Some of you old timers probably remember Ernie Shelby of University of Kansas, an All American Long Jumper in the late 1950's, teammate of Wilt Chamberlain, today a jazz singer and composer. This article appeared in KU's Alumni Journal this past week.
Alumni return for KU’s King celebration
Posted on Jan 20, 2015 in Campus News
Homer Floyd, d’61, KU’s first African-American football team captain, and Ernie Shelby, f’59, KU’s first African-American track team captain, returned to Mount Oread for Martin Luther King Jr. Day events Jan. 19 in Lawrence.
After a program in Strong Hall, the two participated in a candlelight walk with about 125 students and faculty members to the Kansas Union for a Social Justice Celebration. Later that evening, Floyd and Shelby were honored during the Jayhawks’ rousing 85-78 victory over Oklahoma.
Floyd was an all-conference running back, and Shelby was a national-champion long jumper. In 1957, the two, along with All-America men’s basketball team captain Wilt Chamberlain, ’59, and All-America sprinter Charlie Tidwell, ’61, met with Chancellor Franklin Murphy to ask for his help in changing the discriminatory practices of Lawrence businesses.
At their urging, Murphy, c’36, convinced local businesses to provide equal service and access to African-Americans.
Floyd (left in photo below), who now lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, led the football team as co-captain in 1958 and went on to a distinguished career as a civil rights leader. Shelby (right), of Los Angeles, led the track team as captain in 1959, when the men’s team won the NCAA Outdoor National Championship. He won the national championship in the long jump in 1958 and ’59 and earned All-America honors. Shelby is a jazz composer and singer.
—Jennifer Jackson Sanner
These lines are from a Sports Illustrated report on the 1959 NCAA meet at Lincoln, Nebraska.
The University of Kansas, led by versatile athletes like Ernie Shelby (right), whose leap against the Nebraska sky gave him first place in the broad jump and who finished third in the low hurdles and fifth in the hop, step and jump, won the National Collegiate track and field championship last weekend at Lincoln in a two-day meet studded with bizarre and unlikely happenings.
Here's a youtube link to a recording of "Summertime", by Ernie Shelby.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id2cAndg0xI
Maybe he and Marty Liquori need to get together for a session.
Here's a youtube link to a recording of "Summertime", by Ernie Shelby.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id2cAndg0xI
Maybe he and Marty Liquori need to get together for a session.
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