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MichMan

(17,390 posts)
10. 1956 Tangerine Bowl - Hillsdale College
Sun May 10, 2026, 05:51 PM
May 10

Hillsdale College, yes, that Hillsdale College, one of the first colleges to have an integrated football team, went undefeated 9-0 in 1955 and was given an invite to the prestigious Tangerine Bowl in Orlando. It was going to be the first bowl appearance in school history, so a very significant accomplishment, including a coveted week in Florida in January. They were coached that year by Frank "Muddy" Waters, (who later coached at Michigan State).

The Bowl committee however informed them that they would only be allowed to compete if they left their 4 Black players behind, and after Coach Waters put it up for the team to vote, the team voted unanimously to tell the Tangerine Bowl to stick it. We’re a team, they said. Either we all play or none of us play.

https://enjoyer.com/hillsdale-was-told-to-leave-their-black-players-behind-for-their-first-bowl-game/

Recommendations

3 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Great idea malaise May 10 #1
something even Repugs could understand rurallib May 10 #2
At least 30 years too late FHRRK1 May 10 #3
In the 60s Duffy Daurgherty of MSU wasthe first Big Ten coach and major Norther school to recruit Black players from the multigraincracker May 10 #4
1956 Tangerine Bowl - Hillsdale College MichMan May 10 #10
I use to go to a lot of Division II basketball games. multigraincracker May 11 #15
Also an AU alum, but I'm afraid that won't happen misanthrope May 10 #5
Those colleges also play on a national stage and routinely are championship contenders with lots of media exposure MichMan May 10 #9
Yeah, four of twelve playoff teams were SEC. Ilsa May 10 #11
Actually 5 but only 1 of them made it to the semifinals AZProgressive May 10 #14
A Gator fan echoes agreement BeneteauBum May 10 #6
Much bigger statement and influence, IMO, if the NBA and NFL players went on strike. Sogo May 10 #7
Who is making these "calls"? Are they doing any organizing or is it just people online going "Black kids should WhiskeyGrinder May 10 #8
Why not white athletes? nt. druidity33 May 10 #12
asking younguns to give up personal glory and fame for the good of the nation is too much really nt msongs May 10 #13
The kids don't care... they're getting $$$$ stumpysbear May 11 #16
Effectiveness of this path is not without precedent Torchlight May 11 #17
And a solid beat down resulted in Alabama integrating the football team FHRRK1 May 11 #18
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