| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The year 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | dramatic triumph by the Texas Western College men's basketball team |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | in the final game of the NCAA tournament, and this milestone offers |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | a welcome opportunity to reflect on the squad's historic national |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | championship; and |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, The Miners basketball team from Texas Western |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | College, now The University of Texas at El Paso, not only thrilled |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | its many fans by claiming the title in 1966, it also achieved a |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | major breakthrough that helped usher in an era of greater equality |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | in sports; and |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Though the civil rights movement in the United |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | States had achieved a number of important goals by the mid-1960s, |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | racial discrimination and segregation still existed in many facets |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | of American life, including collegiate athletics; that became |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | starkly clear on March 19, 1966, in College Park, Maryland, when the |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | Miners matched up against the University of Kentucky in the NCAA |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | final; in that game, Texas Western became the first program to start |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | five African American players in a national championship game; |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | Kentucky, on the other hand, had a roster composed entirely of white |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | players, and its coach, Adolph Rupp, was opposed to the racial |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | integration of his team; and |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Led by head coach Don Haskins, Texas Western took an |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | early lead on its opponent and never looked back, claiming the NCAA |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | title in a 72-65 victory; in so doing, the Miners shattered the myth |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | that a multiracial team could not reach the pinnacle of success on |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | the court; moreover, they helped open the door to new opportunities |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | for African American players throughout the nation, and their |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | accomplishment would later be depicted in Glory Road, the book |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | Coach Haskins wrote about that unforgettable season, as well a film |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | adaptation of his memoir; and |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, The talented and determined players who made up the |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | 1966 Texas Western squad included Jerry Armstrong, Orsten Artis, |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | Louis Baudoin, Willie Cager, Harry Flournoy, Bobby Joe Hill, David |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | Lattin, Dick Myers, David Palacio, Togo Railey, Nevil Shed, and |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | Willie Worsley; and |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, The 1966 Texas Western basketball team played an |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | integral role in promoting the desegregation of college sports |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | while also becoming the only Texas team to date to win the NCAA |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | title in men's basketball, and that special moment in Lone Star |
|---|
| 44 | 45 | | sports history is indeed deserving of special recognition; now, |
|---|
| 45 | 46 | | therefore, be it |
|---|
| 46 | 47 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|---|
| 47 | 48 | | Legislature hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Texas |
|---|
| 48 | 49 | | Western College basketball team's victory in the NCAA national |
|---|
| 49 | 50 | | championship game; and, be it further |
|---|
| 50 | 51 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 51 | 52 | | prepared for The University of Texas at El Paso as an expression of |
|---|
| 52 | 53 | | high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |
|---|