The Game of Change and Integration
Overview of the Game of Change
It was March of 1963, the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, and Mississippi State’s participation in the NCAA basketball tournament held the potential to set a new precedent in athletics and make university history. Despite being banned by state legislative order from playing against integrated teams, MSU Men’s Basketball Coach George Ireland, backed by the support of President Dean Colvard, allowed his all-white team to face integrated Loyola University Chicago in the NCAA tournament, a team whose starting lineup included four black players. Both Loyola and Mississippi State battled for the right to play, but in the end, Loyola emerged victorious, with the game ending in a final score of 61-51. Although the game against Loyola, now referred to as the Game of Change, ended in a loss for the Bulldogs, MSU’s participation in the historic game was a major victory for the University in its journey towards racial integration.
Mideast Regional Basketball Tournament Program, March 15-16, 1963
Displayed above is the official program for the Mideast Regional Basketball Tournament that took place in March of 1963. The cover displays two white men playing basketball, demonstrating the lack of diversity in college sports during the Civil Rights Movement. Inside the program, there are many photographs of the teams enrolled in the tournament. Revealingly, all of the teams are somewhat integrated… except for Mississippi State.
Telegram, Unsigned, to President Dean W. Colvard, 1963
Here is a telegram addressed to President Dean W. Colvard from an anonymous resident of Greenwood, MS. The writer communicates their opposition to MSU playing Loyola in the NCAA tournament, expressing their hope that MSU would lose the game, causing a riot. This item provides a minor example of the opposition to President Colvard’s push for integration. This telegram is unfortunately just one of countless other letters, telegrams, and publications written to protest the Game of Change.
Letter, Alan L. Pugh to Dean Wallace (D. W.) Colvard, March 6, 1963
Unlike the previous telegram, this source is a letter from Allen Pugh, Mississippi State Legislator, in which he approves of President Colvard's decision to allow the MSU Basketball team to play in the NCAA Tournament. Support from the Mississippi Legislator regarding the MSU vs. Loyola game serves as evidence that advocates for integration, though rare, existed in government.
Conclusion
Athletics has a unique potential for unity or division, as sports have an unmatched ability to impact the relationships of the involved parties. In 1963, The Game of Change lived up to its name, pioneering the push for integration at Mississippi State University. These three selected items help to paint the picture of the beginning of integration in athletics as well as the tension between those in support and those in opposition. The Game of Change was so much more than a basketball tournament. The decision to let the team play the Game of Change set the precedent for integration, not only in athletics, but at Mississippi State University as a whole.