H400 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 28, 2006 supporters of that. We think this is a Whereas the 1966 Texas Western team of alongside their fellow white soldiers. way to do it. Bobby Joe Hill (Detroit, Michigan), Orsten Blacks were not, however, playing bas- I want to congratulate my good Artis (Gary, Indiana), Togo Railey (El Paso, ketball at many schools in the South, Texas), Willie Worsley (New York, New friend, Mr. ROGERS. And when we intro- where de facto segregation still York), David Palacio (El Paso, Texas), Dick duced this resolution, a stream of my Myers (Peabody, Kansas), Harry Flournoy reigned. colleagues came immediately to sup- (Gary, Indiana), Louis Baudoin (Albu- For Don Haskins, coach of the Texas port the resolution. querque, New Mexico), Nevil Shed (New Western Miners men’s basketball team, I thank Speaker HASTERT for joining York, New York), Jerry Armstrong a person’s race did not matter. To him us at the press conference where this (Eagleville, Missouri), Willie Cager (New ability on the basketball court was rolled out. And I thank the leader- York, New York), and David ‘‘Big Daddy’’ mattered more than the color of the ship on both sides of the aisle for expe- Lattin (Houston, Texas) finished the basket- player’s skin. To Coach Haskins, the diting this resolution to the floor of ball season 28–1; only thing that really mattered was Whereas on March 19, 1966, Coach Don the House. Haskins’ all-black starting line-up, the first winning. This was the philosophy Coach b 1500 such line-up to ever appear in a major cham- pionship contest, defeated the heavily-fa- Haskins used on the night of March 19, It does not cost us any money. All we vored University of Kentucky to win the 1966. That night the Texas Western are doing is congratulating, encour- NCAA Basketball Championship, an event Miners made history by defeating the aging private enterprise to be more di- defined by many as the ‘‘Brown v. Board of number-one-ranked, all-white Univer- verse in their customer base, in their Education of athletics’’; sity of Kentucky Wildcats for the employment base, in their opportuni- Whereas the Miners’ victory accelerated NCAA basketball championship, a ties that are extended to all Ameri- the pace of racial integration in college ath- game of historical significance because letics and contributed to the expansion of cans. That is what this is all about. It no other college team at the time had deserves our unqualified support, and I the civil rights movement into the realm of sports; ever started five black players in a encourage my colleagues to support it Whereas when recounting his historic im- major championship contest. In fact, without even thinking about it a sec- pact on diversity in college sports, Don when Texas Western defeated Ken- ond time. Haskins said, ‘‘I just played my best guys, tucky 72–65, a game still celebrated as Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I like any coach would do.’’; and one of the biggest college basketball have no further requests for time, and Whereas over the course of his career Don upsets in NCAA history, there were no I yield back the balance of my time. Haskins also coached the Miners to 32 win- black basketball players in the South- ning seasons, seven Western Athletic Con- Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I have no eastern or Atlantic Coast Conferences. further requests for time, and I yield ference championships, four Western Ath- letic Conference tournament titles, and 21 This remarkable triumph helped shift back the balance of my time. post-season appearances, creating a proud the national perception of black ath- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. tradition of college basketball success and letes and helped bring about the wide- CONAWAY). The question is on the mo- community spirit in El Paso that persists to spread desegregation of college sports. tion offered by the gentleman from this day and winning entry into the In turn, the desegregation of college Florida (Mr. KELLER) that the House Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame sports helped to spread greater equal- suspend the rules and agree to the reso- in 1997: Now, therefore, be it ity throughout American society. Resolved, That the House of Representa- lution, H. Res. 677. Mr. Speaker, the man behind Texas The question was taken; and (two- tives celebrates the 40th anniversary of Texas Western’s 1966 NCAA Basketball Western’s success is Don Haskins. His thirds having voted in favor thereof) Championship and recognizes the 38-year reign at Texas Western, now the rules were suspended and the reso- groundbreaking impact of the title game vic- the University of Texas El Paso, al- lution was agreed to. tory on diversity in sports and civil rights in lowed him to become one of the A motion to reconsider was laid on America. winningest coaches in NCAA history. the table. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- He amassed a 719–354 record, 32 winning f ant to the rule, the gentleman from seasons, seven Western Athletic Con- CELEBRATING THE 40TH ANNIVER- Florida (Mr. KELLER) and the gen- ference Championships, four Western SARY OF TEXAS WESTERN’S 1966 tleman from Texas (Mr. HINOJOSA) each Athletic Tournament titles, and 21 NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPION- will control 20 minutes. post-season appearances. In 1997, Coach SHIP The Chair recognizes the gentleman Haskins was inducted into the from Florida. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to GENERAL LEAVE Fame. He retired from coaching in 1999. suspend the rules and agree to the reso- Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask Coach Don Haskins is truly a living lution (H. Res. 668) celebrating the 40th unanimous consent that all Members legend in college sports. He believed anniversary of Texas Western’s 1966 may have 5 legislative days within that as a coach he should recruit the NCAA Basketball Championship and which to revise and extend their re- best raw talent he could find no matter recognizing the groundbreaking impact marks on H. Res. 668. the player’s race, background, or life of the title game victory on diversity The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there story. If not for the colorblind dream of in sports and civil rights in America, objection to the request of the gen- Coach Haskins to win basketball games as amended. tleman from Florida? with his team’s most talented players, The Clerk read as follows: There was no objection. history may not have been made on the H. RES. 668 Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield night of March 19, 1966. Whereas Don Haskins was a high school myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank my colleague from basketball star at Enid High School in Enid, It gives me great pleasure to rise in Texas (Mr. REYES) for introducing this Oklahoma, a college standout at Oklahoma support of House Resolution 668, which legislation and bringing forth a lesser A&M (now Oklahoma State) under his men- celebrates the 40th anniversary of known, yet significant, piece of history tor, Coach Hank Iba, and a successful Texas high school basketball coach, amassing a Texas Western’s 1966 NCAA basketball in college athletics. I am happy to join 157–41 win-loss record coaching Benjamin, championship and recognize the my colleagues in celebrating the 40th Hedley, and Dumas High Schools; groundbreaking impact of the title anniversary of Texas Western’s 1966 Whereas in 1961 Don Haskins became the game victory on diversity in sports and NCAA basketball championship. I ask coach of the men’s basketball team at Texas civil rights in America. my colleagues to support this resolu- Western College, which was later renamed Texas Western’s victory occurred 40 tion. the University of Texas at El Paso; years ago, 1966, during the midst of the Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of Whereas early in the 1965–1966 basketball civil rights movement to end discrimi- my time. season Don Haskins told Texas Western nation against blacks. The 1954 Brown president Joseph Ray, ‘‘The way our boys Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield line up now, my six best boys are black. If I v. Board of Education decision and the myself such time as I may consume. leave two or three of them out because Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed insti- Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise they’re black, they’ll know it. [And] the tutional racial segregation. In Viet- in support of H. Res. 668, a resolution white boys will know it.’’; nam, blacks were fighting and dying to celebrate the 40th anniversary of VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:31 Nov 18, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORDCX\T37X$J0E\H28FE6.REC H28FE6 ccoleman on PROD1PC71 with CONG-REC-ONLINE February 28, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H401 Texas Western’s 1966 NCAA basketball Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield ground, I found extraordinary signifi- championship. 61⁄2 minutes to my friend and colleague cance in that 1966 game. I am proud to join my colleague and from El Paso, Texas (Mr. REYES), the b 1515 very good friend, the resolution’s au- author of this legislation. thor, Congressman SILVESTRE REYES Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my I was a Texas Western student during from El Paso, in commemorating the colleague from Texas and also the gen- the fall semester of 1965 and had an op- 40th anniversary of this watershed tleman from Florida for allowing us portunity to see these great players event in our struggle for racial equal- the time to speak here on this very im- play.