Significance of texas westerns 1966 ncaa title not realized at first. Mar 24, 2020 the movie glory road suggested haskins tinkered with his lineup to start five black players in the championship game. The number one movie in the nation last weekend was glory road. History day documentary kentucky vs texas western 1966.
Watch the 1966 march madness classic game between texas western and kentucky. An awardwinning, studentcreated documentary about the historic 1966 ncaa championship game between kentucky and texas western. Texas western college, then a small and uknown school tucked away in the far corner of west texas, came out of nowhere to pull the biggest upset in the history of college basketball in 1966. The movie glory road suggested haskins tinkered with his lineup to start five black players in the championship game. Derek luke was cast to play bobby joe in the movie. Significance of texas westerns 1966 ncaa title not. Glory road, a disney film about the then texas western 1966 championship season, was released on january, 2006. And the wheels turned, a utep student produced documentary on the ncaa championship game of 1966 produced by cotton productions. Glory road is a 2006 american sports drama film directed by james gartner, based on a true. Texas western defeats kentucky in ncaa finals history. Just before getting the job at texas western university now texasel paso or utep, coach don haskins played by josh lucas is a girls high school basketball coach. Espn classic texas westerns 1966 title left lasting legacy. May 12, 2012 an awardwinning, studentcreated documentary about the historic 1966 ncaa championship game between kentucky and texas western. In glory road, the 2006 disney movie about texas western.
Texas western band snare drummer uncredited melissa caudle. Texas tech coach tubby smith who was kentuckys coach from 1997 through 2007, winning a national title there remembers watching the kentuckytexas western game on television. Texas westerns starting lineup of five african americans was the first allblack lineup in an ncaa title game. Mar 18, 2020 on march 19, 1966, texas western college defeats the university of kentucky in the ncaa mens college basketball final at cole field house in college park, maryland. The miners then faced cincinnati in a contest that went into overtime. It is a defensive basketball teaching film starring coach haskins and his miners that was filmed shortly after their national championship. The victory is considered one of the most important wins in sports history citation needed texas western. Western texas college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs or activities 6200 college ave, snyder, tx 79549.
This is the game that pat riley has called the emancipation. In real life, haskins not only coached girls hoops, but also football and boys basketball teams at a couple of small high schools in texas in the mid1950s. Unlike the wildcats, the miners played in the first round of the tournament, defeating oklahoma city by 15 points. Josh lucas, derek luke, austin nichols, jon voight. The portrayal of adolph rupp is insightful as are experiences that the texas western team endured as they moved through the season and won the ncaa. Its also available for the nba, football, hockey and baseball. Texas western and its allblack starting five had shocked adolph rupps allwhite kentucky team and won the national title. In 1965, the coach of the high school girl basketball team don haskins is invited by the texas western miners to be their coach. Despite the lack of budget, haskins sees the chance to dispute the. Fifty years later, kentucky reflects on impact of being on. In 1966, a coach of a girls basketball team comes to texas western college and. Disneys adaptation of the texas western squad that won the 1966 ncaa tournament, becoming the first team with an allblack starting lineup to do so. Glory road is a 2006 american sports drama film directed by james gartner, based on a true story surrounding the events leading to the 1966 ncaa university division basketball championship the historic name for what is now known as the ncaa division i mens basketball tournament. Ballingers fred schwake, an athletic trainer on the 1966 texas western basketball team, is hoping texas.
Haskins is portrayed in the film by actor josh lucas. The film implies haskins started the basketball program at texwest from scratch in 1965, the season the miners went all the way against adolph rupps kentucky in the ncaa final. In 1966, texas western coach don haskins led the first allblack starting lineup for a college basketball team to the ncaa national championship. Oncourt action is incidental to the story of carrolls descent into drug addiction and crime. Like the film, it then focuses on the 1966 texas western mens basketball team and the aftermath of the championship. The movie is now probably best remembered as the first time dicaprio, just 20 at the time of its release, proved he could carry a movie. The basketball diaries 1995 a pretitanic leonardo dicaprio laces on the hightops in this comingofage drama based on the gritty memoir by author jim carroll. The miners victory over university of kentucky, coached by legendary adolph rupp, in the finals of the ncaa tournament was a story of triumph of character. Its about racism in american sports, and how coach don haskins and his players on the 196566 basketball team from texas western. And the wheels turned, a utep student produced documentary. Its a feel good basketball flick based on the 1966, texas western. The inspiring true story of the underdog texas western basketball team, with historys first all african american starting lineup of players, who took the country by storm, surprisingly winning.
Glory road was inspired by a true story, as described by texas western s head coach don haskins in his autobiography of the same title, a national bestseller released in 2005 by hyperion books. During the course of the 196566 national championship season, texas western guard orsten artis was one of the key. Texas westerns top seven scorers that season were all africanamerican. Led by don haskins, a gruff, straighttalking coach known as the bear, the texas western miners lit up the 196566 regular season with a 231 record. On march 19, 1966, texas western college defeats the university of kentucky in the ncaa mens college basketball final at cole field house in college park, maryland. Top 10 best basketball movies for march madness aarp. Glory road 2006 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Timed to the release of jerry bruckheimers movie, the moving autobiography of hall of fame basketball coach don haskins and his storied team of players, the texas western miners in 1966, college basketball was almost completely segregated. The following year, the team was inducted into the naismith memorial basketball hall of fame.
The team made history by winning the national championship in 1966, becoming the first team with an allblack starting lineup to do so the miners defeated kentucky an allwhite program until 1969 7265 in. With josh lucas, derek luke, austin nichols, jon voight. The book details haskins early life as a player including a oneonone game against a black friend that opened his eyes and womens basketball coach. Mar 19, 2018 the 20 best basketball movies ever made. Member of famed 1966 texas western team rooting for texas tech to join miners in history. Its a disney movie, literally glory road came out 10 years ago about meritocracy. During the course of the 196566 national championship season, texas western guard orsten artis was one of the key reasons the miners went 281 and beat kentucky for. Nov 30, 2005 timed to the release of jerry bruckheimers movie, the moving autobiography of hall of fame basketball coach don haskins and his storied team of players, the texas western miners in 1966, college basketball was almost completely segregated.
The miners won 7265, claiming the schools first national championship in mens college basketball. Jan 30, 2020 in 2006, the movie glory road, depicting the significance of this game, was released. Feb 28, 2010 and the wheels turned, a utep student produced documentary on the ncaa championship game of 1966 produced by cotton productions. A tightknit group of blacks, whites and one hispanic, the miners played their way to the ncaa championship game against adolph rupps no. Member of famed 1966 texas western team rooting for texas. Typically, a sports filmbe it football, basketball, or baseballit has an exciting and heartwarming ending. Texas western was placed in the midwest region in the ncaa tournament. He was coached by the hall of fame coach don haskins. Willie cager is an american basketball player who was a member of the 1966 texas western now utep college basketball team that won the 1966 national championship. The 196566 texas western miners basketball team represented texas western. Sep 22, 2016 in the movie, coach don haskins is a girls high school basketball coach just before getting the job at texas western university now texasel paso or utep. Texas western started an allblack starting lineup, against the allwhite university of kentucky. Don haskins of tiny texas western university, who bucks convention.
The story of bobby joe hill and the 1966 texas western national championship has been immortalized in the film glory road, which was released in the u. If basketball ever took a turn, that was it, said nolan richardson, the arkansas coach who played for haskins at texas western. In the movie, coach don haskins is a girls high school basketball coach just before getting the job at texas western university now texasel paso or utep. Texas western now known as texasel paso made history by having an allblack starting lineup for the first time in ncaa championship history and defeated kentucky. Donald lee haskins march 14, 1930 september 7, 2008, nicknamed the bear. The team made history by winning the national championship in 1966, becoming the first team with an allblack starting lineup to do so. Apr 05, 2019 member of famed 1966 texas western team rooting for texas tech to join miners in history. Every day, well send you an email to your inbox with scores, todays schedule, top performers, new debuts and interesting tidbits. Mar 17, 2017 glory road 2006 years before anyone referred to it as march madness, texas western college shocked the college basketball world by winning the 1966 ncaa championship with an allblack starting lineup, the first time that had happened in the sports history. The 1966 ncaa championship game between texas western and kentucky was the first title matchup featuring an allblack lineup against an allwhite lineup. The team had their 40th reunion back in 2006 when glory road hit theaters. In the championship game for the ncaa title that year, don haskins, coach of the then littleknown texas. Significance of texas westerns 1966 ncaa title not realized.
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