The Most Important Game Ever Played!

1966 National Champions Texas Western

As we kickoff the greatest two weeks in sports, I'm reminded of the greatest game ever played. On March 19, 1966 the University of Kentucky and Texas Western University met in the University of Maryland's Cole Field House for the national title. There was very little hype surrounding the game, in fact, that it's starting time was 10 p.m., it wasn't carried by a major network, and it was televised only on a tape-delayed basis in several American cities. Director James Gartner produced the highly successful film "Glory Road" about this historical game in 2006.

If you examine the grainy film closely, the crowd is white, so are the NCAA officials, the referees, the coaches, the cheerleaders and almost all the sportswriters on press row. High in the bleachers, Kentucky fans wave a Confederate flag as the Wildcats' five white player’s line up for the opening tip. Nothing out of the ordinary during that period of time in American history. (1)

Then five black players showed up in their orange uniforms and white Converse All-Stars, to start for Texas Western. Until that moment, at the height of the civil-rights era, no major-college team had ever started five black players in an NCAA championship game. In fact, until Texas Western coach Don Haskins did it earlier that season, no major-college team had ever started five blacks in ANY game. For the first time that night, on the edge of the Mason-Dixon Line, a major American sports championship would be contested by one team that was all-white and another whose starters were entirely black.(1)
 If you haven't seen the movie it would be well worth your time even if you're not a die hard sports fan. No.3 Texas Western beat the No. 1 ranked Kentucky Wildcats 72-65 to win the national title. After that ball game colleges and universities all over the south and for that matter, all over the country, began to recruit black players at a staggering rate.

In 1966, American cultural and sporting mythology insisted at least one white starter was necessary for success. Black athletes, prevailing wisdom implied, needed the steadying hand of a white teammate. Otherwise, games would dissolve into chaos.(1)

The game has dissolved into the chaos of run and gun and above the rim play that we all have come to enjoy. However, great defense is still the key to winning championships. Yes, that game in 1966, just one year before I was born, changed the landscape of basketball forever. We take for granted that major college teams are predominately black now.

I'm thankful that guys on the Texas Western team endured the racism of the time and pushed in the door to prove that African Americans could compete and win at the highest level. That has given way to the opportunity for other blacks to go on to college and earn degrees that for many, without sports would have been simply unattainable because of the mere cost of an education. As I look around the country at our major institutions there are so many African American athletic directors, coaches and administrators that have come up through the ranks by having the opportunity to play intercollegiate athletics.

Yes, in my opinion that was the greatest game ever played because it opened the door to greater diversity on college campuses all over this country. Schools that wanted to win were forced to recruit black players even when they resisted, but winning became more important. Isn't God good the way he'll force your hand?

Sure, we enjoy watching our kids succeed on the athletic fields of play. However, more importantly it's given them a sense of pride in who they are and what they can accomplish if they are passionate about what they're doing. Many times we just look at sports as something that's fun to play but in my opinion it's more than that. I wrote an article entitled “Why All Children Should Play Sports” that talks about the lessons that are learned through these trivial games and how sports can transform lives.

Who would have ever thought that a basketball game in 1966 would have changed the world? Well... it did and I'm thankful for it. I'm thankful to all of those people that came before me that endured the bigotry in this country and were still able to succeed. It's inspiring to know that even when the odds are stacked against you God will make a way if you would just trust and believe in him. Thanks again. Now let’s play ball!!!! Let the games begin MARCH MADNESS IS HERE!!!!!

Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Follow me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport
Excerpts were taken from "Texas Western's 1966 title left lasting legacy"(1) By Frank Fitzpatrick Special to ESPN Classic