Abner Haynes Presentation

[UNT 90 Grad]

For those that missed it:

 

[bstnsportsfan3]

This must have been at halftime because I missed it live. Thanks for posting

[MeanGreenTexan]

Did anyone know this was coming?    I was totally floored when it happened.    So glad to see him get that honor.   I know we here at GMG.com have been waiting for this man to get the recognition he deserves around here.    Here's to hoping we see him around much more!

[letsgiveacheer]

Really nice. Congratulations, sir.

 

[the green rokemi]

Really wonderful presentation, proud of the MGN response. Basically a standing ovation the whole time he was out there.  It really seemed to touch him. I definitely found it moving

[Graddean]

Abner finished the year before I came to NTSC.  I remember watching him in the old AFL with the Dallas Texans at the Cotton Bowl.  He was outstanding.

[tmjerm]

Absolutely beautiful!  And as many have said we need to make sure we use it as a recruiting advantage that we broke the color barrier.  Proud to be Mean Green! 

[UNTLifer]

If anyone deserved to take a knee during a national anthem it was Abner Haynes.  But, he chose to carry himself with honor and integrity then and now.  So well deserved.

[FirefightnRick]

The kiddos and I got to visit with him the morning he was honored at the Star Telegram's 100 Most Memorable Moments in North Texas Football History during the Fort Worth Stock Show several years ago and he was gracious enough to take some pics and autograph my Dodge era helmet.  It was one of my most memorable times as a Mean Green fan.

 

Rick

 

Edited September 27, 2017 by FirefightnRick

[SilverEagle]

He is still in the Kansas City Record books......

YARDS GAINED Most Combined Yards, Career (All 7,500+)

 12,356 Dante Hall 2000-06
 10,963 Tony Gonzalez 1997-08

8,447 Abner Haynes 1960-65 

Priest Holmes 2001-07 8,343

Ed Podolak 1969-77 7,677 Carlos Carson 1980-89

 

Yards Per Touch Average, RB, Career (350 touches)

 

6.60 Abner Haynes (993-6,553) 1960-64

5.89 Kimble Anders (864-5,890) 1991-00

5.53 Curtis McClinton (916-5,069) 1962-69

5.48 Tony Reed (651-3,566) 1977-80

 

Yards Per Touch Average, RB, Season (200 touches)

6.9 Abner Haynes (211-1,451) 1960

6.6 Abner Haynes (213-1,399) 1961

6.2 Abner Haynes (260-1,622) 1962 6.0

Tony Reed (254-1,536) 1978 

Priest Holmes (383-2,287) 2002

 

He was at a spring event a couple of years ago and I didn't have anything but my green NT shirt to write on. He was glad to sign my shirt.

Great guy and great representative for the University.

 

 

Edited September 27, 2017 by SilverEagle

[KRAM1]

Best acknowledgement ever and LONG overdue. I have such respect for that man. I was so happy to see this take place that I was getting a bit misty-eyed as well.  This man was a ground-breaking student-athlete during a time when it took real courage. One of the best to ever don a college uniform..or a pro one for that matter.

Without Abner, there probably would have been no Mean Joe  at UNT. 

They guy is a champion in so many ways. About time UNT started recognizing Abner like they do (and should) Mean Joe.

How this came about...Wren, Smatresk, etc. "Well Done" and thank you. Very moving moment.

[SilverEagle]

1 hour ago, KRAM1 said:

Best acknowledgement ever and LONG overdue. I have such respect for that man. I was so happy to see this take place that I was getting a bit misty-eyed as well.  This man was a ground-breaking student-athlete during a time when it took real courage. One of the best to ever don a college uniform..or a pro one for that matter.

Without Abner, there probably would have been no Mean Joe  at UNT. 

They guy is a champion in so many ways. About time UNT started recognizing Abner like they do (and should) Mean Joe.

How this came about...Wren, Smatresk, etc. "Well Done" and thank you. Very moving moment.

Well said.......;-)

[TIgreen01]

Hands down one of the coolest moments I've experienced at UNT.  God bless whoever put that together for him.

[BTG_Fan1]

Touching moment when he wiped the tear from his face during the video...

Sidenote, I thought it was very cool for this to be done, I know its doubtful but wish they woulda showed some of his highlights. Also, hopefully the recruits got to see this and looked more into UNT and the parents of the recruits remember Haynes as well. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

1 minute ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

Touching moment when he wiped the tear from his face during the video...

Sidenote, I thought it was very cool for this to be done, I know its doubtful but wish they woulda showed some of his highlights. Also, hopefully the recruits got to see this and looked more into UNT and the parents of the recruits remember Haynes as well. 

Haynes was playing football in the 1950's & 60's.   Much more likely these kids' GRANDPARENTS/GREAT-Grandparents remember him instead of their parents.  These recruits (born circa 2000) parents were likely watching Tony Dorsett, Walter Payton & Marcus Allen running the ball instead of Abner Haynes.

[BTG_Fan1]

Just now, MeanGreenTexan said:

Haynes was playing football in the 1950's & 60's.   Much more likely these kids' GRANDPARENTS/GREAT-Grandparents remember him instead of their parents.  These recruits (born circa 2000) parents were likely watching Tony Dorsett, Walter Payton & Marcus Allen running the ball instead of Abner Haynes.

True and my bad, I was thinking he was late 60s & 70s..

[UNTLifer]

3 hours ago, KRAM1 said:

Best acknowledgement ever and LONG overdue. I have such respect for that man. I was so happy to see this take place that I was getting a bit misty-eyed as well.  This man was a ground-breaking student-athlete during a time when it took real courage. One of the best to ever don a college uniform..or a pro one for that matter.

Without Abner, there probably would have been no Mean Joe  at UNT. 

They guy is a champion in so many ways. About time UNT started recognizing Abner like they do (and should) Mean Joe.

How this came about...Wren, Smatresk, etc. "Well Done" and thank you. Very moving moment.

Very well said.

I would also love to see the university honor Leon King.  Although he wasn't as successful or a household name like Mr. Haynes, Mr. King put up with the same crap that Abner Haynes did when they both broke the color barrier.  They both handled a very tough situation with dignity and class and Mr. King also deserves recognition.

[KRAM1]

1 hour ago, UNTLifer said:

Very well said.

I would also love to see the university honor Leon King.  Although he wasn't as successful or a household name like Mr. Haynes, Mr. King put up with the same crap that Abner Haynes did when they both broke the color barrier.  They both handled a very tough situation with dignity and class and Mr. King also deserves recognition.

Agree ... it was King as well. And, the Alumni Association has given Mr King a well deserved recognition award.  He does, deserve something from the larger University as well. He darn sure earned it!

[greenjoe]

North Texas broke the color barrier with Abner Haynes and Leon King 10 years before Jerry Levias did at SMU.  However, SMU is generally given credit for being the first major college at least in the southwest to break the color barrier.  Former Coach Ken Bahnsen recruited Haynes and King along with Head Coach Odus Mitchell.

 

Hats off to all these brave men.

GO MEAN GREEN