Black*History*Month: KC Star talks about State of Texas integration which began at UNT with Abner Haynes & Leon King—Also, Lamar Hunt & more…

[PlummMeanGreen]

I believe this to be North Texas vs Cincinnati Bearcats with Mean Green star running back Abner Haynes out front. (circa, 1956)
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“The white kids from little towns all over Texas (as Abner Haynes put it) “surrounded me to make sure I got off the field … They were the ones who had my back.”   

https://amp.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article243796387.html

Edited February 9, 2022 by PlummMeanGreen

[PlummMeanGreen]

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••• Then There Was The Famous Coin Toss At Jepessen Stadium, Houston   
•••DALLAS TEXANS vs HOUSTON OILERS  1962 AFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME    
* Even the Patriots Bill Belichick chimes in on Abner’s coin toss boo-boo in the video below.                   
••• Abner told me at a Dallas Mean Green Club gathering at One Main Place many years ago that Lamar Hunt told him to do one thing with the toss & Hank Stram told him to do another. (We love ya’ anyway, Abner)! 🙂

🦅

Edited February 9, 2022 by PlummMeanGreen

[PlummMeanGreen]

I would take a wild guess that the Abner Haynes Story is unknown to most present day UNT students.  It shouldn’t be that way, though.
At last count I believe Abner to be 84 years old present day.  

I know UNT AD Wren Baker is up to his eyeballs with alligators as he feverishly is trying to raise Big Money to expand the Athletic Center (which was originally underwritten by Houstonian Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale) & as to expand it out to be an Apogee Stadium End Zone Facility; but (still) a statue of old #28 (preferably) on the Apogee student side has to be do-able even if Lamar Hunt, Jr. along with his UNT alum mother (Norma) helped in making such a statue happen.  
 

In this radio interview by a couple KC Chief’s super fans one can meet the real Abner Haynes that most of us have known for decades.  

🦅

[Graddean]

This is such an inspirational story.  The sad part is there are still people today who have not changed in their attitude.  

[DeepGreen]

Someone needs to forward all of this historical information to the SMU athletic department.  They (and probably all of the old SWC members and fans) still believe that the SMU running back (can't remember his name) was the first black running to play college football in the State of Texas.

[PlummMeanGreen]

20 minutes ago, DeepGreen said:

Someone needs to forward all of this historical information to the SMU athletic department.  They (and probably all of the old SWC members and fans) still believe that the SMU running back (can't remember his name) was the first black running to play college football in the State of Texas.

Jerry Levias. Fry recruited him from your old home area, Deep Green.  

Levias & the Baylor guy (Westbrook?) were first Blacks in the SWC—10 years after Abner Haynes & Leon King came to North Texas.  

[DeepGreen]

Yes, Jerry Levias.

I had an email pissing match with Port Arthur News Sports Writer Bob West a couple of years ago.  His comment was that Levias was the first Black player in Texas playing "major college football" (SWC).  As you would imagine, West received a pretty stern rebuttal from me!