1966 Texas Western College NCAA Champs 20th reunion part 1

This was a local El Paso piece on the 20th reunion of the 1966 NCAA Basketball Champion Texas Western Miners Basketball team. The team had their 40th reunion back in 2006 when Glory Road hit theaters. The piece follows the Miners run through the NCAA tournament and what happened afterwards. Each member of the team is introduced at a UTEP game in 1986 at the end of the piece (which can be seen in part 2).

[@MrYoumitube]

Glory Road brought me here.

[@mr.ratlover7301]

Same

[@redsky3882]

As a kid I walked down to five-points across the street from the Sears store to watch the players go by on Montana Street after they returned from winning the Championship. Never will forget it.

[@07tahoe100]

Great coach and a university that stresses excellence!
(Class of 1966 alumni)

[@aleksandarstankovic75]

One of the greatest teams ever

[@bamfam8544]

I always make my kids watch this movie every year, Basketball Season

[@petersmith9254]

Been a kid in el paso during that time it was glorious

[@asavetmd]

I was there. I saw the Mid-East Regional the previous weekend in Iowa City that featured Michigan with Cassie Russel, Western Kentucky with Clem “The Gem“ Haskins, Kentucky with Pat Riley and Louie Dampier and Dayton. Spring Break was the next week and I drove to Hiattsville Maryland to visit my brother, only 5 miles from Cole Field House. I went to the campus Friday night and got a ticket to the Final for the face value, $10. The stands were less than half full because everyone knew the Kentucky-Duke winner would win the final, but as Chris Berman would say, “That’s why they play the game”.

[@person-xd3wb]

I actually think that was Herm Edwards who said that. Maybe Berman said it too.

[@ayeitsjay883]

Best Team in NCAA HISTORY

[@winkminer]

My husband was born and raised in El Paso. When he was 11 years old, he watched the game on television with his father. It was the greatest day! He states, unequivocally, that the in film, Glory Road, there are many untruths.

[@tkeith26]

I read that the championship took several seasons (3) from when Don Haskins got there. But still- the 1966 season was still an underdog story for them. They did face racism according to interviews made by the players.
It didn’t happen all in one season…
That was pretty much it. Also heard that winning to make race matters better was not a social point stressed by the team or media; however, I find that hard to believe. It’s 1960 US, no way ANYONE was oblivious of the social statements that their team was making.
So not very much, as far as I have researched was untrue- certainly the major point of the movie was true, which was:
In 1966 an underdog (Tex West) played all 5 starters as Blacks against powerhouse/legendary Kentucky who was all-white and won the NCAA championship.
Im not sure what else needs to be true.???? Even the names, positions and stats for the players were down to the money.

[@tomaszryzner5782]

Beautiful story. Greetings from Poland

[@richardcrosby7624]

The ball rolled around the rim five times before going in was like a omen, if Kentucky would have won it would have been five Championships consecutively, go figure.

[@johnmillar4374]

This makes me proud to be an american. The advancements of people of color since the 1960's is remarkable. Can you just imagine how things would be today if the black american's had been integrated after the emancipation proclamation in 1864? Black, white, tan, yellow, whatever. Great people are great people and we have seen over the last 50 years how great some people can be, of any race. It is getting better, and will continue to get better because PEOPLE are good.

[@johnmcduffie3095]

You wouldn't have all your white sports heroes. Babe Ruth wouldn't exist

[@johnmcduffie3095]

You understand African people were GREAT long before this game. They built pyramids all over this planet. They invented math and science.

[@anthonyeward]

I think his whole point is, who cares, Americans are Americans. Maybe there wouldn't be White sports heros or Black sports heros, maybe there would just be SPORTS HEROS.

[@anthonyeward]

This is also his point.

[@stevenbrown6720]

Yea we seem to advance the equal rights by voting in a person of color and after 8 yrs we seem to slid back decade's.

[@awesomeirlable]

Glory Road. :]

[@stever1791]

The Glory Road movie was not a real true story on the way things went. Adolph Rupp was a good man, and the movie made him look like a racist. He wasn't a racist - he was a good man and a great coach

[@norrislewis4001]

8:33 Did I just see someone Die

[@BBNTrashtalker]

This the greatest loss UK ever took in the championship

[@Fleischberg1]

"Don" Haskins' ist auch in der Basketball Hall of Fame seid 1997

[@bazkaanimations8334]

Joe Koch nien, ich libre basketball

[@magnatenews2879]

The beat Pat Riley....

[@BENNN_10]

welcome to online school.

[@Donut.79]

Only men's national champions in Texas

[@michaelwest720]

Krazy

[@johneger7094]

michaelwest720 Edith e. ger

[@MsRobinDuke]

Texas Western beat Kentucky!!!!!