Search the Community

So last week I was on the TRE Train and the subject of college football came up. An older gentlemen brought up the fact that he always cheered for SMU and Houston cause they were the school to first break the color barrier in college football in this region of the country/Texas. I quickly corrected him I pointed to my alma mater's logo on my jacket. This has always upset me from the moment I found out how this major part of UNT's athletic history is not well known. As a black native of Denton Texas that only found out about it after started rabidly following college football ironically after I left Denton for the Army. This speaks horribly about how UNT honors its athletic history. This is one the aspects that goes beyond just winning that even a "Liberal Arts Commuter School" student body should value. Now it is only pure speculation but I sincerely believe that big part of UNT being left out of the old "blue chip" conferences had to do with resentment of our program for breaking the barrier first in the state of Texas. To summarily dismiss it has having no negative impact in the "good ole boys" decision making rooms of college football in the 50's and 60's is quite naive. If our program suffered the consequences of doing the right thing way back then, our program should enjoy the rewards of doing the right thing all those year ago today. I hope Wren Baker does everything in his power to publicize this positive historical moment for UNT's athletic program. Anyone local that is into college football should know this history and especially natives of this area who happen be black and care about football. Coach Mitchell greatest coach in history and Abner Haynes help break the CFB color barrier. And with Abner on his way to being AFL Rookie of the Year, AFL MVP, AFL Champion, Super Bowl Champion and Kansas City Chief Hall of Fame, its sounds movie worthy to me. And the movie could focus on Coach Mitchell, his staff and the lead up their decision to break the color barrier and the success they enjoyed with Abner and Leon King on the team.