The Black Bruins
Page 28
“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 Unlevel 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.<
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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.
For one game Pasadena traveled to Taft: Rowan with Robinson, Wait Till Next Year, 40.
Jackie had a superb season: Los Angeles Times, February 17, 1939.
Robinson had a sensational game: New York Daily News, April 13, 1997.
Hank Ives, who was called the nation’s leading expert: New York Daily News, April 13, 1997.