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University Daily Kansan
Friday, April 19, 1963
Southern "White Enemy" Respected By McClinton
PROFESSIONAL STAR—Former Kansas Jayhawker football star Curtis McClinton was chosen the American League's Rookie of the year last year with the Dallas Texans. McClinton is at KU during the spring semester studying business.
By Vinay Kothari
Nobody loves the Southern white man more than Curtis R. McClinton, a 24-year-old All-American Negro football player.
"I find the South and its people very interesting," McClinton said. "I have a great degree of respect for the Southern white man because of his frankness and honesty and because he doesn't hesitate to tell me that he is my enemy."
He said, "I am able to learn more from the Southern white man because of his face value than the one in an environment such as this where it is customary to have double standards."
"Observing people helps me understand the community in which I live as a Negro," he said.
LIKE MANY sportsmen, McClinton likes people and enjoys observing them.
According to McClinton, the lack of communication between a white man and a Negro is the cause of discrimination and prejudice.
"Because of this lack of communication, people don't understand each other," he said. McClinton said he was convinced that the "only alternative for Negro is to force the communication and break down the barrier of misunderstanding."
"THE SOCIETY should judge the person as an individual but not as a particular group member," he said. "The American society has treated the Negro as a second class citizen despite his loyalty to the society."
He said he is not bitter about the segregation but there are several who are very bitter. He said there is a problem of human dignity involved.
"WHEN THE human dignity is involved, the society leaves me only one choice and that is to defend my community and self-preservation," he said.
McClinton said sometimes the society's treatment becomes so intolerable that "there is a temptation in the group to lean toward communism for recognition and power."
Commenting on the Negro's achievement in sports and music, McClinton said from the ancient period the white man used Negroes for his entertainment and gave them opportunity to develop their skills in these two fields. He said there was a period of cultural lag for Negroes.
But, he said, he would not make football a lifetime profession.
Speaking on his athletic career, McClinton said he gets opportunity to travel and interact in different geographical locations in the United States. He considers his athletic career very fortunate.
He said, "Football has its physical limitation. One is limited to consider it a lifetime occupation."
DESCRIBING football as a mere spring board for the economic, cultural and social future, McClinton said he would like to have a business through which he can render a personal service to Negroes and Negro community, which is considered non-parallel to the society."
A genial 230-lb. fullback for the Dallas Texans, McClinton was drafted as early as his sophomore year at the University of Kansas by the Los Angeles Rams and the Dallas Texans. But he signed a professional contract with the Texans of the American Football League, following his graduation at KU.
HE WAS named the best running back in the country in 1961 by a N.Y.
Giant professional football talent scout. He also earned a berth as the "American League Rookie of the Year."
Speaking on Texans, McClinton said the team is very good and has "sound financial base with youth and determination to succeed in its business." The team will be moving from Dallas to Kansas City, he said, because the team got a very favorable economic offer.
He said this change would be beneficial to the players as there will be more off season jobs available in Kansas City than in Dallas.
Unlike many football players, McClinton did not come to KU just to play football. He wanted to play football and also wanted to get a sound education.
The All-Big Eight halfback and a man with combination of speed and power, led the Kansas Jayhawkers in rushing in 1959 with 472 net yards — seventh in the Conference and 10th best single season total in Kansas history.
HE SCORED 40 points in 1959 and swept his 212-lb. bulk over the 60-yard indoor high hurdles in :7.4 to win the Big Eight championship. He was runner-up over 120 yards in conference outdoor highs, clocking as low as :14.3.
At KU, he proved himself a good catcher, ferocious cornerman, and frequently pinned ball-carriers for long losses in critical situations.
He was Big Nine Hurdle champion in 1960 and Sporting News All-American in 1961.
College coaches watched him play football in high school and were amazed at his performance. Several schools eagerly sought McClinton's services for pay, of course. He was offered different scholarships, but he accepted a KU scholarship which included tuition, books, room and board plus $15 a month.
After graduating from Wichita North High School, he came to KU and earned a bachelor of science degree in Education in 1962. At present, he is a student in the School of Business.
At Wichita North High School from where he graduated in 1958, he was selected the first Negro in the school's history as "Pigskin Pete." He was All-State champion in the high hurdles and was All-State in football and basketball. He was also YMCA, Wiseman High School All-American.
THE SON OF Curtis R. McClinton Sr., a real estate broker, he was born June 25, 1939, in Muskogee, Okla. The family moved to Wichita when he was 2-years-old.
McClinton has different views about marriage.
"I am not married because I am occupationally unstable and psychologically immature for a step which is very complex and delicate," he said.
WHEN HE was in high school, he participated in state-wide competition in voice and received a superior rating. He sang at the State Democratic victory dinner for President Kennedy and Vice-President Johnson at Topeka where his father was the State Representative of the 67th District, Sedgwick County. He had participated actively in numerous vocal concerts for Mu Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Scholarship Fund, the University of Kansas.
Don Pierce, public relations man for the KU athletic department, said McClinton is quiet and friendly. Some of his friends say he is very alert and has initiative.
McClinton said the secret of his success is his self-confidence and determination.
Portraits of Distinction
HIXON STUDIO
Bob Blank, Photographer
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THE OLD MISSION INN
The club played matches with the cricket teams of Kansas City. St. Louis, Kansas State University and Fort Leavenworth the last two years and lost only six of 20 games.
Lalit Kothari, Bombay, India senior, has been elected president and captain of the club for the year 1963. The other officers are Ramesh Gandhi, Bombay, India, junior, vice-president and vice-captain, and Pravin Kothari, Bombay, India, sophomore, acting secretary.
Matches will be held with the University of Missouri, Kansas State University, Fort Leavenworth Cricket Club, Kansas City Cricket Club, and St. Louis Cricket Club. The club is also planning to go to Canada during the summer to play several games there.
GERHARDT ZUTHER, assistant professor of English, has been selected as faculty adviser to the club
1904 Mass.
Cricket was brought to the Lawrence community during the summer of 1691. The team, formerly known as Lawrence Cricket Club, played its first game with the Kansas City Cricket Club in September 1961 and lost the game by a few runs. Despite heavy studies, 35 enthusiastic cricketers participated in the early games last year.
KU Cricket Club Plans Games With Five Midwest Teams
The KU Cricket Club will open its season shortly after the second week of April.
The team has a mid-west record of scoring more than 200 runs against the Fort Leavenworth Cricket Club. The highest scorer was Gandhi, who made 100 runs and remained not out,
The outstanding batsmen are Gandhi, Lalit Kothari, Pravin Kothari; Ramesh Doshi, India; Nerurkar; Syed Ali Hassan, Hyderabad,India, freshman, and Ramesh Bhuta, Bombay, India.
Among the top bowlers of the team are Lalit Kothari; Subhash Nerurkar, Bombay, India, graduate student; Gandhi; Vinay Valia, Bombay, India; Niranjan Vora, Calcutta, India, sophomore, and Navin Sanghvi, Bombay, India, graduate student.
GUY DALBY, employee of the Maupintour Travel Agency, introduced the game with the able cooperation of the British Consulates. The necessary equipment was imported from Canada and the ground was made available to the team by Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe at the east side of the Memorial Stadium
The team players included KU
faculty members, students and Lawrence citizens.
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