The first twenty-two years of my life was spent living in East St. Louis, attending college in Bloomington, Illinois and working summers and June 1961-to-June 1962 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Without question, that heterogeneous life exposed me to a broad multi-cultural experience of facts, fiction, realities, myths, misconceptions and a whole helluva lot of suspicious attitudes. I discovered that everybody holds preconceived notions (attitudes) about any and all folks who look, think and behave differently than them and theirs. It's all anchored in 'ethonocentrisim,' which is a belief that my culture is better than your culture. That said, everybody held prejudice attitudes, to some degree about their groups. The only way to breakdown and overcome these attitudes was having an open-mind and interacting with others. But as the old football coach told his team, "You gotta wanna!"
My first five years coaching placed me in rural communities of Assumption and Mason City, Illinois. In such communities, you don't hear or see racial interactions except for ocassional comments. During my three head basketball coaching seasons at Mason City, I was blessed with committed and talented players. Obviously, I wanted them to be challenged playing better competition. Many larger school coaches i.e., Quincy's Sherrill Hanks rejected my invitation to schedule a game insisting, "Mel, Quincy has everything to lose playing a smaller Mason City." Finally, I convinced long-time East St. Louis Lincoln Coach Earl 'Tree' Harris to bring his all-black Tigers' team to all white Mason City. As a kid growing up in East St. Louis, I played against Coach Harris' Lincoln High teams and later in my coaching career, I would coach both Tree's sons, Dean and Hank. The contest between Mason City and EstL. . was a barn-burner before a packed house of white-faces. A significant 1966 social moment in time for inner-city black teens and rural white kids. Both Coaches got what they wanted from the night and it was more than a basketball game.
Following two years at Assumption and three years at Mason City, my next coaching stop was that larger school opportunity in Washington, Illinois, which is an upper middle class white populated bedroom community to the greater Peoria area. You guessed it, no black student-athletes but frequent competition versus the racially-mixed inner-city schools across the Illinois river. After a three year Washington high school stint the Edwardsville high school basketball / cross country positions came available. And the stars were aligned. The basketball coaching success at Mason City coupled with the Washington large school experience and known by Edwardsville assistant superintendent, former Coach, Joe Lucco placed me at the head of the applicant list. Now the racial factor would enter this coach's journey for the next thirty-one years.
I accepted Edwardsville's coaching offer for the 1970-71 school year. It was rumored that my predecessor had a few racial issues. Obviously, I was told stories but never concerned myself pursuing authenticity. I did verify that an outstanding Black player the year before had left the Edwardsville's program moving to nearby rival school Collinsville. Perhaps that culminated in the coaching vacancy. I do know that on the evening of my Edwardsville interview with three school board members and the assistant superintendent, I was asked by one board member, "Do you think you can coach the black player?" My first thought was 'are you shittin' me?' I answered, "Well, let me say, I will coach anybody from any racial, religious or socio-economic background; it makes no diffence just as long as the youngster commits to the program expectations." Another follow up question came from another board member, "How would you summarize those program commitments?" I said, "Be on time, pay attention and play hard...and I'm talking PRACTICE."
The questions asked during that interview suggested there might be some truth to the rumor about racial issues the year before.
Next: I would discover how white parents can 'play-the-race-card' against the Coach.
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