplorable the way
Black athletes especially, and white athletes
up here (and probably nationally) are treated.
The coaches come to recruit you and sing you
songs of the beautiful times you will have

and all the Opportunities you will get to

play. But when you have been here a while, —‘—'
you find out the songs are out of tune

and all of the jobs have just been filled up.

This is just an immoral decadent system
which literally destroys dudes beliefs in
himself and mankind. So many times I have
heard how football builds moral courage and
all that stuff but as far as I can see it has
too often built inferiority complexes and
savage unthinking robots out to brutalise
and hurt people. Some one should rename
Jenison the Halls of SchizOphrenia. There
is no doubt that many a beautiful soul has
been crushed around here.

Seemingly, without any kind of afterthought
or regret, these Omnipotent Administrators
destroy dream after dream, life after life.
Probably enough tears have been shed by "big
grown men" to flood the Red Cedar. But let
it be known that one day the Serpent of
Justice shall raise its head and devour all
of the greedy crooked pigs (better known

as football coaches) who stand in its way.

LIBRARY

Michigan State
University

 

 

"iiiiii'ifliiiii'iii