Syracuse University recognizes 'sacrifices' of former football players

Jet, Oct 23, 2006 by Melody K. Hoffman

It took 36 years, but it was well worth the wait.

In 1970, a group of bold and courageous football players, just 19 and 20 years old, walked out of practice and boycotted the Syracuse University (SU) football season in their efforts to battle racial injustice. Now, the group that became known as the Syracuse Eight will be recognized and honored at SU for their sacrifices and their courage to stand up for what they believed in.

This week, on October 21, the former players will be presented with the Chancellor's Award for Courage and an announcement of "The Syracuse Eight Endowment Scholarship" academic award will be presented. The eight are Greg Allen, John Lobon, Duane Walker, A. Alif Muhammad (formerly known as Al Newton), Clarence McGill and Dana Harrell, all graduates who have careers in education, business and government. Two players are considered "missing" after an unsuccessful search by a private investigator hired by SU. Those players are Richard Bulls and John Godbolt. Ron Womack also supported the boycott and will be honored.

During halftime of the football game, the Eight will be presented with Letterman's Jackets, a token they've never received.

"I'm sort of speechless about the whole thing," Duane Walker, who was a senior the year of the boycott, told JET. "I'm honored that the university would make this major step in atonement for what I feel was rather unfair treatment on us young Black men back then."

In the spring of 1970, the eight players walked out of practice after discrimination persisted and their demands for better medical care, stronger academic support and the integration of the all-White coaching staff had not been addressed. This walkout resulted in a tremendous sacrifice for the men-they missed the entire season, forfeited their collegiate experience and potential professional football careers.

"It was very traumatic," Greg Allen revealed. "Some of us had been courted by different NFL teams and we all knew once we took this stance, we were in jeopardy of losing that dream."

SU alum and legendary NFL star Jim Brown helped the Eight with their negotiations. An independent committee of SU students and faculty was formed to investigate the players' allegations and concluded their accusations were true.

"To have vindication and to not be looked at as a militant, a bad guy, it's indescribable," John Lobon said.

"I'm happy because [the university] has the intelligence to recognize something that happened that's historical," Brown told JET. "The gesture takes some courage; it takes a person of conviction."

Larry Martin, associate vice president for program development at Syracuse University, said the Eight's reunion last year prompted the weekend tribute, which was co-chaired by SU alum Angela Robinson and former SU wide receiver and NFL star Art Monk.

"People were so touched by their presentation that they said we have to do something to recognize these men and their sacrifices. It helped to make this university a better university," said Martin. "When they boycotted the team ... at that time in 1970 you just didn't do that at any major university. Particularly African-American ballplayers; it was unheard of."