DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa football boycott suspension newspaper articles, 1969 | 1969-04-19 Daily Iowan Article: "Boycott of 1st Practice 'Self-Elimination': Nagel"

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University of Iowa football boycott suspension newspaper articles, 1969

1969-04-19 Daily Iowan Article: "Boycott of 1st Practice 'Self-Elimination': Nagel"

DI April 19.1969

Boycott of 1st Practice 'Self-Elimination': Nagel
By MIKE EBBING

Sixteen of Iowa's 20 black football players did not attend the Hawkeyes' opening spring practice Friday afternoon and Coach Ray Nagel said the athletes involved have " dismissed themselves" from the squad. 
  The list of those dismissed includes four defensive starters from last year's squad - backs Ray Cavole, Ray Churchill and Coleman Lane and linebacker Mike Phillips. 
  Other players missing practice were lettermen Louis Age, offensive guard; Dennis Green tailback; Tom Wallace, fullback; and Ken Price, defensive end. 

All the rest of the dismissed players were sophomores-to-be with the exception of junior offensive end Herschel Epps. They were defensive tackle Wendell Bell, defensive backs Craid Clemons and tailbacks Levi Mitchell and Rich Solomon, fullback Frank Holmes and defensive guard Jerry Nelson. 
   The four black players attending the opening workouts were tight end Ray Manning, who led the Hawks in pass receiving last year; senior offensive tackle Mel Morris; reserve tailback Bill Powell; and sophomore spilit end Don Osby, Osby apparently was the only sophomore who was listed as a starter on Nagel's preliminary lineup.
    " This is not any of my doing at all," said Nagel at practice Friday. " The players who didn't attend today dismissed themselves from the team. You might call it self-elimination by the individual." 
    The dismissed players have not commented on the situation as yet, however it is believed that the boycott of practice is related to the treatment of the black athletes by the Department of Athletics.
    Jerry Stevens, A3, Denver, president of the University's Afro-American Student Association, and a former trackman here, said a statement on the player boycott might be forthcoming this morning. 
    Stevens speaking on behald of the dismissed players and the Afro-American Association said late Friday night that the group had no comment on any of the developments of the past week, including the boycott. 
   In a squad meeting Tuesday night, the only black players attending were Morris and Powell. The squad meeting was held at the same time as a campus rally in support of jailed Des Moines Black Panthers, and it is believed that some of the players were attending the rally. 
    Nagel said he wasn't sure if the black players' actions could be considered a boycott because he had instructed the players in two previous squad meetings that any such action would be grounds for automatic dismissal from the squad. 
   " Here at the University of Iowa," Nagel said " we are an integrated football team and an integrated University, All I know is that we have a young group of men who have decided to no longer be in our football program." 
   Nagel did not comment on whether those players involved on scholarship would have to sacrifice their aid.  
   " As I've said before," Nagel said, "they've been dismissed fro our program and you can take that any way you want to."
   John E. Moore, director of student financial aids said Friday night that if athletes withdrew voluntarily from participation in athletics they would lose their scholarships.
    However, since there is some question as to whether the players were "dismissed" by Nagel or voluntarily "dismissed themselves," Moore said he was not sure what the status of their scholarships would be. 
   One of the football players in attendance at practice said that the spirit of the team was still "pretty high" in light of the developments. 
   The Hawks worked out for about two hours on basic fundamentals and running. Another practice is planned at 2:30 today. 

All the rest of the spring football squad was in attendance. 
  One of the black athletes attending practice said Friday night that he thought the 16 players " were making a mistake." 
  Nagel was optimistic about the squad which had been rated high in pre-season national polls, even though the 16 black players were absent. 
   " Anytime you see a bunch of young men who have gone into a situation like this and have been on the team you can't feel too good about it," Nagel said. 
     " I so feel that the squad we now have out on the field is a representative one and will do a good job. I think they will give 100 per cent performance on any given Saturday."
   Two other black players, Greg Allison and Charles Bolden, had been dismissed from spring practice earlier this year for what Nagel termed "personal reasons"
   One of the black players not attending practice, however, refused to comment as to whether this might be an underlying reason for the boycott.

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DI April 19.1969 Boycott of 1st Practice 'Self-Elimination': Nagel By MIKE EBBING Sixteen of Iowa's 20 black football players did not attend the Hawkeyes' opening spring practice Friday afternoon and Coach Ray Nagel said the athletes involved have " dismissed themselves" from the squad. The list of those dismissed includes four defensive starters from last year's squad - backs Ray Cavole, Ray Churchill and Coleman Lane and linebacker Mike Phillips. Other players missing practice were lettermen Louis Age, offensive guard; Dennis Green tailback; Tom Wallace, fullback; and Ken Price, defensive end. All the rest of the dismissed players were sophomores-to-be with the exception of junior offensive end Herschel Epps. They were defensive tackle Wendell Bell, defensive backs Craid Clemons and tailbacks Levi Mitchell and Rich Solomon, fullback Frank Holmes and defensive guard Jerry Nelson. The four black players attending the opening workouts were tight end Ray Manning, who led the Hawks in pass receiving last year; senior offensive tackle Mel Morris; reserve tailback Bill Powell; and sophomore spilit end Don Osby, Osby apparently was the only sophomore who was listed as a starter on Nagel's preliminary lineup. " This is not any of my doing at all," said Nagel at practice Friday. " The players who didn't attend today dismissed themselves from the team. You might call it self-elimination by the individual." The dismissed players have not commented on the situation as yet, however it is believed that the boycott of practice is related to the treatment of the black athletes by the Department of Athletics. Jerry Stevens, A3, Denver, president of the University's Afro-American Student Association, and a former trackman here, said a statement on the player boycott might be forthcoming this morning. Stevens speaking on behald of the dismissed players and the Afro-American Association said late Friday night that the group had no comment on any of the developments of the past week, including the boycott. In a squad meeting Tuesday night, the only black players attending were Morris and Powell. The squad meeting was held at the same time as a campus rally in support of jailed Des Moines Black Panthers, and it is believed that some of the players were attending the rally. Nagel said he wasn't sure if the black players' actions could be considered a boycott because he had instructed the players in two previous squad meetings that any such action would be grounds for automatic dismissal from the squad. " Here at the University of Iowa," Nagel said " we are an integrated football team and an integrated University, All I know is that we have a young group of men who have decided to no longer be in our football program." Nagel did not comment on whether those players involved on scholarship would have to sacrifice their aid. " As I've said before," Nagel said, "they've been dismissed fro our program and you can take that any way you want to." John E. Moore, director of student financial aids said Friday night that if athletes withdrew voluntarily from participation in athletics they would lose their scholarships. However, since there is some question as to whether the players were "dismissed" by Nagel or voluntarily "dismissed themselves," Moore said he was not sure what the status of their scholarships would be. One of the football players in attendance at practice said that the spirit of the team was still "pretty high" in light of the developments. The Hawks worked out for about two hours on basic fundamentals and running. Another practice is planned at 2:30 today. All the rest of the spring football squad was in attendance. One of the black athletes attending practice said Friday night that he thought the 16 players " were making a mistake." Nagel was optimistic about the squad which had been rated high in pre-season national polls, even though the 16 black players were absent. " Anytime you see a bunch of young men who have gone into a situation like this and have been on the team you can't feel too good about it," Nagel said. " I so feel that the squad we now have out on the field is a representative one and will do a good job. I think they will give 100 per cent performance on any given Saturday." Two other black players, Greg Allison and Charles Bolden, had been dismissed from spring practice earlier this year for what Nagel termed "personal reasons" One of the black players not attending practice, however, refused to comment as to whether this might be an underlying reason for the boycott.