The long asked question: Was Adolph Rupp TRULY a racist? - Basketball Forum : Professional and College Basketball Forums

**UKfan4Life** · 06-13-2003, 04:24 PM

He wasn't. And this LONG, LONG, LONG (!!!) article proves it.

Was Rupp a racist? Doesn't seem like it...

Here are only a few quotes from other people:

Quote:

"To put 1997 standards on Coach Rupp during the time that he coached -- in the 1930s, 40s, 50s, 60s and a couple of years in the 70s -- is totally unfair." - C.M. Newton, CNNSI, "New Era in Lexington," October 30, 1997.

Quote:

"I know there have been a lot of people who thought he was a racist. But I think the times can dictate how people act -- where you're brought up, how you're brought up. If he was a racist, he wasn't alone in this country. I'm never going to judge anybody. . . . That's a long time ago, too . . . You learn from the past, and you go on." - Orlando "Tubby" Smith, Chicago Tribune, "New Face Leads Kentucky These Days," November 30, 1997.

Quote:

We arrived early at the home of retired Army Sergeant and Mrs. Thomas R. Payne Sr. Rupp told [Joe B.] Hall to drive around the block - he didn't want to seem overeager. Ten seconds before the appointed time, we knocked on the door. Members of the media were waiting, along with Mr. and Mrs. Payne, who were gracious hosts. Their son was shy, and Rupp glowed. ... Mr. Payne wanted the best for his son, and he was convinced that it didn't get any better than Rupp. While everybody else beamed, Tom showed no emotion. Over a pot of his mothers coffee, we sealed the bargain. "Yes sir, Tom is farther along than Bill Spivey was," Rupp said. "He will fit into our plans perfectly." - by Russell Rice, Adolph Rupp As I Knew Him, Sagamore Publishers, 1994, pg. 194.

Quote:

Rupp's all-time all-opponent squad includes six black players. - Lexington Herald Leader, "Kentucky a Leader in Integrating SEC Sports," March 31, 1990, Pg D14.

Quote:

Rupp lamented to his team, "If we had Tom Payne, we'd be undefeated," he said. The pros don't care whether they destroy a good college team or not. They sure ruined us by drafting my center." - by Russell Rice, Big Blue Machine, Strode Publishers, 1976, pg. 350.

To the mods: This is not a racist topic. I posted this because there has been a lot of controversy over whether or not Adolph Rupp was a racist, and I think this article might settle the matter.

spartanfan2003 · 06-13-2003, 04:31 PM

Who would name their kid Adolph?

**UKfan4Life** · 06-13-2003, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Spartanfan2003!
Who would name their kid Adolph?

Beats me.

But remember, he was born in the early 1900's so people named their kids odd names sometimes by today's standards.

**BlueBaron** · 06-13-2003, 05:51 PM

I don't think you can label him a racist. Alot of teams back then had all white players.

It was just a sign of the times. As far as I know there has never been any truth to Adolph Rupp being a racist.

**UKfan4Life** · 06-13-2003, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Baron!
I don't think you can label him a racist. Alot of teams back then had all white players.

It was just a sign of the times. As far as I know there has never been any truth to Adolph Rupp being a racist.

Read some of the article. He wasn't.

**kansasalumn** · 06-13-2003, 09:30 PM

I don't think he was

OriginalWildcat · 06-16-2003, 04:11 PM

Little known fact:

When UK played Texas Western in the 1966 championship game, with all talk of the Wildcat's all white team, the team they beat in the national semifinals, Duke, also did not have a single minority player.

If Kentucky hadn't reached the championship game that season, it would be talk of Duke's coach at the time being a racist.

**xubrew** · 06-18-2003, 06:26 PM

i don't know if this will really speak for his character, but people that accuse rupp of being a racist always point to how he APPEARED (mind you) to have mistreated minorities on certain occasions.

rupp mistreated everyone. he was hard nosed, gruff, and really didn't have very personal relationships with his own players. he wouldn't even speak to them outside of practice and games, and sometimes he didn't even speak to them then. he was that way with everyone who played for him or he recruited. he just wasn't a very personable pleasant person to be around and anyone that really ever played for him would probably agree.

thats what i've heard anyway.

**Tom** · 06-18-2003, 06:45 PM

Don't know if he was a racist but he thrived in a racist environment...this is Kentucky mind you. as long as he could continue winning with all white players the better off he was. Is that why even though losing in 1966 it took him until 1969 to sign a black player...we will never know.

**UKfan4Life** · 06-18-2003, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tom!
Don't know if he was a racist but he thrived in a racist environment...this is Kentucky mind you. as long as he could continue winning with all white players the better off he was. Is that why even though losing in 1966 it took him until 1969 to sign a black player...we will never know.

We already do know. You didn't read the article either. Kentucky was the school (namely Rupp at UK) that was trying to get the SEC to let black players play. By the time they did let black player play, however, all the really good black players got taken by other colleges and Rupp wouldn't accept any players but the best. So it wasn't until 1969 that he finally found a great one. So if he was a racist, someone tell me why he wanted the SEC to allow black players to play.

**Tom** · 06-18-2003, 06:56 PM

I'm respectfully not buying that All the good black players were taken...that wreeks of the absurd. I'll give the guy the benefit of the doubt. I believe if he really wanted it he could have gotten it...he was Adolph Rupp...either way it doesn't reflect well on Kentucky's past. All those racist feeling are gone now...with tubby's hiring.

**UKfan4Life** · 06-18-2003, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tom!
I'm respectfully not buying that All the good black players were taken...that wreeks of the absurd. I'll give the guy the benefit of the doubt. I believe if he really wanted it he could have gotten it...he was Adolph Rupp...either way it doesn't reflect well on Kentucky's past. All those racist feeling are gone now...with tubby's hiring.

Ok ok. So you still have told me why he was a racist considering he helped integrate black players into the SEC. You do know at the time Rupp was originally deemed a racist, teams like Duke were also all white. But most of the black players went to teams that were in conferences that had been integrated for quite a while.

Now when I say all the good black players were taken, I'm serious. Some black players were relucatant to play in an SEC school so early after it finally integrated, and very few came at first, but Rupp finally got Tom Payne. But Rupp wasn't the only guy in affiliation with UK trying to integrate the SEC. The whole university was behind him.

**Tom** · 06-18-2003, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by UKfan4Life!

Ok ok. So you still have told me why he was a racist considering he helped integrate black players into the SEC. You do know at the time Rupp was originally deemed a racist, teams like Duke were also all white. But most of the black players went to teams that were in conferences that had been integrated for quite a while.

Now when I say all the good black players were taken, I'm serious. Some black players were relucatant to play in an SEC school so early after it finally integrated, and very few came at first, but Rupp finally got Tom Payne. But Rupp wasn't the only guy in affiliation with UK trying to integrate the SEC. The whole university was behind him.

he wanted to win..that doesn't mean he wasn't racist. Calling someone a "Coon" is.

**UKfan4Life** · 06-18-2003, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tom!

he wanted to win..that doesn't mean he wasn't racist. Calling someone a "Coon" is.

Hm...

I'll quit doing the talking and just suggest that you read that article. If you read it, you will see he wasn't a racist. If you don't, then you're assuming he was for no reason.

Oh and he wanted to win is the whole reason? That might be part of it, but considering he was winning with all white teams before the SEC was integrated, I don't think it was the whole reason.

06-13-2003, 05:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
BlueBaron Reloaded Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 9,818 Rep Power: 8869104	I don't think you can label him a racist. Alot of teams back then had all white players. It was just a sign of the times. As far as I know there has never been any truth to Adolph Rupp being a racist. __________________

06-13-2003, 09:30 PM	#6 (permalink)
kansasalumn RUSH for Three says Owen Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Lenexa, KS (Kansas City Metro) Age: 35 Posts: 9,387 Rep Power: 548071	I don't think he was __________________ Please visit the College B-ball Forums, and experience REAL b-ball. click below College basketball forums ONE OF THE ORIGINAL HALL OF FAMER OF BASKETBALLFORUM.COM FORMALLY KNOWN AS BASKETBALLBOARDS.NET 2007-2008 Kansas Jayhawks, NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!! 5 Time Basketball National Champions (3 NCAA/2 HELMS) "The best thing about going to (Royals) games is to spend time with you", my dad couple seasons ago http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/kansascity/owenrocks----DONATE TO A GREATG CAUSE, AUTISM SPEAKS THANK YOU

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06-13-2003, 04:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
spartanfan2003 Banned Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Memphis, Tennessee (Originally from Detroit, Michigan) Posts: 6,537 Rep Power: 0	Who would name their kid Adolph?

06-16-2003, 04:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
OriginalWildcat Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: University of Kentucky / Lexington Posts: 115 Rep Power: 10	Little known fact: When UK played Texas Western in the 1966 championship game, with all talk of the Wildcat's all white team, the team they beat in the national semifinals, Duke, also did not have a single minority player. If Kentucky hadn't reached the championship game that season, it would be talk of Duke's coach at the time being a racist.

06-18-2003, 06:26 PM	#8 (permalink)
xubrew -PREMIUM MEMBER- Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: cincinnati Age: 33 Posts: 2,270 Rep Power: 33	i don't know if this will really speak for his character, but people that accuse rupp of being a racist always point to how he APPEARED (mind you) to have mistreated minorities on certain occasions. rupp mistreated everyone. he was hard nosed, gruff, and really didn't have very personal relationships with his own players. he wouldn't even speak to them outside of practice and games, and sometimes he didn't even speak to them then. he was that way with everyone who played for him or he recruited. he just wasn't a very personable pleasant person to be around and anyone that really ever played for him would probably agree. thats what i've heard anyway.

06-18-2003, 06:45 PM	#9 (permalink)
Tom -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Cincinnati Age: 45 Posts: 19,685 Rep Power: 6285236	Don't know if he was a racist but he thrived in a racist environment...this is Kentucky mind you. as long as he could continue winning with all white players the better off he was. Is that why even though losing in 1966 it took him until 1969 to sign a black player...we will never know.

06-18-2003, 06:56 PM	#11 (permalink)
Tom -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Cincinnati Age: 45 Posts: 19,685 Rep Power: 6285236	I'm respectfully not buying that All the good black players were taken...that wreeks of the absurd. I'll give the guy the benefit of the doubt. I believe if he really wanted it he could have gotten it...he was Adolph Rupp...either way it doesn't reflect well on Kentucky's past. All those racist feeling are gone now...with tubby's hiring.

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