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Editorial
April 8, 1950
The Ohio Daily Express
Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio
What is this article about?
Luiz Virgil Overbea questions the exclusion of Negro college teams from major basketball tournaments like NCAA and NIT, citing St. Elizabeth's high school success. He reluctantly proposes a separate Negro college tournament to select a champion eligible for invitation, to counter claims of no outstanding Negro teams.
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Boost Negro Teams For Big College Tournaments
By Luiz Virgil Overbea
While watching the CCNY- Bradley basketball game for the NCAA title I wondered to myself- why aren't there any Negro teams ever included in these championship meets- White teams from the South participate in the NCAA and NIT meets, why not a southern Negro school from time to time?
Many Negro sports writers have posed these same propositions before. but so far no one has come up with an answer.
This past week an answer came to mind because of high school basketball team.
Last week St. Elizabeth returned to Chicago fresh from their second straight triumph as the national Negro high school champions. If ever such a thing as a national American high school championship ever made up a Negro team can easily be suggested because one will have won its right to claim the right to play.
Among colored colleges no such situation exists. Many of these schools are members of the National Collegiate Athletic association, thereby they are eligible for the NCAA meet. A tournament among these colleges could be held to determine the national Negro team champion. This team could seek an invitation to one of the major tournaments with some possibility of actually being called to action.
Frankly, this writer does not like the idea of a jimcrow Negro tournament, but at this time sees it as the only legitimate means of getting a colored school even to be considered for one of the big tournaments. As sure as a meet would select a school by any other methods howls from all over would say the "best" team was not especially if the team lost early by a lopsided score.
At the same time it would prevent any team selecting committee from saying there are no outstanding Negro teams. Everybody would be ready to stand behind one national championship Negro team.
Maybe the college legal eagles who know the score behind the score can unravel this maze and come out with a workable scheme by which a top Negro team, if qualified, could make one of the big tournaments.
By Luiz Virgil Overbea
While watching the CCNY- Bradley basketball game for the NCAA title I wondered to myself- why aren't there any Negro teams ever included in these championship meets- White teams from the South participate in the NCAA and NIT meets, why not a southern Negro school from time to time?
Many Negro sports writers have posed these same propositions before. but so far no one has come up with an answer.
This past week an answer came to mind because of high school basketball team.
Last week St. Elizabeth returned to Chicago fresh from their second straight triumph as the national Negro high school champions. If ever such a thing as a national American high school championship ever made up a Negro team can easily be suggested because one will have won its right to claim the right to play.
Among colored colleges no such situation exists. Many of these schools are members of the National Collegiate Athletic association, thereby they are eligible for the NCAA meet. A tournament among these colleges could be held to determine the national Negro team champion. This team could seek an invitation to one of the major tournaments with some possibility of actually being called to action.
Frankly, this writer does not like the idea of a jimcrow Negro tournament, but at this time sees it as the only legitimate means of getting a colored school even to be considered for one of the big tournaments. As sure as a meet would select a school by any other methods howls from all over would say the "best" team was not especially if the team lost early by a lopsided score.
At the same time it would prevent any team selecting committee from saying there are no outstanding Negro teams. Everybody would be ready to stand behind one national championship Negro team.
Maybe the college legal eagles who know the score behind the score can unravel this maze and come out with a workable scheme by which a top Negro team, if qualified, could make one of the big tournaments.
What sub-type of article is it?
Social Reform
Slavery Abolition
What keywords are associated?
Negro Teams
College Basketball
Ncaa Tournament
Racial Exclusion
Separate Tournament
Sports Integration
What entities or persons were involved?
Ncaa
Nit
St. Elizabeth
Colored Colleges
Negro Sports Writers
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Inclusion Of Negro Teams In Major College Basketball Tournaments
Stance / Tone
Advocacy For Participation With Reluctant Support For Separate Tournament
Key Figures
Ncaa
Nit
St. Elizabeth
Colored Colleges
Negro Sports Writers
Key Arguments
No Negro College Teams In Major Tournaments Despite Southern White Teams' Participation
St. Elizabeth's Success Shows Negro Teams Can Compete At High Levels
Propose Negro College Tournament To Select National Champion
Separate Tournament Avoids Bias Claims If Team Underperforms
Prevents Denial Of Outstanding Negro Teams
Seeks Legal Solutions For Qualified Negro Teams' Inclusion