The Color Orange

[Jake]

ESPN's special on Condredge Holloway tonight, the first black QB in the SEC (1972) at Tennessee. I vaguely recall his college career, but clearly remember him being a great QB in the CFL in the late 70s and early 80s.

Seeing things like "Colored Only" water fountains just amazes, and embarrasses, me. We never saw those things up here but the South was a different world I guess. My neighbors growing up were black and it was never an issue for me or them. We played together every day as kids do, and to think that stuff was going on elsewhere in the country is astounding.

Almost 40 years later we have a black President. I disagree with much of his politics, but that's another story for another forum.

 

[Jake]

Just saw Haskel Stanback and Fulton Kuykendall - haven't heard those names in years. I remember them both as Atlanta Falcons in the 70s/80s but I didn't know they played at Tennessee (RB) and UCLA (LB), respectively. They showed up in a 17-17 tie during the Condredge era.

I can't recall what I had for lunch last Tuesday but I remember football players from 35 years ago.

 

[Gatorubet]

ESPN's special on Condredge Holloway tonight, the first black QB in the SEC (1972) at Tennessee. I vaguely recall his college career, but clearly remember him being a great QB in the CFL in the late 70s and early 80s.

Seeing things like "Colored Only" water fountains just amazes, and embarrasses, me. We never saw those things up here but the South was a different world I guess. My neighbors growing up were black and it was never an issue for me or them. We played together every day as kids do, and to think that stuff was going on elsewhere in the country is astounding.

Almost 40 years later we have a black President. I disagree with much of his politics, but that's another story for another forum.

Then again, you weren't from southern....Boston. Those guys were far worse than the mouth breathers from most southern towns. They wouldn't tell you to get back to the colored part of town, they'd just kill you for walking through the wrong neighborhood if you were black.

My class at Vero Beach High School (Class of '73) was the first to graduate as an integrated class for the whole four years. Lots of riots in other parts of the state, but we did not have a lot of problems owing to the work and personalities of the Principal and the now-combined teaching staffs of the old, run down, blacks only Gifford High - and the welcoming VBHS staff.

Interesting times, to be sure.