knapp
I think it;s obviulsy a point of pridce for a college that has a storeid football program has been an important part of our history since the last 19th history W&J founder of NCAA particopating in Rose Bowl we’ve been an important part of the college footvball scene fpor the better part of a century.
The experience in the Ropse ZBpowl stand as a reminder long history of nracial inclusion which goes back to th early 19th century knlwing that Dr. Charle West the fuirst black QB to play in a bowl game is a testa,lmnent to the college’s lkong hiostory of being welcoming and incluisive of all tracxes and bacjkgrounds.
He endured a lot of abuse and racial epthetas polayes and fans on oppsiing teams traveling from one one venue to anothewr there was often derision went to play wedst vbirgina kill the noigger effigy of Charles West in the window of the drug store when W&J team won the game west went in and asked the fdruggist family still has it He was a man of sytrong chatracter his teammates and his coach and the college supported him and appreciate what he brou8gh to the team and the college
when they boarded the train Pittsbirgh conductor he would need to ride in the colored car located just behind the engine and was subkject to smoke and embers the rest of the team, opted to join him and dride in the coloredd car rtiught there.
indicated just as much dsicrimination in the north hav
we should remember there was plenty nof racism directed at charles west from fand and players in the north
there celbrated the season that ended it wass a storied remarkable undefeated seasaon kicked off the first game to commemorate invoited descendants coach athletic director
as a way of kicking off our season we had a representative rose bowl execuitive rose bowl viuce president made a presentation on the field.
black quaretrback a remarkable scoreless tie it was a david and goliath story litte washington and jefferson playing Cal in what really was a national championship
to this day people think it was rigged.
we played 11 men both ways California team had plenty of players to substitue we didn’t trhe tebnacioty and kind odf scrappy nature of that group is pretty legend/
We had a gpopod group there dedicated a epnnsylvania histoirical marker honirng DSr. West’s daughter and earler this week,. Invited to comne to the deicatioon of trhe marker at the game Dr. West’s grandson
It was a special day.
Not only do they have stories ehy pass down they have artifats scrapbooks partof the family history that made it an even more rmarklable experience. telegrams of congratulations newspaper artuicales published around the country memorabila all those things on display made large i mages blew them up on boards for people to see.
The truth is it couoldn’;t hapopen today for a whole lo9t of rwason at that time didn’t have decision that separated small and large coolles tend to play other schoopls. In tyhose days, we were playuing Pitt West Viurina lots of other teams that were from much, much l;artgfes to me that makes it even a more compelling stor that david and Golath nature
it if you pur it in conext as an ice breaker at a party what year a black QB first led a team in a major bowl 1970s 1980s when you tell them 192 they’rew stunnded qualified for U.S, olimpc team in 1924.
In a lot of ways breaking new ground people today have forgotten about or maybe his story’ has been eclipsed by others.
We have a group going to the rose bowl accompanying Linda Nickens to the Rose Bowl in 2018 It was a very mopving esperience. They were recognized at the game VIP dinner there were four inductees. sp
There ws
we have a group of alumin gathering out there commorating the 100th anniversary I think it represents to different people emblematic of the lopng proud football team of the college for many people this anniversary is a reminder W&J was admitting and educating black students long before any of the Ivy league and many instutions of the time were willing to admit them he wa spart of an alreayd extblished
being inclsive of talented