Basketball and the Catholic Role in Civil Rights

"In the locker room beneath the packed bleachers of the Municipal Auditorium here, Bill Derrick gathered the basketball players he coached at Father Ryan High School. They recited “The Lord’s Prayer” and said a “Hail Mary,” as they always did before tipoff. Then, with unusual emphasis, Mr. Derrick intoned two or three times, “Lady of victory, pray for us.”

"On that night, Jan. 4, 1965, he was seeking intercession for more than one kind of triumph. In a racially polarized city, Father Ryan was fielding an integrated team. And in this particular game, his team was playing one from Pearl High School, which because of segregation was entirely black.

"Nearly 9,000 spectators filled the arena to watch the first two high school teams to breach the color line in Nashville. They wondered which of these basketball powerhouses would win. They wondered, too, if the violence that had been rumored would erupt, especially as the two teams were in a tight game in the final seconds."

A recent New York Times article offered a look at one aspect of the Church's role in the struggle for civil rights in the U.S.

To access the complete New York Times "On Religion" article, please visit:

New York Times: Tense Scene on Basketball Court 50 Years Ago Recalls Catholic Role in Civil Rights (9 JAN !%)