How C.M. Newton changed the face of the SEC

[pmull]

While searching the internet for current information on Alabama Basketball I stumbled across this article on C.M. Newton. It takes you from his playing days at Kentucky, his three year minor league baseball career, head coach at Transylvania, head coach at Alabama, SEC office, head coach at Vandy, AD at Kentucky and the many other things he has done such as chairing the NCAA Tournament and being selected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

I knew he recruited Wendell Hudson to Alabama as the school's first black athlete. I did not know Alabama was the first SEC school to start an all black starting five (T.R. Dunn, Charles Cleveland, Leon Douglas, Charles Russell and Ray Odums).

This is a long story but I found it very interesting. Newton started an era of excellent basketball at Alabama that continued under his former assistant Wimp Sanderson. We are all hoping CAJ can bring a winning tradition back to Tuscaloosa.

Once Newton started recruiting the best players, regardless of race, the results were stunning and immediate:

1973-74: 22-4, tied for SEC title
1974-75: 22-5, won SEC title, first NCAA tournament invitation in school history
1975-76: 23-5, won SEC title, advanced to NCAA second round

Click here for link

[ricky023]

Yea he changed my life. He wouldn't give me a scholarship and auburn wanted me but I wouldn't go to auburn and play cause I was a "Bear" Bryant fan. RTR!

[2Stater]

Yea he changed my life. He wouldn't give me a scholarship and auburn wanted me but I wouldn't go to auburn and play cause I was a "Bear" Bryant fan. RTR!

Preacher, I'm guessing you were a 6' 9" power forward? 

[ricky023]

Yea he changed my life. He wouldn't give me a scholarship and auburn wanted me but I wouldn't go to auburn and play cause I was a "Bear" Bryant fan. RTR!

Preacher, I'm guessing you were a 6' 9" power forward? 

 , NO I was a guard in high school that loved playing the black gentlemen in those days. Pete Maravich was my idle and I could dribble after 100's of hours of practice, just like him. I even loved doing the Harlem Globetrotter things back then. I could make string music from downtown. I nowadays wonder why I didn't go play for the enemy for the education sometimes?    RTR!

[N.AL-Tider]

Yea he changed my life. He wouldn't give me a scholarship and auburn wanted me but I wouldn't go to auburn and play cause I was a "Bear" Bryant fan. RTR!

Preacher, I'm guessing you were a 6' 9" power forward? 

 , NO I was a guard in high school that loved playing the black gentlemen in those days. Pete Maravich was my idle and I could dribble after 100's of hours of practice, just like him. I even loved doing the Harlem Globetrotter things back then. I could make string music from downtown. I nowadays wonder why I didn't go play for the enemy for the education sometimes?    RTR!

Do you have any eligibility left?  CAJ might be in touch with you soon... 

[2Stater]

Yea he changed my life. He wouldn't give me a scholarship and auburn wanted me but I wouldn't go to auburn and play cause I was a "Bear" Bryant fan. RTR!

Preacher, I'm guessing you were a 6' 9" power forward? 

 , NO I was a guard in high school that loved playing the black gentlemen in those days. Pete Maravich was my idle and I could dribble after 100's of hours of practice, just like him. I even loved doing the Harlem Globetrotter things back then. I could make string music from downtown. I nowadays wonder why I didn't go play for the enemy for the education sometimes?    RTR!

You just answered your own question. 

[ricky023]

Yea he changed my life. He wouldn't give me a scholarship and auburn wanted me but I wouldn't go to auburn and play cause I was a "Bear" Bryant fan. RTR!

Preacher, I'm guessing you were a 6' 9" power forward? 

 , NO I was a guard in high school that loved playing the black gentlemen in those days. Pete Maravich was my idle and I could dribble after 100's of hours of practice, just like him. I even loved doing the Harlem Globetrotter things back then. I could make string music from downtown. I nowadays wonder why I didn't go play for the enemy for the education sometimes?    RTR!

Do you have any eligibility left?  CAJ might be in touch with you soon... 

I sure wish I did I can only dream what it might be like to play for such a coach as CAJ.  , RTR!

Yea he changed my life. He wouldn't give me a scholarship and auburn wanted me but I wouldn't go to auburn and play cause I was a "Bear" Bryant fan. RTR!

Preacher, I'm guessing you were a 6' 9" power forward? 

 , NO I was a guard in high school that loved playing the black gentlemen in those days. Pete Maravich was my idle and I could dribble after 100's of hours of practice, just like him. I even loved doing the Harlem Globetrotter things back then. I could make string music from downtown. I nowadays wonder why I didn't go play for the enemy for the education sometimes?    RTR!

You just answered your own question. 

Yea EDUCATION, guess I ain't never been overly accused of being the smartest book on the shelf.  , RTR!

[2Stater]

Yea EDUCATION, guess I ain't never been overly accused of being the smartest book on the shelf.

What I was getting at is that you wouldn't have gotten any education at the barn. That would be like saying you could get lobster at a Waffle House. 

[ricky023]

Yea EDUCATION, guess I ain't never been overly accused of being the smartest book on the shelf.

What I was getting at is that you wouldn't have gotten any education at the barn. That would be like saying you could get lobster at a Waffle House. 

  now that was a good one so I did make the right choice. RTR!

[N.AL-Tider]

Yea EDUCATION, guess I ain't never been overly accused of being the smartest book on the shelf.

What I was getting at is that you wouldn't have gotten any education at the barn. That would be like saying you could get lobster at a Waffle House. 

  now that was a good one so I did make the right choice. RTR!

Not sure if you made the right choice or not, ok, you did, but you are at least no worse off than you would have been...

[pmull]

Did any read the article?

[Leewillie]

Did any read the article?

I did. Great read. Reinforces my opinion of Coach Newton as the man who put Alabama Basketball on the map.  His proactive race relations approach made him a pioneer in college athletics. In addition to all that he was a first class  gentleman.

[ricky023]

Did any read the article?

I read the article pmull. I thought it was one of great grandeur for Coach Newton. He was, and did, as one of the best. There was one thing for sure he put Alabama Basketball up there where it was suppose to be and Coach Wimp kept it going till he got a little excited. RTR!

[2Stater]

Very good article. It does surprise me that Newton isn't as well known as many other coaches. He's done a lot for college basketball.

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