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| Early 1930's DARK HORSES Front row: James Green, Raymond "Happy" Wilson, George Turner, Bev Taylor, Ish Phillips Back row: Coach Dr Beshears, John Jackson, Clarence "Baldy" Wilson, Elmer Smith, Coach Tim Mims |
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| Blue Valley Baseball League Coach kneeling Unknown Front row: Unknown, Unknown, Bob Johnson,Unknown "Frog" Back row: Bob Reasby (Atkinson), Unknown,Winnfried Jones, Earl Carr, Harold Johnson  The Boxing Team expected to make a strong showing at the Memorial Coliseum on Feb 7, 8 and 9 with finals on Feb 16. Front row:Sonny Washington, Harold Briggs, Elton "Newsboy" Ross, Earnie Jackson, Bob Johnson and Amity Blakey Back row: Instructor Art Taylor, Al Carr, Bob Reasby, Art Moore, Earl Carr, and Trainer Winnifred Jones |
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| Bethel A.M.E. Team
Bethel A.M.E. Team rated as an outstanding colored team in the state, took the title in the Comrade division
front row: Harold Briggs, Arthur Moore, Bob Reasby, Earl Carr, Bob Johnson
back row: Director Art Taylor, Sonny Washington, Amity Blakey, Ernie Jackson
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Golden Glove Tournament
Front row: Roy Lee, Junior Braggs, George Reed, and Coach Bob Johnson
Front row: Roy Lee, Junior Braggs, George Reed, and Coach Bob Johnson
Back row: Charles Glover, Paul Baker, Frank Lee, Herman Howard, and Paul Richardson
William B Hood Jr, born May 21, 1933, graduated from Davenport High School in June 1951. He played all sports - football, basketball, track and field - until his junior and senior years. While a junior in high school, Bill played against Franklin High School in Cedar Rapids where John Culver was attending. He was All Conference Mississippi Valley in football in 1950, but his sport of choice was track. In his junior year, he was a three-time State Champion in shot put. He was on the varsity track team for three years and in his senior year, he had the furthest throw for the discus and was 14th in the nation for shot put. Upon graduation from high school, he attended Drake University in Des Moines Iowa for one year and broke the freshman record for shot put (which stood for 10 years). He then joined the Marine Corps for three years and while there, he was on the Marine Corps Track team and in 1956 was All Service Far East Discus champion in Okinawa. Upon his discharge, Bill went to Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls Iowa (now known as University of Northern Iowa - UNI). There he broke the indoor shot put record for the varsity team. He graduated with a BA and Masters degree in Social Work from UNI.
9/2/11 Gazette Cedar Rapids man inducted into Iowa Hall of Pride
Cedar Rapids resident William Hood Jr. was recently inducted into the Iowa Hall of Pride, which honors past and present Iowa high school students involved in extracurricular activities, including athletics, academics and the arts. Hood graduated from Davenport High School in 1951.. He was a three-time shot put state champion.
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| TWENTY YEAR CLUB L to R Al Carr, Emery Sample and Bob Elliott |
Emery Sample, 20 years and Bob Elliott, 22 years. The trio has played together through most of the 20 seasons and all 3 list 1948' s Wilson Club as the best they played on. That team won 45-48 games with Sample hitting .525, Elliott was most valuable player in 1953 and Carr caught for Whitey's 1953 state champs. He worked for 25 years at Wilson and Co., retiring in 1971. Al served with the Army during World War II. He was a member of the Iowa Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame. He passed on Nov. 27, 1997.
First Black Homecoming Queen - Jefferson High School
Deborah Gibson
Debbie Gibson responded with typical feminine reaction Friday night when
she was announced as Queen of Jefferson High School Homecoming
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| Reggie Gibson
Reginald "Reggie" Gibson born February 5, 1939 graduated from Roosevelt High School in June 1957 where he lettered in football, track, and wrestling. He was the first Black high school wrestler in the city. Reggie wrestled at 137 lbs. During the 1960-1962 season, he received his varsity letter, played defensive end for the Kohawk Football team Coe College, and received a Coe Varsity Jacket. Reggie passed away October 10, 2008.
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| Sy Bassett |
Sy Bassett
Sylvester "Sy" Bassett, born May 27, 1952, graduated from Washington High School May 1971. While at Washington, Sy was a member of the football team and he wrestled, wrestling at 145 lbs, and was a 2 time All State Wrestler. Football became his sport of choice and his position as wide receiver garnered him All State Football. Upon graduating from Washington, he entered Ellsworth Junior College in Iowa Falls Iowa from 1971-1972. He was named MVP in 1971, All Conference Football for Defensive Back, and set the Junior College record for most interceptions in a game (6). For two years he started at strong safety for defense, was Team captain in 1975, was all Big 8 Conference Safety and winner of the Al Knutson Trophy (MVP) in 1975 while attending Iowa State University in Ames Iowa. He graduated from ISU in 1976 with a BS in Psychology and Education with minors in Sociology and Physical Education. he was inducted into the Washington Hall of Fame in 1990.
Tom Darden
Art Pennington
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Earl Carr
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| Earl Carr |
Earl Carr, born in 1920, was a natural all around McKinley School athlete being active in football, basketball, track and boxing. He got statewide attention in the state indoor track and field meet in Iowa City in the 1930s. At the meet, he won the high and low hurdles, the broad jump and became the second man in the history of Iowa's indoor track to win 3 state championships in a single season. He set a new record of 7.6 in the 60 yard hurdles beating out the 7.7 record set a year earlier by Mark Vollenweider of Dubuque Iowa. Track was Earl's favorite sport with the hurdles and broad jump being what he excelled in. Earl also did the short relays, the dashes and later tried the high jump where he began clearing the bar at 5'8". Earl played quarterback during his football career, which was unheard of in the 1930s for a Black man in America. Earl also boxed, entering the Golden Gloves Tournament twice. In an article written in the Gazette, he was described as the "Negro Ace" from Cedar Rapids who whipped his opponent with his right hand whipping across like a black snake whip.
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| Burdell Moreland |
Burdell Moreland (Junior) was born December 1, 1928. He played softball for the Elks Club and was also a member of the Iowa Manufacturing Golden Gloves of 1948. Burdell passed away January 10, 1962
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| Victor Brown |
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| Runnnin' Ronnie Ronnie Hendred Gazette Mar. 17, 1985 |
He then went out and became the first male Cornell runner to win a national title. Cornell joined the NCAA in 1936. Hendred won the 60-yard dash in a time of 6.41 seconds, or three-hundredths of a second faster than his performanace in the semifinals. I never thought it (a national title) would happen to me, but you've got to go into a race thinking you can be No.. 1"
Hendred was a standout 132-pound amateur boxer his junior year at Washingtron despite the protests of his track coach. Hendred won the state golden Gloves title in 1981 and dropped a second-round decision in the national meet.. He is a five time Silver Gloves titlist. Hendred, a junior psychology major at Cornell, is believed to be the first Washington graduate to win a national track title. He is Cornell's third national track champ ever.
Dedric Ward
(April 1997) Former Northern Iowa wide receiver was taken by the New York Jets late in the 3rd round. Ward had an all-American career at Northern Iowa, catching 208 passes four year career
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Washington High School 3/18/2012
Adrian earned eight varsity letters in three sports while at Washington High, Cedar Rapids, He lettered three times in football and basket ball and twice in track. He was selected as the Orville Rust Award winner in 2004, given to the most valuable male athlete in the senior class.
Adrian's outstanding athletic talent was very apparent at a young age. He turned heads in Metro Youth football games and Junior Warrior basketball games while in grade school.. Adrian played a few varsity football games as a freshmen, was named Honorable Mention All-Conference as a sophomore. 1st Team All Conference and All Metro as a junior and senior, 2nd Team All State def. back as a junior and 1st Team All-State & Elite All-State receiver as a senior. Adrian was named Gatorade Player of the Year following his senior season. He broke two career records that had been set 19 years earlier- career pass receptions (100) and career receiving yards (1547). He scored the only Warrior touchdown in the State Championship game - an 80 yard pass reception. That brought his career touchdown total to 23. He was an excellent kick returner and a free safety on defense. Adrian pulled down 11 interceptions in his career. His last two teams were MVC Champions and had a combined 21-2 overall record. He was co-captain his senior season. At the conclusion of his senior year he was rated one of the top 10 receivers in the country. This helped him get to play in the 2004 US Army All American Bowl in San Antonio..
Adrian earned four varsity letters playing wide receiver at the University of Michigan, the first one as a true freshman. He has several impressive career stats- ranks 5th all-time in consecutive games with a catch (26), 9th all-time in receptions for a season (67) and 10th all-time
for career TD receptions (16) Michigan went to the Alamo Bowl, the Capital One Bowl, and the Rose Bowl twice while he was there. His last game of his college career was his best having 9 catches for 153 years, 2 touchdown, and two spectacular catches (ESPN's #1 Play of the Day) in the Capital One Bowl. Adrian was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 7th Round of the NFL Draft in 2008. HE COMPLETED HIS 4TH YEAR WITH THEM HIGHLIGHTED BY A SUPERBOWL WIN IN 2010
Bev Taylor
Roosevelt High School 1953-1956. All State Quarterback 1955.
University of Iowa 1956-1960
