Trailblazers like Bobby Bell integrated college football

per the Spokesman-Recorder:

“I’m from [Shelby] North Carolina. I couldn’t go to the [predominately White] schools down there,” recalled Bell. “I had to leave [home], and by me leaving and going to Minnesota, it gave me the opportunity to play in Minnesota on the same level.”

He originally wanted to play quarterback, but Warmath instead had other plans:

“Coach Warmath wanted [his] best players…on the field. If I have to change positions, I’m going to change positions. They moved me from quarterback my freshman year — I was offensive tackle and defensive end [in] my sophomore year,” said Bell.

The Gophers as a result became one of college football’s few integrated teams in the late 1950s. Stephens “was the first Black All-American quarterback,” noted Bell. “We had an all-Black backfield — Bill Munsey and Judge Dickson.

“He [Warmath] didn’t care whether you’re Black or White. We ended up Big Ten champs, national champs, and Rose Bowl champs during that period. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

http://spokesman-recorder.com/trailblazers-like-bobby-bell-integrated-college-football/

Go Gophers!!

I remember thoseguys. I was in High School, and we took one trip a year to Memorial Stadium. One game a year was dedicated to the arrival of high school teams. Great memories of great players.

Those were also the days of the Peach Sports Section from the Sunday Minneapolis Tribune.

I'm not sure how many people realize just how progressive Minnesota was over its history.

For those interested, either go to google and type in The Big Six(civil rights) or to wikipedia(where google will probably send you anyway).

Of the so called "Big Six", two of the six went to the University of Minnesota. The Wiki article also states that some spoke of the Big Four, excluding 2 people, neither of whom were our 2 contributions.


So, if you think of that, of the Big Four, 2 of the 4 were UMn grads, Whitney Young and Roy Wilkins, and the other two were Martin Luther King Jr, who has his own holiday and James Farmer.


Sorry about going on about non-sports stuff, but I am a huge fan of history, and love Gopher sports history, and over time have found things like this to be incredibly fascinating and believe that they go hand in hand. Minnesota's having produced the likes of Whitney Young and Roy Wilkins and also being one of the first public state schools to recruit blacks in football and basketball and baseball as well, doesn't seem like just a coincidence to me. And I post this kind of stuff here, because I grew up in Minnesota my whole life and was in my 30s before I ever heard of Whitney Young or Roy Wilkins and I think that is a shame.


And bringing this back around to sports, let us not forget Bobby Marshall.

Dr.Don said:

I remember thoseguys. I was in High School, and we took one trip a year to Memorial Stadium. One game a year was dedicated to the arrival of high school teams. Great memories of great players.

Those were also the days of the Peach Sports Section from the Sunday Minneapolis Tribune.

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My father was a high school football coach in the late 50s and early 60s and took his teams to watch the Gophers every season. He still has some interesting memories from watching those teams play. I grew up watching those guys play for or against the Vikings.

#1nHkyCfbBsbDncSolarDebat said:

I'm not sure how many people realize just how progressive Minnesota was over its history.
.

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yep, not every school had a Bobby Marshall playing circa 1904, but our school did.

Marshall mentioned with others in the below:

http://richardpennington.com/index....football-in-texasracial-integraton-of-college

Dr.Don said:

I remember thoseguys. I was in High School, and we took one trip a year to Memorial Stadium. One game a year was dedicated to the arrival of high school teams. Great memories of great players.

Those were also the days of the Peach Sports Section from the Sunday Minneapolis Tribune.

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Just proves you're older than me.

BTW have you had any posts deleted since yesterday?

I think this is central to the tradition of the U.

station19 said:

Just proves you're older than me.

BTW have you had any posts deleted since yesterday?

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I am curious as to how Dr.Don manages to get his posts deleted. I know this has happened to him before and that he actual once had to take a "timeout". I just have never have seen any posts from him that would warrant this, unless you include his bad jokes.

Killjoy said:

I am curious as to how Dr.Don manages to get his posts deleted. I know this has happened to him before and that he actual once had to take a "timeout". I just have never have seen any posts from him that would warrant this, unless you include his bad jokes.

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It's a matter of being there at the right time Killjoy. My reply to his post was also deleted.

My replay was: "DOCTORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR"

Dean S said:

I think this is central to the tradition of the U.

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Well, the U also has a few alumni with Presidential Medals of Freedom as well for their efforts in the civil rights movement. I think I counted at least 4 or 5.

station19 said:

It's a matter of being there at the right time Killjoy. My reply to his post was also deleted.

My replay was: "DOCTORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR"

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Thanks! I have always believed timing is everything. Again, my wasn't very good.

I missed that era by a few years,but Warmath was probably ahead of his time and a great coach.