Men of Glory Road to champion troops’ spirits through
Armed Forces Entertainment tour

January 22, 2007 download story

Five members of the Texas Western Miners 1966 NCAA Championship basketball team will reunite to tour with Armed Forces Entertainment, lifting troops’ spirits throughout Europe, Feb. 12-22. This team’s true story inspired the Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions film "Glory Road,” which captures the hardships a multi-racial team endured in 1966 in order to win the coveted NCAA national title.

When Miners' Head Coach Don Haskins started five African-Americans in the NCAA championship game in 1966, he went where no other college team had gone before. The civil rights movement to end discrimination against blacks was in full swing. And though the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed institutional racial segregation, it was still common to find all-white college sports teams, particularly in the South.

Coach Haskins enlisted talent that could win Texas Western (now University of Texas at El Paso) a national championship; which they did, upsetting number one seated Kentucky 72-65 for the national title. Winning that crucial game served as a catalyst for college teams to aggressively recruit black athletes, ending years of racial segregation in college sports. The Miners' national championship game is recognized as one of the NCAA's "25 Defining Moments in the 100 year history of the NCAA."

“We had no idea at the time that the championship would change the course of college sports,” said Harry Flournoy, Jr. starter for the 1966 Miners Championship game. “Bringing only our distinct story of grueling teamwork and a message of hope to the troops, we intend to encourage them to continue their selfless efforts—carrying on the true American spirit.”

The Men of Glory Road will be represented by five members of the Miners’ 1966 team including, Louis “Flip” Baudoin, Jr. (Albuquerque, NM); Nevil “The Shadow” Shed (San Antonio, TX); Harry “Cricket” Flournoy, Jr. (Los Angeles, CA); Albert “Togo” Railey (El Paso, TX) and David “Big Daddy” Lattin (Houston, TX). Steven “Trigger” Tredennick (Round Rock, TX) who played with the Miners prior to their championship season will also travel with the team.

“Working with the Men of Glory Road, I know first-hand how inspirational their story is and how much they love to share it,” said Marine Corps Captain Jesse Davidson, Armed Forces Entertainment circuit manager for the Europe circuit. “The troops will enjoy meeting and speaking with these heroic trendsetters as they used teamwork to achieve a common goal, a strategy military personnel know very well.”

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Armed Forces Entertainment is the lead Department of Defense agency for providing entertainment to U.S. military personnel serving overseas, with priority given to those in contingency operations and at remote and isolated locations. The Department of the Air Force is the executive agent of Armed Forces Entertainment.

Founded in 1951, Armed Forces Entertainment brings a touch of home to more than 500,000 troops annually, embracing the best of Americana that stretches across all genres of entertainment. Visit www.armedforcesentertainment.com for more information.

To learn more about the Men of Glory Road, visit www.utep.edu/gloryroad.

Men of Glory Road schedule:

For general information on this and other AFE tours coming into the Europe/Balkans Circuits, please contact:

George DeGrella
Regional Coordinator, Europe Circuit
+49 6302 67 7999 (International)
06302.67.7999 (In Germany)
DSN 314-496-7999
george.degrella@sembach.af.mil
Location: Sembach AB, Germany


Capitan Jesse Davidson, USMC
Circuit Manager, Europe Circuit
Commercial +1 703 601 0129
DSN 312 329 0129
jesse.davidson@pentagon.af.mil
SIPR: jesse.davidson@af.pentagon.smil.mil
Location: Washington, DC, USA