The Black Bruins: The Remarkable Lives of UCLA's Jackie Robinson, Woody Strode, Tom Bradley, Kenny Washington, and Ray Bartlett

by James W. Johnson

  In 1921 the Bradleys gave up: Payne and Ratzan, Tom Bradley, 6, and Los Angeles Times, October 18, 1982

  In Somerton, Bradley developed a love of reading: Payne and Ratzan, Tom Bradley, 7.

  His mother told him: Payne and Ratzan, Tom Bradley, 8–9.

  “She made so many sacrifices”: Payne and Ratzan, Tom Bradley, 9.

  When Bradley was ten: James Robinson, Tom Bradley, 29.

  Bradley’s father helped out: Los Angeles Times, October 18, 1982.

  As an adult: Vice President Al Gore’s eulogy, http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/EOP/OVP/speeches/bradley.html, accessed December 2, 2015.

  The Bradleys desperately needed help: Los Angeles Times, September 30, 1998.

  Although Bradley was close: Los Angeles Times, June 3, 1973.

  One day his friend: Los Angeles Times, October 21, 1982.

  To his good fortune: Los Angeles Times, October 21, 1982.

  It was “one of my most depressing memories”: Payne and Ratzan, Tom Bradley, 11–13.

  To help with bills: James Robinson, Tom Bradley, 39.

  In the junior high years: Payne and Ratzan, Tom Bradley, 15.

  “So I quit my job”: Los Angeles Times, January 28, 1973.

  3. The High School Years

  “Yeah, he’s good enough”: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 61.

  In 1935 Jackie Robinson enrolled: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 36.

  The following fall: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 37.

  In 1936 in the conference championship football game: Jackie Robinson with Duckett, Baseball Has Done It, 44–45.

  Robinson was winning: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 39.

  Robinson was getting a reputation: Rowan with Robinson, Wait Till Next Year, 34–35.

  Robinson graduated at midyear: Allen, Jackie Robinson, 37.

  In addition, Bartlett said: “Jackie Robinson remembered by friends, family,” www.eagleworldnews.com, March 27, 2007, accessed June 6 and 25, 2012.

  Across town: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 23.

  Strode sat on the bench: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 25.

  The Los Angeles Examiner reporters raved: Cited in “The NFL’s Jackie Robinson,” http://www.si.com/vault/2009/10/12/105865272/the-nfls-jackie-robinson, accessed January 1, 2015.

  In the offseason: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 26.

  In his autobiography: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 26, 33.

  When Kenny Washington entered: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 61.

  In one game during the championship season: Los Angeles Times, November 2, 1935.

  Before the championship game: Los Angeles Times, November 11, 1935.

  Against Fremont High: Los Angeles Times, November 26, 1935,

  Washington accounted for all but 4 yards: Los Angeles Times, December 12, 1935.

  In the spring: http://kwsfoundation.org/, accessed October 25, 2012.

  Washington knew: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 61–62.

  Tom Bradley was perhaps more ambitious: Payne and Ratzan, Tom Bradley, 17.

  Nonetheless, he was somewhat of a loner: James Robinson, Tom Bradley, 43.

  The other four athletes: Los Angeles Times, June 28, 1973.

  He could have chosen: Payne and Ratzan, Tom Bradley, 17–19.

  “At that time”: Bradley, “The Impossible Dream,” 25.

  Bradley had high expectations: Los Angeles Times, April 24, 1998.

  While at Poly: Los Angeles Times, June 3, 1973.

  Later Bradley broke another barrier: Bradley, “The Impossible Dream,” 27–28.

  “We never knew what Tom was doing”: James Robinson, Tom Bradley, 43.

  After Bradley was admitted to Ephebians: Payne and Ratzan, Tom Bradley, 23.

  At the same time Bradley was running track: Bradley, “The Impossible Dream,” 30.

  It started off by proclaiming: Los Angeles Times, June 15, 1935.

  4. The Little Brother

  “There is no question”: Roberts and Bennett, UCLA Football Vault, 8

  UCLA football got its start: Springer and Arkush, 60 Years of USC-UCLA Football, 32–33.

  One class had a 17-to-1 ratio: Ackerman, My Fifty Year Love-in at UCLA, 2.

  In 1924 the school: Hamilton and Jackson, UCLA on the Move, 92.

  Nineteen diehards turned out: Hamilton and Jackson, UCLA on the Move, 170.

  The Los Angeles Times reported: Cited in Springer and Arkush, 60 Years of USC-UCLA Football, 33

  In their first game: Hamilton and Jackson, UCLA on the Move, 171–73.

  Its desire to shoot for the big time: Cohane, Great College Football Coaches, 185, 188.

  At Western State: http://www.wmubroncos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=204948425, accessed February 11, 2015.

  In another instance: http://kvm.kvcc.edu/info/museON/museographies/RACE_issue.pdf, accessed February 11, 2015.

  Two years before Spaulding’s arrival: https://thesouthernbranch.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/uclas-football-immortals-a-new-series-on-this-blog/, accessed, February 11, 2015.

  As Southern Branch coach: Los Angeles Times, May 24, 1925.

  He was soft-spoken: Roberts and Bennett, UCLA Football Vault, 17.

  Writers for the Works Program: Federal Writers Project of the Works Progress Administration, Los Angeles in the 1930s, 204.

  On the first day of practice: Springer and Arkush, 60 Years of USC-UCLA Football, 34–35.

  “Phew,” said Spaulding, “What a track meet.”: Cohane, Great College Football Coaches, 186.

  The university’s goal: Roberts and Bennett, UCLA Football Vault, 17–18.

  Perhaps the lack of decent facilities: Cohane, Great College Football Coaches, 184–87.

  In 1929, before the Bruins: Springer and Arkush, 60 Years of USC-UCLA Football, 41–43.

  The results the next year: Cohane, Great College Football Coaches, 188.

  PCC schools pummeled the Bruins: Springer and Arkush, 60 Years of USC-UCLA Football, 43.

  Beginning in 1928 USC and UCLA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Memorial_Coliseum, accessed August 12, 2013.

  In 1931 UCLA played: Springer and Arkush, 60 Years of USC-UCLA Football, 45.

  In 1933 the Bruins’ record was 6-4-1: Los Angeles Times, October 22, 1933; cited in Oriard, King Football, 298.

  In announcing his plans for Storey: Los Angeles Times, September 19, 1933.

  Storey’s grandson recalled: https://thesouthernbranch.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/uclas-football-immortals-a-new-series-on-this-blog/, accessed February 11, 2015.

  By 1935 Spaulding’s Bruins had improved enough: Cohane, Great College Football Coaches, 184–85.

  Bill Ackerman noted: Ackerman, My Fifty Year Love-in at UCLA, 5.

  As Jackie Robinson’s biographer Arnold Rampersad pointed out: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 67.

  Although Tom Bradley grew up: James Robinson, Tom Bradley, 35.

  Bradley has said he knew Robinson: James Robinson, Tom Bradley, 35.

  Robinson tended not to take part: dailybruin.com/1997/04/23/a-bruin-for-all-seasons/, accessed November 10, 2013.

  Blacks could not live in Westwood: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 67–68.

  During the 1940s: Ackerman, My Fifty Year Love-in at UCLA, 61.

  Bill Ackerman noted: Ackerman, My Fifty Year Love-in at UCLA, 152–53.

  5. Obstacles to Overcome

  “Somewhere behind the Sambo masks”: Oriard, King Football, 299.

  In 1936 Edwin Bancroft Henderson: Wiggins and Miller, The Unlevel Playing Field, 188.

  Virtually all of the black players: Martin, Benching Jim Crow, 29.

  The gentleman’s agreements: Wiggins and Miller, The Unlevel Playing Field, 191–92.

  As Michael Oriard pointed out: Oriard, King Football, 302.

  Henderson almost presciently saw: Wiggins and Miller, The Unlevel Playing Field, 190.

  African American players: Wiggins and Miller, The Unlevel Playing Field, 188–89.

  It was commonplace: Wiggins and Miller, The Unleve
l Playing Field, 189.

  USC’s hostility: McRae, Heroes without a Country, 15.

  The Hollywood League: Pasadena Post, September 15, 1936.

  Unfortunately that was the pervasive thinking: Cited in http://www.americansc.org.uk/Online/walters.htm, accessed December 4, 2015.

  6. A Sorry Season

  “Simply one of the most”: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0834754/bio, accessed, November 23, 2015.

  Woody Strode had followed: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 26, 27, 29.

  UCLA officials invited Strode: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 12.

  But he “took one look”: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 33–34.

  Strode almost flunked out: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 49.

  Looking back on his years: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 26.

  “We had the whole melting pot”: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 35.

  In those years freshmen weren’t allowed: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 64–65.

  The next year: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 64–65

  Strode said that when he and Washington: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 253.

  Strode was nobody to fool with: Los Angeles Times, March 26, 1991.

  Not long before: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 39.

  Once Strode was contacted: Ackerman, My Fifty Year Love-in at UCLA, 155.

  They measured him: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 40.

  Los Angeles Times columnist Murray wondered: Los Angeles Times, March 26, 1991.

  Strode was in training: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 40.

  Washington made his presence felt: Pasadena Post, September 25, 1937; cited in Kaliss, Everyone’s All-Americans, 103.

  The Bruins weren’t so fortunate: Pasadena Post, October 7, 1937; cited in Kaliss, Everyone’s All-Americans, 103.

  In a game against the Oregon State University: Los Angeles Times, October 17, 1937.

  Murray described Strode’s toughness: Los Angeles Times, August 8, 1963.

  Strode remembered that during a game: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 31.

  Strode recalled that “we ran into a few problems”: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 65.

  But, Strode said: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 56.

  One of the biggest challenges UCLA faced: Martin, Benching Jim Crow, 37.

  Bell would have none of that: Pittsburgh Courier, October 29, 1938.

  “I don’t know how Washington survived”: Springer and Arkush, 60 Years of USC-UCLA Football, 52.

  “It made you sick”: Springer and Arkush, 60 Years of USC-UCLA Football, 52.

  SMU players: Pasadena Post, November 16, 1937; cited in Kaliss, Everyone’s All-Americans, 100.

  Washington said years later: Los Angeles Times, February 12, 1952.

  Washington and Strode received their due: Cited in Smith, Showdown, 38.

  Several newspapers: Martin, Benching Jim Crow, 38.

  The following year Wendell Smith: Pittsburgh Courier, October 29. 1938; cited in Smith, Showdown, 38.

  On November 27 in a game: Los Angeles Times, November 28, 1937.

  During the game: Pasadena Post, November 28, 1937.

  Quarterback Ned Mathews: www.today.ucla.edu/1997/970425teammatesRecall.html, accessed December 2, 2014.

  The Los Angeles Examiner noted: California Eagle, December 16, 1937; cited in Kaliss, Everyone’s All-Americans, 107.

  Going into the USC game: Van Leuven, Touchdown UCLA, 48–49.

  In a preview of the USC game: Cited in Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 67.

  Perhaps Washington’s greatest game: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 56.

  Washington still found time: Los Angeles Times, December 4, 1937.

  The Trojans had limited UCLA: Cited in Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 68.

  Down three touchdowns: Los Angeles Times, December 6, 1937.

  The distance was verified: Van Leuven, Touchdown UCLA, 50.

  Hirshon ran in for the score: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 69.

  Washington had a bazooka: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 57.

  “In the winking of an eye”: Los Angeles Times, December 6, 1937.

  “I saw the ball coming”: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 70.

  Coach Spaulding went to the USC locker room: Van Leuven, Touchdown UCLA, 50–51.

  “Naked as a couple of chocolate cherubs”: Cited in Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 70.

  Rod Dedeaux, who coached USC: http://www.si.com/nfl/2009/10/08/nfl-pioneers, accessed July 26, 2012.

  Strode said Robinson was faster: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 57.

  Washington hit a home run: Los Angeles Times, December 4, 1939.

  “If a kid had [Washington’s] ability today”: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 56.

  “Next to me, Jackie”: biography.jrank.org/pages/2533/Washington-Kenny.html, accessed August 8, 2014.

  “Kenny’s future”: Strode and Young, Goal Dust, 56–57.

  7. An Easy Choice

  “It just burns me up”: Rowan with Robinson, Wait Till Next Year, 35.

  across town in Pasadena: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 40–41.

  Mack almost didn’t make the Olympics: Los Angeles Times, June 12, 1968.

  When he returned to Pasadena: New York Times, March 14, 2000.

  Mack couldn’t find a decent job: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 31.

  Jackie said that incident broke Mack’s spirit: Washington Post, August 21, 1949.

  Four years after the Olympics: California Eagle, January 25, 1940; cited in Kaliss, Everyone’s All-Americans, 152.

  After Jack broke the color barrier: Los Angeles Times, June 12, 1968.

  While Mack was setting records: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 42.

  That fall Robinson turned out for football: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 45.

  At one point the players from Oklahoma refused: http://cooperstownersincanada.com/2013/04/04/jackie-robinson-couldve-been-a-football-star/, accessed December 5, 2015.

  A boyhood friend of Jackie’s: Falkner, Great Time Coming, 44.

  When Robinson and Bartlett threatened to quit: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 49.

  Robinson “was touchy”: Allen, Jackie Robinson, 36.

  Bartlett, who also would earn: http://www.pasadena.edu/about/history/alumni/bartlett/bartlett1.cfm, accessed August 24, 2013.

  From that Robinson learned: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 49.

  Robinson was clearly going to be: Falkner, Great Time Coming, 45.

  At season’s end: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 46.

  While Robinson mixed freely: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 48.

  Racism was no stranger to basketball: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 50.

  In a game against the Vikings: Jackie Robinson with Duckett, Baseball Has Done It, 44.

  When the final whistle blew: Rowan with Robinson, Wait Till Next Year, 34–35.

  The Bulldogs finished third: Los Angeles Times, September 12, 1939.

  Robinson and Bartlett almost hated to see: Falkner, Great Time Coming, 51.

  Robinson’s participation in track: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 54.

  He had been given three jumps: Los Angeles Times, March 31, 1997.

  Jack Gordon, a teammate: Falkner, Great Time Coming, 43.

  In those early years: Los Angeles Times, March 31, 1997; Snider, The Duke of Flatbush, 25; cited in Falkner, Great Time Coming, 43.

  In an exhibition game: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 55.

  He said Robinson could play: Jackie Robinson with Duckett, Baseball Has Done It, 46–47.

  Later Herman Hill: Kahn, Rickey & Robinson, 59.

  Like Robinson, Bartlett: http://www.pasadena.edu/about/history/alumni/bartlett/bartlett1.cfm, accessed August 24, 2013.

  In his junior college years: Rampersad, Jackie Robinson, 55.