Vinson’s Variety: A crossroads in sports, civil rights
About twice a year, I run into Dr. Jerry Hale, Warren County’s director of schools. Being that Dr. Hale and I have a common interest in sports, our past few conversations have been about sports.
Specifically, a good many of those conversations have focused on the Pearl High School (now known as Pearl-Cohn) boys basketball team of 1965-1966, which was state champions that year. Of even greater specificity, Dr. Hale and I challenged each other to name the starting five of that 1965-1966 Pearl High team. Until now, it has been somewhat of a draw, because both Dr. Hale and I could name four of the starting five: James Douglas and Walt Fisher at forwards, Perry Wallace at center, Ted “Hound” McClain and ________ at guards. However, for the life of us, neither could recall the name of the other guard, the fifth starting member of that 1965-1966 Pearl High team.
Before proceeding, though, a brief history is necessary: The school year of 1965-1966 was the first for integration in Tennessee, meaning: It no longer was mandatory that African-American high school students attend schools for “blacks only.” They were allowed to attend – integrate with – high schools previously attended only by white students. Subsequently, there was an integration of black and white sports in Tennessee. Although Pearl High School, which had been an all black school, remained a predominantly black school, the state ruling of integration allowed its sports teams to compete in mainstream TSSAA sports events.
Under legendary coach Cornelius Ridley, “Middle Tennessee’s most successful high school coach of all time,” the Pearl High School boys’ basketball team, indeed, went on to win the 1965-1966 TSSAA boys basketball championship, beating Memphis Treadwell 63-54 in the final, compiling a perfect 31-0 record along the way. Forwards Douglas and Fisher landed basketball scholarships at Memphis State University (now University of Memphis) and Fisk University, respectively. McClain attended Tennessee A&I, now Tennessee State University, where he set numerous scoring records, and went on to a successful career in both the NBA and now defunct ABA.
Graduating first, academically, in the Pearl senior class of 1965-1966, Perry Wallace signed a basketball scholarship with Vanderbilt University. Whereas most tall players were thin and slow back in those days, Wallace, at approximately 6-foot-5, 220 pound, was a bundle of pure athleticism: quick, strong, agile, and could jump out of the gym! For those of you who happened to watch this year’s NBA all-star game slam dunk contest, I wager that Wallace, in his heyday, could have pulled off most any dunk any of those cats managed – really!
Of even greater significance, Perry Wallace was the first African-American to sign an athletic scholarship in the SEC/Southeastern Conference. Not only did he go on to become Vandy’s second all-time rebound leader with 894 grabs – in only three varsity seasons, at that! He also graduated from Vandy with a degree in engineering.
These days, Perry Wallace is a professor of law at American University in Washington. Several months ago, I e-mailed Wallace and asked him the name of the fifth starting member of that 1965-1966 Pearl High state champion boys’ basketball team. Professor Wallace cordially returned my e-mail and informed me that the fifth starting member was one Joe Hebert. So, now, Dr. Hale, you and I will have to find a new conversation piece when we cross paths.
And thanks for answering my question, Perry Wallace, not only a leader on the hardwood court, but also in civil rights and education.
Mike Vinson is a Warren County columnist who can be reached at vinsonmike_b_@hotmail.com.