SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 424
In Memory
of
Willie Cager
WHEREAS, Residents of El Paso are mourning the loss of
Willie Cager, a beloved member of the historic Texas Western
University basketball team that won the 1966 national
championship, who passed away on March 19, 2023, at the age of
80; and
WHEREAS, William Cager Jr. was born in the Bronx in New
York City on August 24, 1942; his playing career as a member of
the Texas Western basketball team began in 1964, and the
following year, he was part of the legendary Miners team that
became the first to win the NCAA title with five African American
players in the starting lineup; the team's 72-65 victory in the
championship game over an all-White squad from the University of
Kentucky is widely regarded as a key turning point in the racial
integration of the sport throughout the U.S., helping to usher in
a new era of collegiate athletics; the win capped an amazing
season for the Miners, who dropped just one contest on their way
to the title; four decades later, the story was made into a major
motion picture, Glory Road, and the team was inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007; and
WHEREAS, A skilled low-post player nicknamed "Scoops,"
Mr. Cager was sidelined part way through the championship season
because of a heart murmur; though he returned to action, Texas
Western head coach Don Haskins was only able to play him in short
stints; he started the championship game and made an important
contribution, scoring eight points, grabbing six rebounds, and
making six of his seven free throws; he ultimately appeared in 77
contests for the Miners, averaging 8.5 points and 5.3 rebounds
for his career; he was selected by the Baltimore Bullets in the
1968 NBA Draft, though he never played professionally; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Cager made El Paso his permanent home, and he
became a notable figure in the community; he served as the
coordinator of the Ysleta Independent School District's
after-school basketball program and launched the Willie Cager
Foundation to raise money to build multipurpose athletic and
academic complexes for area youth; in 2017, he ran for mayor of El
Paso; throughout his life, he was a ubiquitous presence at Miners
home games, and in March of 2022, the Miner Athletic Club
launched an endowed basketball scholarship in his honor; he is
survived by his children, Kareem, Kenya, and Kendeea; and
WHEREAS, Renowned for his clutch play on the hardwood and
his enduring contributions to his adopted hometown, Willie Cager
etched his name in the history of college basketball, and his
legacy will resonate in the El Paso area for years to come; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th
Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the memory of Willie Cager and
extend heartfelt sympathy to his relatives and many friends; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas Senate adjourns
this day, it do so in memory of Willie Cager.
Blanco
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 17, 2023, by a
rising vote.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate