DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa football boycott suspension newspaper articles, 1969 | 1969-04-23 Daily Iowan Article: "Frosh Gridders Split with BAU"

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University of Iowa football boycott suspension newspaper articles, 1969

1969-04-23 Daily Iowan Article: "Frosh Gridders Split with BAU"

DI April 23, 1969[?]

Frosh Gridders Split with BAU
By CHARLA COLE
[c] Copyright 1969, Student Publications, Inc.

Seven of the 16 black football players dropped from the team last week have dissociated themselves from the Black Athletes Union (BAU), The Daily Iowan has learned.
A spokesman for the seven, all freshman, said they now feel that the University and the Department of Athletics are doing "the best they can" to alleviate problems which led to the dismissal of the 16 players. He said they are willing to rejoin the team - if Coach Ray Nagel will let them play.
A boycott of the first spring practice last Friday, as a protest against what the black athletes had called an "intolerable situation" at the University for blacks, led to what Nagel has termed "self-dismissal" for the 16 gridders. The head coach contends that it is a long-standing policy of the football team that absence from drill without an excuse automatically means dismissal.
None of the black athletes' grievances or demands have been made public.
The spokesman, who declined to have his name used, told the DI late Tuesday night that the freshman hope, by disassociating themselves from the other dismissed players, to be allowed back on the team. He said that the freshman had received no assurances from the athletic department that their return to the team would be possible, however. He said he was speaking for all seven freshman.
The BAU, formed several weeks ago, is composed of the 16 dismissed football players, two other black gridders who were dismissed from the team earlier for "personal reasons," and several other black athletes in other sports, including basketball.
Offensive guard Louis Age and defensive back Coleman Lane, two upperclassmen among the 16 dismissed players who have often acted as spokesmen for the BAU, declined comment on the statement by the freshmen.
The seven freshmen are: defensive tackle Wendle Bell; defensive backs Craig Clemons and Jerry Johnson; tailbacks Levi Mitchell and Rich Solomon; fullback Frank Holmes and defensive guard Jerry Nelson.
The spokesman said the group was going to "call the coaches' hand" in the situation to see whether they could be trusted.
"The boycott has brought about substantial demands and proves that the demands will be met," he said. He did not elaborate on the proof.
The freshmen's decision came hard on the heels of a charge by the BAU that attempts were being made by coaches to "recruit" the freshmen back to the team.
In a statement released to the DI Tuesday afternoon, the BAU said Nagel was willing to take the freshmen back because he "believed that they were influenced by the upperclassmen." The statement did not elaborate on the charge.
"Who is off the team?" the statement asked. "Does anybody know?"
The BAU statement also charged that Nagel discriminated in enforcing his policy of automatic dismissal for players who miss practice.
It said that last year a white squad member had an unexcused absence from practice and quit the team but was allowed to return after a vote of the other players.
"The black athletes did not quit the team," the statement said, "but merely protested alleged injustices. The white player returned after quitting, but the blacks can't return after protesting."
In a statement issued Saturday, the black players made clear that it was never their intention not to play ball for the Hawkeyes and that they would like to return to the team. They said that their boycott of Friday's practice was a protest against "intolerable conditions" at the University for blacks and was not designed to remove them from the team.
Tuesday's statement was signed by the BAU but not by any of the individual members. The statement purports to represent the views of all BAU members - including all 16 of the players dropped from the team.
Along with the statement, the BAU submitted a cartoon to the DI. It appears on page 2 of today's paper.
In a related development, the Board in Control of Athletics held a closed meeting Tuesday and members contacted afterwards had no comment on what was discussed.
Chairman Sam Fahr, professor of law, said the board would release a statement sometime today, "after we have time to think about it."
Three student liaison members also attended the meeting. They were: Bob Rosenthal, B4, Chicago; Mike Mahaffey, A3, Grand Junction, and Mike Finn, A4, Jefferson.
When contacted during practice Tuesday afternoon, Nagel had no comment on the BAU allegation, or whether the players would be reinstated if the team so voted.
Freshman Coach Ted Lawrence said Tuesday night that he knew nothing about attempts by coaches to contact any players, adding, "none of them (the black players) have been in my office."

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DI April 23, 1969[?] Frosh Gridders Split with BAU By CHARLA COLE [c] Copyright 1969, Student Publications, Inc. Seven of the 16 black football players dropped from the team last week have dissociated themselves from the Black Athletes Union (BAU), The Daily Iowan has learned. A spokesman for the seven, all freshman, said they now feel that the University and the Department of Athletics are doing "the best they can" to alleviate problems which led to the dismissal of the 16 players. He said they are willing to rejoin the team - if Coach Ray Nagel will let them play. A boycott of the first spring practice last Friday, as a protest against what the black athletes had called an "intolerable situation" at the University for blacks, led to what Nagel has termed "self-dismissal" for the 16 gridders. The head coach contends that it is a long-standing policy of the football team that absence from drill without an excuse automatically means dismissal. None of the black athletes' grievances or demands have been made public. The spokesman, who declined to have his name used, told the DI late Tuesday night that the freshman hope, by disassociating themselves from the other dismissed players, to be allowed back on the team. He said that the freshman had received no assurances from the athletic department that their return to the team would be possible, however. He said he was speaking for all seven freshman. The BAU, formed several weeks ago, is composed of the 16 dismissed football players, two other black gridders who were dismissed from the team earlier for "personal reasons," and several other black athletes in other sports, including basketball. Offensive guard Louis Age and defensive back Coleman Lane, two upperclassmen among the 16 dismissed players who have often acted as spokesmen for the BAU, declined comment on the statement by the freshmen. The seven freshmen are: defensive tackle Wendle Bell; defensive backs Craig Clemons and Jerry Johnson; tailbacks Levi Mitchell and Rich Solomon; fullback Frank Holmes and defensive guard Jerry Nelson. The spokesman said the group was going to "call the coaches' hand" in the situation to see whether they could be trusted. "The boycott has brought about substantial demands and proves that the demands will be met," he said. He did not elaborate on the proof. The freshmen's decision came hard on the heels of a charge by the BAU that attempts were being made by coaches to "recruit" the freshmen back to the team. In a statement released to the DI Tuesday afternoon, the BAU said Nagel was willing to take the freshmen back because he "believed that they were influenced by the upperclassmen." The statement did not elaborate on the charge. "Who is off the team?" the statement asked. "Does anybody know?" The BAU statement also charged that Nagel discriminated in enforcing his policy of automatic dismissal for players who miss practice. It said that last year a white squad member had an unexcused absence from practice and quit the team but was allowed to return after a vote of the other players. "The black athletes did not quit the team," the statement said, "but merely protested alleged injustices. The white player returned after quitting, but the blacks can't return after protesting." In a statement issued Saturday, the black players made clear that it was never their intention not to play ball for the Hawkeyes and that they would like to return to the team. They said that their boycott of Friday's practice was a protest against "intolerable conditions" at the University for blacks and was not designed to remove them from the team. Tuesday's statement was signed by the BAU but not by any of the individual members. The statement purports to represent the views of all BAU members - including all 16 of the players dropped from the team. Along with the statement, the BAU submitted a cartoon to the DI. It appears on page 2 of today's paper. In a related development, the Board in Control of Athletics held a closed meeting Tuesday and members contacted afterwards had no comment on what was discussed. Chairman Sam Fahr, professor of law, said the board would release a statement sometime today, "after we have time to think about it." Three student liaison members also attended the meeting. They were: Bob Rosenthal, B4, Chicago; Mike Mahaffey, A3, Grand Junction, and Mike Finn, A4, Jefferson. When contacted during practice Tuesday afternoon, Nagel had no comment on the BAU allegation, or whether the players would be reinstated if the team so voted. Freshman Coach Ted Lawrence said Tuesday night that he knew nothing about attempts by coaches to contact any players, adding, "none of them (the black players) have been in my office."