Atlanta Daily World

Elgin Baylor Refuses To Play Protest Against Segregation

By JERRY GOULD United Press International

CHARLESTON, W. Va. - (UPI) Angered over segregation policies of a local hotel, Elgin Baylor, rookie Negro star of the Minneapolis Lakers sat on the sidelines in protest Friday night while his team lost a 95-91 decision to Cincinnati in a National Basketball Association game.

Baylor, who had been crowned in a similar seat in a Charlotte hotel north and similar incident, Bob Short threatened he would not play if he were not allowed to stay. The hotel refused to admit Baylor and two other Negro teammates, Sihugo Green and Bo Ellis. Other members of the Minneapolis team walked in and out in a show of solidarity.

The Minneapolis-Cincinnati game originally was scheduled to be played in Huntington, but was moved here on short notice so it could be played at Charleston's new Civic Center.

Although Baylor sat on the bench, three other Fleming and Ellis could play and scored six points apiece, but the Lakers suffered their eighth straight defeat.

A crowd of 2,600 braved the snow and cold to witness the game which was the first regularly scheduled NBA contest played in the Civic Center and many of the spectators were not aware of why Baylor sat out the game.

YOUTH DISAPPOINTED A little white boy caught up with Baylor as he was having the heat said he was very disappointed that the rook star had not played. "I'm disappointed myself," said the 6-foot-5 Baylor. He had been assured by Laker officials that they would not accept hotel accommodations when there were strict no-Negro policies after last month's incident in which both Earl Lloyd and Jim Pollard of the Boston Celtics were not permitted to stay at a Charlotte hotel.

NO ANIMOSITY TOWARD OWNER But Baylor said he felt no animosity toward Short the owner of the Lakers. He emphasized that in future he would have a say in where the team stayed.

They were not even pointed at half the Lakers (have) where the three Negroes could enter. They went to a place a half mile away called Rudd's Hotel. Some of the Laker players asked why they could go somewhere. "You won't find any place to eat where everyone on the team can eat," the lady at the hotel told them.

LAKERS EAT AT COLORED RESTAURANT "So we went to a colored restaurant," Baylor said, meaning the entire team. "It was not a very appealing place. We then went to a nearby store and bought some food and made some sandwiches before we went to the Civic Center."

All the Minneapolis players gave their solid support to Baylor, the second leading collegiate scorer last season. Few talked about the incident however. One of the Laker players is Hot Rod Hundley, a former West Virginia University star who played practically in his own backyard Friday night and scored 17 points. Asked what he thought about the situation, he said, "No comment."

COACH KUNDLA RETICENT Coach Johnny Kundla of the Lakers was similarly reticent. "I really don't know," he said, when asked for his comment. "You'll have to speak with Elgin." Baylor was the only rookie chosen to play in the league's annual All-Star game at Detroit next week. In New York, NBA President Maurice Podoloff called the situa-