DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa football boycott suspension newspaper articles, 1969 | 1969-03-29 Daily Iowan Article: "Virtual Silence From Field House On Black Charges"

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University of Iowa football boycott suspension newspaper articles, 1969

1969-03-29 Daily Iowan Article: "Virtual Silence From Field House On Black Charges"

DI March 29, 1969

Virtual silence prevailed in the University athletic department Friday over a statement issued Thursday by the president of the Afro-American Student Association concerning an "intolerable situation" here for black athletes.
With the exception of track coach F. X. Cretzmeyer, athletic directors and head coaches were out of town and unavailable for comment.
"I really don't know enough about the situation to comment," Cretzmeyer said. "However, if one of the demands is that white coaches are not entering as many black athletes as they could in events, I really don't think that is true. Coaches always play their best men."
Both Ray Nagel, coach of the football team, and Frank Gilliam, assistant football coach were out of town on recruiting trips. However, Ted Lawrence, also an assistant football coach, said that he thought that any demands the black athletes may have made were unfounded.
In a written statement Thursday, Jerry Stevens, A3, Denver, head of the Afro-Americans, said that demands made to the athletics department last spring had not been satisfactorily met. He declined to spell out what the demands were, however.
Lawrence said he thought that any statements inferring that white coaches were discriminating against black athletes were "ridiculous."
"Coaches always play who's best," Lawrence said. "If we had 22 black athletes who were qualified to play the squad positions we'd play all of them. A player could be Sirhan Sirhan's brother and we'd still play him."
Head basketball coach Ralph Miller was out of town. Richard Schultz, assistant basketball coach, said that how team members were chosen depended on who was evaluating the players.
"I'm sure there are some white players who think they are better than some of the black players who start," he said. "It all depends on the head coach's evaluation of the players."
"It's the general philosophy of all coaches to play whomever they think is best," he said. "There's no discrimination between black and white players. This was proven when Texas Western won the NCAA championship several years ago with an all black squad."

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DI March 29, 1969 Virtual silence prevailed in the University athletic department Friday over a statement issued Thursday by the president of the Afro-American Student Association concerning an "intolerable situation" here for black athletes. With the exception of track coach F. X. Cretzmeyer, athletic directors and head coaches were out of town and unavailable for comment. "I really don't know enough about the situation to comment," Cretzmeyer said. "However, if one of the demands is that white coaches are not entering as many black athletes as they could in events, I really don't think that is true. Coaches always play their best men." Both Ray Nagel, coach of the football team, and Frank Gilliam, assistant football coach were out of town on recruiting trips. However, Ted Lawrence, also an assistant football coach, said that he thought that any demands the black athletes may have made were unfounded. In a written statement Thursday, Jerry Stevens, A3, Denver, head of the Afro-Americans, said that demands made to the athletics department last spring had not been satisfactorily met. He declined to spell out what the demands were, however. Lawrence said he thought that any statements inferring that white coaches were discriminating against black athletes were "ridiculous." "Coaches always play who's best," Lawrence said. "If we had 22 black athletes who were qualified to play the squad positions we'd play all of them. A player could be Sirhan Sirhan's brother and we'd still play him." Head basketball coach Ralph Miller was out of town. Richard Schultz, assistant basketball coach, said that how team members were chosen depended on who was evaluating the players. "I'm sure there are some white players who think they are better than some of the black players who start," he said. "It all depends on the head coach's evaluation of the players." "It's the general philosophy of all coaches to play whomever they think is best," he said. "There's no discrimination between black and white players. This was proven when Texas Western won the NCAA championship several years ago with an all black squad."