How it started in the SEC

[Colonel_Reb]

The beginning of the caste system in the SEC, and to a certain extent, the rest of the country began in 1970 at the University of Alabama. Yes, that's right, Paul (The Bear) Bryant, was behind it. First, before you old time Bear fans get mad, let me set the context and give the reasons why this happening caused so much change before I tell the story. Paul Bryant was a man of unreal importance and respect. People throughout the South and to some degree the whole country thought what he said carried a ton of weight. It was said that in the 60's, the only man who had more power in Alabama was George Wallace.
In the late 60's Alabama was in somewhat of a slump, and were not contending for the SEC or national titles as they had been earlier in the decade. By 1968, all the major conferences were integrated, even the SEC, which was opened by Vanderbilt in 1966. Even so, few other Deep South teams wanted or felt that they needed blacks to win. As late as January 1, 1970, all-white Texas defeated integrated Oklahoma for the national title. Tennessee won the 1969 SEC championship with an all-white roster. Indeed, LSU won the 1970 title without having a black on the team.
Alabama was loosing the best players to other teams. The powerhouses of the conference were able to recruit successfully against the Bear. He begin to hear talk of losing his job if something didn't happen.
What happened to change the course of SEC football forever was the 1970 Alabama-USC game in Tuscaloosa. USC had a star black RB who was able to run through the inept Bama defense as much as several others white RB did in that season in which UA finished 6-5, 3-4 in the SEC and tied an integrated Oklahoma team in the Bluebonnet Bowl. For some reason, Bryant, who was known for his harshness to his players, got the black RB in their locker-room and told his team that he was what a real football player looked like. Needless to say, the rest is history.
Bryant's decree was seen as an acceptance of the black athlete by him, and most SEC coaches followed him by recruiting blacks the following year. An interesting side-note is that Mississippi State University almost had a black player in 1970, but he backed out at the last minute. However, Bear Bryant's endorsement of blacks was different in that he had the power to affect real change, and he did. The last all-white SEC team were the 1972 LSU Tigers.
Thus began the rise of the black athlete in the SEC and the beginning of the Caste System that favors blacks over whites almost exclusively.

 

[bjan]

Great Post!!!!

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Thanks bjan.

 

[sport historian]

Colonel Reb, I was an SEC (Tennessee Vols) fan during the period. Tennessee had two black starters when they won the SEC in 1969. They were Lester McClain (a fair player) at WR and Jackie Walker at LB. Walker was an amazing player at about 185 pounds. He set an NCAA record by returning 5 interceptions (two against Alabama)for TD's. You would have enjoyed it when the Vols went to Jackson to play Archie Manning-led Ole Miss in November that year. Ole Miss won 38-0 and it wasn't that close.


You're right in that most of the SEC didn't integrate when Tennessee did. Also, Tennessee's white fullback of the time, Curt Watson, ran through the Alabama defense just as Clarence Davis did in the 1970 USC-Alabama game. Bryant started recruiting blacks in large numbers in 1971-72.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

sport historian, I sure didn't know that about UT. I didn't think they had any until 71, I bow to your knowledge! I have a highlight film of the Game of The Mule you mentioned. The Bear was really a lot less than people build him up to be. He had a lot of white talent at UA except for those few years, but he definetely took the SEC into a whole new, and not better era.

 

[jaxvid]

As far as black talent making the SEC better I'm not so sure. If that was the case then Northern teams would have dominated college football since they have used black players for many years before the Southern teams. That was not the case. Many southern teams beat northern teams regularly, even during segregation. The examples of segregated teams beating all white teams is over used, certainly some black teams would beat some white teams over the years. It goes both ways. As for black running backs running through the various teams named above that is only because excellent white o-lineman were opening big holes.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

jaxvid, I said that it brought us into an era that was not better. That being the Caste System era. I used the example of all-white Texas beating integrated Oklahoma to prove your point that white teams did regularly beat teams that had blacks, and yes it worked both ways. I said exactly the same thing you did, just in a different way.

 

[jaxvid]

yes, I was not criticizing your post just clarifying for any newbies. The common wisdom is that college football sucked until blacks were recruited. But as we both pointed out that is not the case.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

That's cool jaxvid. Yep your right, most people think that the era of whites was the era of bad football. I've heard it myself. It's tough to hear for me.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I went to the bear Bryant museum a couple weeks ago, and they had pictures of all the teams he coached, from the 1940's through 1982. I looked at the number of blacks of the years after he integrated Alabama. From 0 blacks in 1970, there were 2 in 1971, 9 in 1972, 12 in 1973, and 13 in 1974.
By 1982, college football squads had become fairly big, compared with the 50's and 60's. Part of this was due to the demise of the freshmen teams in the early 70's. Anyway, Alabama had 32 blacks on the 1982 team, and 58 whites. The starting QB in 82 was black too. There was also a realistic display of miniature football figures representing either the 2004 team or the probable 2005 team. It did not specify. However, 7 starters on offense are white, 3 out of 5 special teams positions are white as usual, but the defense is all black. Just thought you Bama/Caste System fans might like to know.

 

[Don Wassall]

I can't think of any black starting quarterbacks at Alabama. Besides the '82 one, I wonder how many others there have been.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

That's a good question. I know Ole Miss had one for a while in 1983, as well as around 1990. They weren't beginning of the year starters though. They had another from 1998-2000. I'll have to check into Alabama though. Wasn't Andrew Zow a black QB at Bama in the 90's? Or was he at Georgia? I was thinking a black QB replaced Jay Barker at Bama.

 

[Don Wassall]

I just checked and Zow did play QB for Bama in the late '90s era.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

That's what I thought. I think there was another black Bama qb in the late 80's too, but I'm not sure. Further research is necessary.

 

[sport historian]

Alabama had a black QB at the start of the 1991 season (or in spring practice). He lost his job to Jay Barker who played QB as Bama won the 1992 National Title.


My Tennessee Vols had the first black QB in the SEC from 1972-74, Condredge Holloway. Holloway was from Huntsville, Alabama. Bear Bryant told him that Bama wasn't ready for a black QB at that time. Holloway appreciated Bryant being honest about it, and went to Tennessee. Holloway was spectacular at times, sometimes not so good. I saw him play several times.He had a long career in the CFL, as he was the prototype CFL-style QB.


Because Tennessee had the first SEC black QB, it has been easy to recruit them ever since, such as Tony Robinson and Tee Martin. Martinstarted for the 1998 National Championship team, sort of a poor man's Steve McNair.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Yeah, Tennessee had a game last year, or maybe in 03 where right at the end of the game, they put in all whites on offense, except for the RB. I don't know why Fulmer did this, but I guess he didn't have any white RB's to put in. It was like a blast from the past for about 3 minutes or so.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I thought I would add to this ancient thread today. Here are some pictures where you can see for yourself how the Crimson Tide integrated quickly from 71-78. In 1983, they had 35 blacks by my count, and 68 whites, so I guess I was fairly close on that earlier post. There were 28 blacks and 54 whites in 1981. Anyway, you can look at the pics yourself. I couldn't find pictures for 79, 80, or 82. I counted 54 blacks and 50 whites in the 2004 pic.

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1981

1983

2004

Edited by: Colonel_Reb

 

[Colonel_Reb]

The black QB I mentioned earlier was Walter Lewis. He played from 80-83. He played QB some for the USFL Memphis Showboats. Andrew Zow was also QB at Bama from 98-01. Those are the only two I know about and can find info on.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I think it would be interesting to see how quickly SEC teams became majority black on the field, instead of looking at the rosters alone. I know that by 1983, Ole Miss was about 50/50. They stayed that way for several years, but from 98 on it has been at least 80/20, now even more.

 

[backrow]

stark contrast between 1983 and 2004, huh...

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Actually, less of a contrast than from 70-83. Since the mid-80's, most SEC teams have gotten blacker more slowly than the first 15 years of integration. By the way, guess who is in that 1983 picture. Number 11.Edited by: Colonel_Reb

 

[whiteCB]

For any Bama' fans out there I was wondering if any of you remember a white RB Alabama had in the mid 70s by the name of Jim Ward. He was a stud RB from NE Ohio who got a full ride from Bear Bryant to come and play RB for him. Unfortunatly some black stud RB, who ended up playing for the Dolphins, took the starting job.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Guess who number 59 in the 1974 picture is.

whiteCB, I wasn't even born then, but I can tell you that he never lettered at Alabama.

Number 59 from 74 and number 11 from 83 have something in common. Who will be the first to tell what it is?

Edited by: Colonel_Reb

 

[whiteCB]

I have no idea what your trying to say Col Reb. Though if you or anyone else has some info on Bama HB Jim Ward it would be greatly appreciated. I would guess that #59 never lettered or the other guys your pointing out.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Sorry for the confusion whiteCB. My comment to you was that I don't personally remember Jim Ward because I'm too young, but I did a little research and found out that he never lettered in football at Bama. In other words, he either didn't play at all, or very little.

The question about the 2 players was to everyone. The answer is, #11 on the 1983 team is Mike Shula, Bama's current head coach, and #59 on the 1972-75 pictures is Sylvester Croom, Mississippi State's current head coach. Not only did they both play, or at least get recruited by Bear Bryant, but they were both in competition for the Alabama coaching job in 2003. Shula got the job, despite a lot of media pressure for Bama to hire the SEC's first black coach. Mississippi State decided to do that a year later when they hired Croom. I hope that clears up any confusion I caused.