Breaking the color barrier - David Lattin & the Austin Toros It was a couple of weeks ago that I went to an Austin Toros game, it was a special night to go, as they were paying tribute to David Lattin, the center on the Texas Western basketball team that won the national championship over a Pat Riley led Kentucky squad. What made it unique was that it broke the color barrier. Texas Western's starters in the national championship game were all black men. At that time that was a taboo thing in sports. There is a good movie out called Glory Road which shows a lot of what these young men - no more like heroes really - went through playing basketball in the south in a time when racism was still prevelant. Well, I have been a season ticket holder of the Toros all year, and have met some cool people, but to my surprise, David was sitting RIGHT next to me the WHOLE game. I got the chance to talk to him about his experiences, basketball, and what it was like playing ball under such racist conditions. He was unbelivably gracious and we were laughing and joking all game long (kind of made my wife roll her eyes a bit - she does that a lot being married to me). Here are a couple of pics of me and David, I am the short fat white guy. It was one of the best times of my life, speaking to a man who truly accomplished miracles, and lived through some amazing times, and he was such a cool guy to talk to, we had a great little conversation about the importance of centers with Today's rules, he loves Yao Ming by the way. A night to remember for sure, and a man to truly look up to ..... Oh, here is the guy I sit next to most of the year ! I am the guy sitting behind the bench telling Dennis Johnson how he needs to run the team.....smartly, he rarely listens. As for a recap, the Toros are playing some very good ball, and I think Marcus Fizer is already better than Juwan and Stromile and I can't believe he is not in the NBA, he is HUGE, and a good flopper, but the Toros best player IMHO, is Ezra Williams, he has the best jump shot I have seen outside of Ray Allen, pure money. He would kill off of Yao and Tracy's passes. Anyway....a great night meeting a true legend ! Just wanted to share. DD
That frickin' rocks. Great photos and great experience. BTW, what is Otis Thorpe doing there? Does he live in Austin or does he do scouting/coaching work?
I have never asked him that, but he is at almost all of the games, and we sit a seat or 2 away from each other. I got to sit next to Rudy T in the opening game, and he was cool, didn't have my camera then. Also sit next to Big Daddy, the local rap DJ, he is danged funny. Otis is real quiet, but he like Marcus Fizer a lot and we talk about Scott Merrit and how he has all the tools, just not the attitude. I have not gotten up the nerve to ask him what it felt like to be traded for Drexler....probably never will. It is neat going to these games, if you are ever in town, let me know, I have 6 tickets, 2 right behind the home teams bench. DD
One more thing, it might be fun for some of us Austinites to take in a Toros game, I will share my tickets with any Clutch fans member, just ask. I have missed several games where the tickets went unused. DD
Gonna bump this back up instead of opening a new one. Tonight, I met Robert Reid, and Maurice Lucas....Robert Reid was VERY cool and he told my oldest son that NBA players come and go, but FATHERS are forever....class act. He was rooting for the Forth Worth team, as he is mentoring Keith Langford.... The Toros best player Marcus Fizer was called up this week, and the team is significantly hindered now. The whole offense ran through Fizer, and now they don't have a single low post player on their roster...well....low post QUALITY player. Fizer got called up by the New Orleans Hornets, and I don't expect him back....he was averaging 37ppg in the last 4 and was playing a lot like he did at Iowa State...if he plays with that much energy he could easily play big minutes in the NBA. DD
He is new to the team, who is he? I was out the last 3 games on biz and did not even recognize him. DD
He played for UTEP the past two years and is an amazing scorer. He's the Juco career scoring leader and averaged over 20ppg for the Miners last year. OT has an incredible mid-range game and uses the glass better than anyone I've ever seen. He's also an outstanding free throw shooter. His lack of size, though, is keeping him out of the NBA. It looks like he's trying to work on his outside game some, from what I've seen of his stats. So hopefully once he starts knocking down threes on a regular basis some team will give him a shot...
DaDakota, I emailed ya a while back about tickets, not sure if ya ever got it, do you happen to have any tickets for the final game , this Thurs 4/6,that will go unused? I'd be very interested, lmk. Thanks, C Son
I might, I have already offered them to my neighbors, but they have not said yes or no yet. I never got your email, that I am aware of....probably got tossed into my junk email folder. DD
My Dad had classes with David Lattin at Texas Western/UTEP. I think my Dad said he's the guy that used to park his huge Buick on the sidewalk in front of whatever building he was going to for class. Of course nobody messed with or towed his car.
Hey DaDa (or anybody who has been): I'm thinkin' of getting one of the Flex books/semi-season tickets things for the Toros games: Is it worth it? Would it be easy enough to enjoy 6/7 games a year ? Have ya been lately? What I hear is that the play is decent. Oh and parking, is it in the Center's garage? thanks for the help.
My dad mentioned that while it was an amazing color breaking story for most of the country, in El Paso, where racism actually wasn't that prevelant, most people didn't really care about it. He said, for whatever reason, there wasn't a lot of overt racism in the El Paso area when he grew up there, and there wasn't really much segregation when he grew up there.
Wow, seeing this thread again brought back cool memories. I gave up my Toros tickets because the Spurs bought them, and I am a Rockets fan. I got to meet a lot of neat people there though. Elvin Hayes OT Robert Reid Rudy T Johnny Moore Dennis Johnson - RIP And so many more.....sitting next to ex-NBA ballers and talking hoops.....was a blast...... DD
El Paso has always been a really diverse city, with the high hispanic population and the military bringing in people of all races. Also, UTEP (Texas Western) sports had already been de-segregated for ten years (unlike what the movie shows), becoming the first southern university to allow black athletes to play varsity sports back in 1956. http://utepathletics.cstv.com/genrel/102308aac.html Charlie Brown, Men's Basketball (1956-59) The first African American to compete in a major sport at a major university in the south, Charlie Brown enjoyed a stellar career with the Texas Western College men's basketball team from 1956-59. By the time his career was over, Brown would be known for much more than being a social pioneer. Brown tallied 1,170 points in only 67 games and earned placement to the All-Borderland Conference squad on three occasions. The all-around talent averaged 17.5 points and 8.6 rebounds from 1956-59, while helping TWC compile a combined record of 43-27 in that timeframe. Brown was a NABC All-District Second-Team Selection in 1959.
