University of Virginia Library

Wake To The Fore

South of Charlottesville, in
Winston-Salem, Wake Forest
University has begun to take considerable
advantage of the talents
of Negro athletes. Starting in 1964,
Wake has recruited nine Negroes
for their football and basketball
squads.

Among them have been two
All-Conference football players,
Butch Henry and Freddie Summers.
Norwood Todmann currently
averages 12 points a game
for the Deacons on the court,
and their outstanding freshman
team is led by Charlie Davis
and Gil McGregor.

Wake Forest recruiters sought
other black athletes before the
first one agreed to play, all of
whom they lost to Northern
schools. But they have found that
as soon as the pioneers were accepted,
others showed fewer
qualms about playing in Winston-Salem.