James Means’ TLSN celebration of life page is complete with photos and quotes from friends Click on the link James Means has passed away – Texas Legacy Support Network Chris Fisher, a Longhorn graduate, reflects on how playing high school sports transformed his life and how, as a coach and teacher, he channels those experiences to positively shape the futures of young minds. His response is to a poem by Thomas S. Jones, Jr. that says, “The Lad I Use to Be”. “Sometimes across the fields of yesterday, he comes to me—The little lad just back from play, the lad I used to be. And yet, he smiles so wistfully; once he has crept within, I wonder if he hopes to find the man I might have been.” Chris Says , I am not a former Longhorn athlete, but I am a TexasEx. I thoroughly enjoy each newsletter you send out, connecting the past to the present and sharing the full legacy of Longhorn athletics. Your reflection on the role youth sports and college athletics played in shaping your life led me to reflect on the journey sports has taken me. I am a high school football coach at Ridge Point HS in Missouri City, TX. I coached former Longhorn football player Cameron Townsend. I also was a backup offensive lineman at Waxahachie High School in the early 90s. Football and sports have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I am entering my 26th year of teaching and coaching, and I know my career is much closer to the end than it is to the beginning. I know how sports have shaped my life and given me opportunities I would not have had otherwise. I also know that if it were not for my time at UT, I would not be who I am today. I have so many foundational memories from my time as a high school athlete, my days of walking the 40 acres, and how they led to great memories of working with students and athletes as they prepare for their own journeys into discovery. Sports is an avenue that reveals to kids that they are capable of accomplishing their goals. Sports provides the simplest form of immediate feedback: you either did it or you did not. Both results provide valuable learning opportunities. The longer our experience in sports, the better we get at applying these lessons as our lives grow in responsibility and complexity. We learn from our successes and our failures. We keep going. This past school year I was awarded my campus Teacher of the Year. It was the first time I had ever received such an honor, and I know that it is due to the lessons I learned over the years from playing in sports, coaching sports, and how it all started when I decided to pursue teaching and coaching while a student at the University. Thank you for sharing the legacy of Longhorn athletics. Thank you for sharing your personal stories and reflections on how they shaped your life. I too know who that little lad is, and I believe he is smiling wistfully at the man he became. Sincerely, Chris Fisher Texas Ex, Class of 1999 Leigh Ann Fetter- Swimming A record-breaking swimmer at the University of Texas, Leigh Fetter-Witt was a fifteen-time NCAA Champion. Not only did she win the 50-yard freestyle all four years in college (1988-91), she also became the first woman ever to swim the 50-free in under 22 seconds. Simultaneously holding the American record in the 50-yard and 50-meter freestyle, she became only the third woman in NCAA history to win the same event four times. She represented the United States as a freshman at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. She finished fifth in the final of the women’s 50-meter freestyle. Returning to Texas, she won the 100 free her last three years and was a part of three national championship Teams. In 1989 she received the Female Athlete of the Year Award in Swimming, and 1990 she was the recipient of the Honda Award for Swimming, again recognizing her as the outstanding college female swimmer of the year. She became a member of the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 2003. Fetter later became head swim coach for the Greater Nebraska Swim Team and Lincoln Southwest High School men’s and women’s teams. 1988 Leigh Ann Fetter women’s swimming In sports, intangibles like “heart” are qualities that a computer cannot quantify. It’s not about your size, but the intensity with which you play. Players who may be considered small or slow but possess heart can elevate team chemistry and significantly contribute to overall success of a team. In my experience, especially in the 1960s, heart often proved a better measure of athletic performance than speed, size, or raw talent. Coaches Bryant and Royal understood the value of heart in a winning formula and secured multiple national championships with players whose greatest asset was their passionate commitment to the game. Both coaches sought recruits with dreams of greatness, aggressive traits, and natural instincts to hit. Athletes whose hidden traits concealed in the heart include grit, courage, attitude, passion, and a will to win— qualities that turn players into fierce defenders of their teams’ turf. Royal said, “I like recruits with Billy Goat instincts who can inspire their teammates.” He favored high school athletes who refused to run out of bounds, instead planting their cleats in the turf and driving a face mask straight upfield. He valued self-starters, noting, “If you spend time waiting for these promising boys to deliver, pretty soon you’ll be wearing a straw hat at Christmas.” Bear Bryant also recruited like Royal. In the book “Junction Boys” by Jim Dent, Coach Bryant says he doesn’t mind if a player is a little short in talent or stature if he can compensate for it with a big heart. Bryant said, “I can reach a kid who doesn’t have any abilities as long as he doesn’t know it.” Bryant also believed that “What matters…. is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.” “Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster. But sooner or later, the man who wins is the one who thinks he can.” I understand that viewing heart as a central part of recruiting may seem old-fashioned—even antiquated—to some. Still, I miss the recruiting process before computers reduced talent to one-to-five-star ratings. In the 1960s, heart mattered as much as speed or size. Looking at college football today, I wonder how many players from Coach Royal’s three national championship teams would be overlooked as recruits in 2026. It is no secret that, since Royal’s three titles, the Longhorns have won only one national championship using computers. That team, led by Vince Young and guided by Coach Brown’s leadership and coaching, defeated USC by playing with One Heart—a chemistry that transcends physical ability. Quite frankly, I do not believe a modern-day recruiting Freddie Steinmark would receive serious scholarship consideration. His greatest strengths came from the heart and could not be quantified. He was not especially fast, quick, or tall. What made him unforgettable, in my view, was something no stopwatch or scale could measure: his game-day intelligence, faith, strategic mind, and big heart. The photos below shows Mack Brown touching the iconic image of Freddie Steinmark before exiting the tunnel for a game in Austin; a copy of the book authored by Bill Little and Mack Brown discussing teams who play with One Heart; and Dean Campbell, a punt return specialist who stood just 5 feet 5 inches and weighed 155 pounds yet played an important role during Coach Royal’s national championship years. Mack Brown and Freddie Steinmark photo 1988-1990 Tennis All-American Joanna Plautz Joanna Plautz was a key member of the first Longhorn tennis team to reach the Final Four. She fondly recalls, “We were the underdogs who overperformed thanks to our camaraderie and grit.” That remarkable achievement came in 1990. Joanna has always embraced the motto LONGHORN STRONG! A dedicated and spirited team player, she earned All-American honors twice. I recently learned from some former Longhorn athletes that Joanna has faced significant health challenges over the past five years. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. If you would like to reach out, she has a Facebook page, or you can email me to request her contact information, as I prefer not to share her email publicly. I am Billydale1@gmail.com Photo of Joanna Plautz as the tennis winner of the Most valuable player award along with Fetter swimming, Hardison track, and Davenport volleyball. Babe Ruth and the Longhorns In the early years of professional baseball, teams often prepared for the season by practicing against college squads. Texas was among the selected teams, and on several occasions, members of the New York Yankees faced off against the Longhorns. The photos below feature Babe Ruth at bat against Texas, a portrait of Coach Disch, and the 1930 team that played the Yankees in front of 6,500 Longhorn fans. Babe Ruth delivered a three-run double in the ninth inning, securing a 4-2 victory over the Longhorns. Oscar Peeples is called to pitch against the Yankees but arrives late because he was managing overflow traffic in the stadium parking lot. In the photos below are Babe Ruth at bat against the Longhorns and the Longhorn team who played the Yankees. Above 1930 Babe Ruth at bat against Texas and below the team that played the New York Yankees The T-Ring – A Symbol of Finishing the Task Below and underlined is the link to “T-Ring Reflections”. T-Ring Reflection – The Article – Texas Legacy Support Network Coach Royal started the T-ring tradition to honor athletes who both played football and graduated from Texas. In Jenna McEachern’s book 100 Things…, she notes that Royal paid for the rings out of his own pocket. When asked why, he explained, “The players need to know it’s important to me. I want those boys who graduate, even if the only reason they do is to make the ol’ SOB pay for the ring.” Coach Royal was committed to academics. He knew that his duty went beyond athletics. He was responsible for ensuring the players were prepared for life after football. That is why he hired the first Academic Counselor in the nation. While he took great pride in winning football championships, he took incredible pride in celebrating players’ scholastic championships. As a result, four out of every five players who lettered for Royal graduated. Bobby Gurwitz said, “Having played at The University is like a badge of honor. I don’t carry a card that says I played at Texas. I wear that ‘T’ ring that Coach Royal gave us, and that is identification enough.” Keith Moreland stated, “I’ve got a  National Championship ring for baseball and a World Series ring, and the ‘T’ ring is just as important to me as those other two.” Dwight Jefferson says the T-ring says, “I finished the task.” Head coach Mack Brown embraced that tradition when he arrived at Texas in 1998 and stressed its importance, often stating that the Texas experience is incomplete without the T-Ring. “We’re excited about how hard our guys work in the classroom,” said Brown. “Seeing them earn their degrees and pick up their T-Rings is as rewarding as all the victories they’ve helped us get on the field.” Dallas Griffin, who was named the Anson Mount Scholar/Athlete, which recognizes the nation’s premiere scholar-athlete, who was named to the Outland Trophy list for the nation’s best interior lineman, confirms his feeling about receiving the T-ring when he says: “I don’t want to take anything away from the National Championship ring or other season rings, but this ring embodies the whole college experience for me.” That is why it is so special.” . Frank Denius, in his book On the Way, captures the essence of the T-ring for many recipients. He says, “There is a purpose in our hardships because they demand persistence and determination to overcome. Moreover, adversity and difficulty often draw out qualities in a person that otherwise might never be realized and incorporated into useful life.” I agree with Frank Denius. I agree with Frank Denius- Many student-athletes every year overcome injuries, obstacles, and other hardships to fulfill their dreams of earning their T-Ring. This group of men and women possess a unique spirit, focused commitment, and an irrepressible passion for having an equity stake in Longhorn traditions that honors the past, shapes the present, and empowers the future. As I look at my T-Ring 50-plus years after earning it, Frank Denius words resonate with me. Looking into the burnt orange stone on my finger with the white ‘T’ in relief is like looking into a crystal ball that reflects my past that determined my destiny. My reflection in the T-Ring confirms that overcoming hardship in my formative years was an important benchmark that prepared me for the journey ahead. The T-Ring validates my “four long, hard, years of studying , football practice, dealing with game day pressure, and a work ethic that help me cross that perilous bridge that DKR built for all players and mentioned in the poem The Bridge Builder” by Will Allen Dromgoole. Link to the history of the T-ring is below T-Ring Reflection – The Article – Texas Legacy Support Network T- Ring TlSN has helping hands when they are needed! Helping Hands Donation Form – Texas Legacy Support Network The highlights below are displayed at the North DKR entrance (open to the public), inviting visitors to connect with and appreciate the rich history of all Longhorn sports.

The post August7th 2026 Volume X and newsleter #16- James Means, Chris Fisher, Leigh Ann Fetter, One Heart Beat, Joanna Plautz, Babe Ruth, Dean Campbell, T-Ring Reflection, North End Zone appeared first on Texas Legacy Support Network.

Texas Basketball: The Top 50 Players in School HistoryTHAD NOVAKMAY 1, 2012Texas basketball is in a golden age as a program, having extended its school-record run to 13 straight NCAA Tournament appearances. That streak has been led by many of the most memorable players in the history of a program whose track record for producing top-level talent stretches back more than 60 years.Austin has developed into one of the leading stopover destinations for early entry-bound future pros.

50 greatest stars in Texas hoops history through 2012.

Texas Basketball: The Top 50 Players in School History

THAD NOVAK MAY 1, 2012 Bleacher Report

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1167696-texas-basketball-the-top-50-players-in-school-history

 

 

47. Karl Willock (1982-86)4 was an outstanding defender who won Defensive Player of the Year as a senior, but he didn’t force enough turnovers to make a dent in the Longhorns’ all-time steals charts.Where Willock did shine was as a distributor, dishing out 361 assists to place 10th in school history for his career.

46. Kenton Paulino (2002-06)5 hit arguably the single greatest shot in Longhorns history, a 25-foot buzzer-beater to stun West Virginia and put Texas in the 2006 Elite Eight.For his career, Paulino is one of just five players all-time at UT to shoot better than .400 from three-point range.

45. Joe Fisher (1961-1964) was a prototypical back-to-the-basket center. Joe muscled his way to a .613 field goal percentage as a senior  (5th best in program history) while leading the Longhorns in scoring. fisher’s brawn served him just as well on the glass, where he averaged 10.7 rebounds per game that year, the 8th-leading figure all-time at Texas

#44 Jordan Hamilton 2009-11: During his one year in Austin, he made quite an impression on the NBA teams. The 6/7″ swingman earned himself a sport in the first round of the draft averaging 18.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game to lead a deep Longhorns squad in scoring

43. Al Almanza (1958-61) was a key factor in earning the Longhorns’ first NCAA tournament berth in 12 years. During his career, he averaged 8 rebounds a game- the 10th best figure in Longhorn sports history.

#42 – J’Covan Brown 2009-2012 A valuable complementary scorer for two seasons . He blossomed into a full-fledged star. Brown averaged 20.1 points a game and 3.8 assists a game while providing leadership for a young Longhorn roster.

FROM THIS PHOTO ON, THE PLAYER’S IMAGE PRECEDES THE ATHLETE’S RECORDS.

41. Carlton Cooper (1981-85) A fine scorer who averaged as many as 17.2 points a game in a Longhorns uniform, Carlton Cooper was even better on the boards. His 692 career rebounds are the 10th-best total in Texas history.

40. Tristan Thompson (2010-11)Tristan Thompson established himself as a terrific college player. The 6’8” Thompson averaged 13.1 points, and 7.8 rebounds per game for 2010-11’s 28-8 squad, and his 86 blocks were the third-highest total in program history. Tristan played for the NBA champion Cleveland cavaliers

39. Jason Klotz (2000-05) Jason Klotz was never much of a scorer, posting just 11.2 points per game his senior year. On defense, though, the 6’9” center was a reliable force, blocking at least 21 shots in each of his four full seasons (despite limited playing time overall) to finish with 103 rejections, ninth in Longhorns history.

38. Gabe Muoneke (1996-00) four-year starter as a combo forward, Gabe Muoneke was a respectable rebounder, but his real stock-in-trade was scoring. Muoneke finished his career in 15th place on the Longhorns’ scoring charts with a total of 1,456 points.

37. Daniel Gibson (IS PHOTO BELOW) (2004-06) 6’2” combo guard, Daniel Gibson was a competent passer (3.5 assists a night) and a lethal outside shot.His 101 three-pointers made as a sophomore are the highest season total for a Longhorn not named A.J. Abrams, and his 175 treys for his career are tied for seventh-best in program history.

36. Brandy Perryman (1994-98) There have been plenty of scorers with gaudier totals than Brandy Perryman, but few better pure shooters have ever worn a Longhorns uniform. Perryman hit 210 career three-pointers (fifth-best for a Texas player), and his career free-throw percentage of .897 is a school record.

35. P.J. Tucker (2003-06) Undersized but physical at 6’5”, 225 lbs, P.J. Tucker did his best work in the paint. He scored as many as 16.1 points a game, and his three-year total of 714 rebounds is the ninth-best figure in school history. P.J. played for the 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks.

34. Dexter Pittman (2006-10)17 Physically imposing at 6’11”, 290 lbs, Dexter Pittman didn’t always live up to his potential in a Longhorn’s uniform. Even so, the hulking center finished his career with 124 rejections to rank eighth in school history, and for all the holes in his offensive game, his .623 career shooting percentage is a Texas record. Dexter played for the NBA champion Miami Heat.

33. Justin Mason (2006-10) A surprisingly effective rebounder for a 6’2” point guard, Justin Mason grabbed 3.5 boards a game for his Texas career. He was even better as a distributor, dishing out 378 assists to tie for seventh in Longhorn history.

32. Chris Owens (1999-02)19 Chris Owens didn’t have the most impressive length at 6’7”, but the Tulane transfer proved to be one of Texas’ most successful post players.He averaged as many as 15.8 points and 7.4 rebounds a night for the Longhorns, and his 159 blocks in three seasons (including a school-record 92 as a junior) place him sixth in program history.

31. Roderick Anderson (1993-95) The most successful juco transfer in Texas history, Roderick Anderson led the nation in steals (3.4 per game) as a senior. For his two-year career as a Longhorn, Anderson finished ninth in program history in assists (362) and tied for eighth in steals (165)

29. Dan Krueger (1972-76) IS PHOTO BELOW- Like many of Texas’ top point guards, Dan Krueger took full advantage of playing alongside an elite pure scorer. Krueger, who spent two years of his career in Austin setting up Larry Robinson, finished with 378 assists to tie for seventh in Longhorn history.

Dan Krueger

27. Jim Krivacs (1976-79) success was hard to come by in Austin in the 1970s, but when the Longhorns won the 1978 NIT, tournament co-MVP Jim Krivacs had a lot to do with it. The sweet-shooting Auburn transfer poured in 1,673 career points, a school record at the time, and still good for eighth in program history.

25. D.J. Augustin (2006-08) just two seasons in Austin, D.J. Augustin proved that he belonged among the greatest point guards ever to wear a Texas uniform. Augustin dished out 452 assists, fifth-best in program history, while scoring 16.9 points a night and shooting .402 from long range.

24. LaMarcus Aldridge (2004-06) PHOTO BELOW – As good a finesse player as Texas has ever had in the post, LaMarcus Aldridge used his daunting 6’11” height to make up for a lack of physicality. Aldridge’s sophomore year showed just how NBA-ready he was, as he grabbed 339 rebounds (the 10th-best total in school history) while scoring 15 points a night.

LaMarcus Aldridge

Lance Blanks

23. Lance Blanks (1988-90) After barely seeing the floor in two years with the Virginia Cavaliers, Lance Blanks transferred to Texas and caught fire to become the “B” in Texas’ “BMW Ultimate Scoring Machine” offense. The 6’4” SG averaged 20 points per game for his two-year career, the fourth-best mark in Longhorns history. Blanks, who was also a fearsome defender (averaging three steals a game in a Texas uniform)

22. NO PHOTO! Alex Broadway (1984-88)29 outstanding passer whose 457 assists place fourth in Texas history, Alex Broadway was just as impressive for his efficiency. Broadway’s assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.8 is the fifth-best for a Longhorn career, and he holds the single-season school record in that category at 2.96. (no photo)

20. Larry Robinson (1969-72) The star of the only Texas team to post an NCAA Tournament win in the 1970s, Larry Robinson racked up 23 points and 14 boards in beating Houston in 1972.The punishing Robinson averaged 9.7 rebounds a night for his career, the third-best figure all-time for a Longhorn.

Larry Robinson

16. Slater Martin (1943-49) It’s entirely possible that Slater Martin would have set the school assist record in his war-interrupted Texas career…but we’ll never know because Texas didn’t even keep the statistic until 1972-73.What Martin did accomplish was leading the Longhorns to their first Final Four during his sophomore year, not to mention scoring a then-school record 984 career points.Martin’s postseason experience would immediately come in handy in the NBA, where he helped George Mikan’s Lakers win their second straight championship as a rookie. Overall, Martin would win five titles (one with the Hawks) and make seven All-Star teams, averaging 9.8 points and 4.2 assists per game in an 11-year Hall of Fame career.

14. Joey Wright (1988-91) -photo below- The final letter in Texas’ ballyhooed BMW Scoring Machine lineups, Joey Wright, was the top three-point marksman for those offense-happy Longhorns. The 6’3” sharpshooter hit a school record 41.5 percent of his career treys, piling up 1,819 points in all to place seventh in school history.

13. B.J. Tyler (1991-94) (photo below), another transfer who thrived in Austin, left DePaul after his freshman year and filled up the stat sheets as a Longhorn. The 6’1” point guard ranks 12th in school history in points (1,502) and third in assists (480).

Kris Clack

12. Kris Clack (1995-99)39 the most complete players Texas has ever seen, Kris Clack was a 6’5” swingman who played even bigger.Clack ranks among Texas’ all-time top 10 in points (1,592), rebounds (771), blocks (101) and steals (239, second-best behind Terrence Rencher).

11. Raymond Downs -Photo below-(1954-57) One of the first true stars for Longhorn basketball, Raymond Downs was absolutely overpowering as a pure scorer.His junior-year average of 26.4 points per game is still a school record, and only Kevin Durant has topped Downs’ career mark of 22.3 points a night.

9. A.J. Abrams (2005-09) Standing a mere 5’11”, A.J. Abrams was nevertheless a pure shooting guard. Undersized as he was, Abrams was the best three-point shooter in Texas history, with 389 treys (a school record by nearly 150) and 1,969 career points (third-best among Longhorns).

6. Chris Mihm (1997-00)- photo below- The Longhorns haven’t had the benefit of many true seven-footers in their history, but Chris Mihm was a welcome exception.An immediate hit upon his arrival in Austin, Mihm averaged 14.6 points a game for his career, grabbed 945 rebounds (fourth-best in program history) and set a school record with 264 blocks, recording three of the top five single-season rejection totals for any Longhorn all-time.

5. LaSalle Thompson (1979-82) best true center by a wide margin, 6’10” LaSalle Thompson averaged 16.8 points per game in Austin—and his scoring was his weakest attribute.Thompson’s 145 blocks stood as a school record for 10 years (they’re now seventh all-time), and his 1,027 rebounds (now third on the Longhorns’ charts) kept him in first place for two decades.

4. Johnny Moore (1975-79) – photo below- Although he was only the third-best scorer on his own team, Johnny Moore’s 1,482 career points were more than any Longhorn had managed in the 20 years before his arrival. Moore’s real gift, though, was setting up high-scoring teammates Ron Baxter and Jim Krivacs, which he did in spades, nearly doubling Dan Krueger’s career assist record to 714 (still the highest total in school history by more than 100). Moore went on to a terrific NBA career spent largely in feeding George Gervin in the Spurs’ high-powered offense. Although he never made an All-Star team, Moore averaged at least nine assists per game for five straight seasons, leading the league in that category in 1981-82.

3. Damion James (2006-10): 48. Just 6’7”, Damion James didn’t keep him from becoming one of Texas’ most devastating post players. James’ 1,917 points are fifth-most in program history, and he shattered James Thomas’ school record with 1,318 career rebounds..

2. Terrence Rencher (1991-95) -photo below-One of the best two-way guards you’ll find at any college program, Terrence Rencher could take over a game with or without the ball in his hands. Rencher dished out 440 assists (sixth-best in school history) and holds the program records with 255 steals and an eye-opening 2,306 points.

1. Kevin Durant (2006-07) Just below Carmelo Anthony and Anthony Davis on the list of history’s greatest one-and-done freshmen, Kevin Durant turned in the best individual season for any Longhorns player ever. The first freshman to win either the Naismith or the Wooden Awards, Durant swept both by averaging 25.8 points per game (second-best in school history) and 11.1 rebounds a night (third-most for the program all-time). Kevin was on the NBA champion Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.

 

 

 

 

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The post 7/24/2026 Volume X Newsletter #15 , UT’s Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Americans, James Means, Leon Fuller, Royal and Street, Wilmer Allison, Estes, Cockrell, Luna, Reeves , Softball , Bad Weath – appeared first on Texas Legacy Support Network.

Below are photos of James’ memorabilia showcased at his funeral, along with photos of some Horns who attended.

“James Means” broke racial barriers and stands as a symbol of integration and courage in Longhorn history.

James Means Obituary

UT Track, James Means 1st to Integrate the SWC, 50 Years Ago
by David Webb

On February 29, 1964, James Means came out of the blocks in the heats of the 100, 200 and led off the UT sprint relay (as he then did for four seasons) at a very cold weather meet in Amon Carter Stadium in Fort Worth.  This marked the first participation in a Southwest Conference event by a black athlete.  If you hear it said or written that Jerry Levias of SMU or John Westbrook of Baylor were first, it is not so.  Westbrook was the first football player in a game, Levias was the first football player after him, and a star, but both first played in 1966, almost 3 years after James Means. Several witnesses to this, in addition to me, are copied on this email.

James was also a star.  He steadily progressed a from a 10.2 walk-on sprinter to 9.5 in his fifth year, after taking off the 1965 season because he felt he was not making progress.  The next year, James was both the first black at Texas to earn a scholarship and the first to then become what we used to call a “Letterman.”  James ran 9.5 his senior season in 1968 and narrowly missed 1st in the SWC 100 that year.  In 1969, he ran on the U.S. Army sprint relay, leading off for Olympians Mel Pender and Charlie Greene.

This is the guy for whom the “James Means Spirit Award,” given annually to a track /field athlete, was named.  He was my roommate on the track trips for the three years our seasons overlapped.  When I called him today to congratulate and reminisce, I asked if any UT Coaches or Staff spoke to him in the Fall of 1963 about any issues or if he was was ever hassled about race by any teammate, other schools’ runners or fans.  He said no.  It apparently happened that smoothly in track and UT was, not early in all things, but in this, was first.

Congratulations, James!

The university’s first black varsity scholarship athlete was track star James Means, an Austin high school student who planned to attend UT in the fall of 1963. His mother, Austin civil rights activist and teacher Bertha Means, called Frank C. Erwin Jr., who was then a new member of the Board of Regents, to protest the fact that her son was ineligible for varsity track only because he was black. A few months later, the Board voted unanimously to integrate athletics, stating that extracurricular activities would be open to all students without regard to race or color.

By the early 1960s a majority of students favored integration both on the playing field and off. In May 1961 the Regents received a Student Assembly and faculty petition with 7,000 signatures to support “the immediate integration of all housing and athletic programs.” A concurrent petition from students opposing integration contained only 1,300 signatures.

Vol. 4 No. 21 James Means, University of Texas, the First African American Athlete in the Southwest Conference

Back in the 20th century, the Southwest Conference (1914-1994) was one of the premier college athletics groups in the United States.   Schools included the Universities of Arkansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas Tech, Texas Christian, Rice, and Southern Methodist.  In the early days, my own alma mater, Oklahoma, was in that group.   Football was king, and still is, though the conference melded into the Big 12 a few years ago , and the evolution of college conferences continues at a mind-boggling rate.   However, over fifty years ago the Southwest Conference was also burdened with the stigma of segregation in its enrollment and coincidentally with the lack of the diversity in its athletic teams.  Hispanic athletes may have participated to a limited extent, but the line was clearly drawn regarding descendants of former slaves. Wanting to confirm this statement about Hispanic athletes at UT, I wrote to Ricardo Romo.  See his reply at the end of this posting. 

In 1963 Lyndon Johnson, a native of Texas, became president in the aftermath of John Kennedy’s death, and Johnson began making integration of the nation a believable option for all citizens.  At the Texas Relays in April of 1962 there were freshly painted-over signs in the football stadium that had promoted segregated washrooms.  Johnson’s daughters were students at the University of Texas at that time, so when I witnessed those painted over signs, it was understood that those things could no longer be allowed to exist with an administration committed to a path toward civil rights and freedoms.

This story about the first African American athlete to play in a Southwest Conference athletic event comes from  David Webb, a retired attorney from Houston, Texas, who was on that team.  He writes about his teammate James Means who was that athlete who stepped forward.   Following David’s account I have added the ‘official story’ of that time, as published in Know a  University of Texas Online Journal.

The name “James Means” is shorthand for the athlete who integrated Texas Athletics and the Southwest Conference. When Longhorn fans or Texas track historians say “James Means,” they’re pointing to a very specific legacy:

• First African American student-athlete at the University of Texas (1963–64).
• First African American competitor in any sport in Southwest Conference history (Feb. 29, 1964).
• First African American to earn an athletic scholarship at UT (1965–66).
• Sprinter and relay runner with a career-best 9.5 seconds in the 100-yard dash.
• Letterwinner and contributor to two SWC championships (1966, 1968).
• Texas Athletics Hall of Honor inductee (2023).

Sunday, March 30, 2014

James H. Means Jr., UT’s first African American student athlete, to be inducted into Hall of Honor

courtesy of Texas Athletics

The path was never a typical one for James H. Means Jr. Now, nearly 60 years after his remarkable career running track at Texas, he’ll get his flowers.

This Friday, Means is set to be inducted into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor along with 10 other former Longhorns, a nod that’s long overdue given his contributions to the University.

Means walked on to Texas’ freshman track and field team in 1963 and, in 1964, he made history running for the school’s main team at the Fort Worth Recreation Meet. There, he became not just the first African American student-athlete at Texas, but the first in the entirety of the Southwest Conference.

Means was a pioneer for the widespread integration of college athletics in the southern United States, opening the door for countless student athletes of color. In addition to his trailblazing efforts, Means was a star on the track for the Longhorns.

After sitting out for a year in 1965, in 1966 Means also became the first African American student athlete to receive a scholarship at Texas. He was a letterwinner from 1966-68 and his talent as a sprinter helped the Longhorns in winning a pair of Southwest Conference Championships in 1966 and 1968.

A lifelong Austinite, Means worked for his family’s taxi business, now called Austin Cab. His mother, Bertha Sadler, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 100, was revered in the community as an activist and educator. Her petitioning to Texas Regent Frank C. Erwin Jr. regarding her son’s inability to run track played a pivotal role in the inclusion of student athletes of color.

Means and the 10 other Longhorns getting inducted will join the Hall of Honor this Friday and will receive a special salute at halftime of the Texas football game versus Wyoming at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

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Tampa isn’t Gainesville, doesn’t have “The Swamp.” But this IS Gator Country and Florida’s new head coach was comfortably at home with the media this morning. Jon Sumrall, 44, came off as an outlier at SEC Media Days in one way: He’s the first SEC coach this year to seemingly impress the press. And it’s a tough crowd.
A year ago, Sumrall led Tulane into the playoffs. Tulane. Chomp on that awhile. He previously won big at Troy. Now he’s got a squad with 34 transfers and 24 freshmen. Challenges abound. But Sumrall is beaming rays of enthusiasm, and says that’s just who he is. “I may have some bad moments; I don’t have bad days. I got life pretty good.”

The head Gator told us he preaches hard work, enthusiasm and “no whining, no complaining, no excuses.” Asked if he lives up to it himself, he smiled and allowed that he can struggle with that mantra when dealing with his kids at home. Right about then, some reporter’s phone tones went off for ten seconds.
“And you would be kicked out of our team meetings,” Sumrall said, shaking his head.
“I swear, like….you’re lucky I’m not going to throw this podium right now,” he motioned in the direction of the guilty party. “That drives me crazy.” He was wearing a wry smile…but Sumrall made his point.
In this era of guarded answers from almost all coaches and players, Sumrall’s candor refreshed. He drew laughter when he referred to one past loss with “They beat the s%#t out of us…we played ’em again when they had a different coach and they beat the s%#t out of us.”
Florida struggled through a 4-8 season in ’25 and fired Billy Napier. But they manhandled the Texas Longhorns at “The Swamp,” 29-21 in a game that wasn’t as close as the final tally. The two teams will duke it out for a third straight year, rare in SEC circles, in mid-October at DKR. And Sumrall will have prized RB Jadan Baugh back in a Florida uniform. The 6-1, 230-pound truck ran over the Horns for 107 tough yards on 27 carries last autumn and that ugly loss ultimately kept Texas out of the playoffs.
Baugh was considered a hot portal commodity but his allegiance to UF didn’t waver once he met his new coach. “He came to my grandmother’s house on Christmas day,” Baugh told us, explaining that Sumrall brought the whole family and the dog.
The coach impressed the kid. The kid no doubt made an impression on Texas. Another date to circle on your fall calendar: October 17.

Post-It Notes: A&M coach Mike Elko cleans up well in a suit and no longer resembles your cable guy, as he appears to be on the Aggie sidelines. Looks much closer to the Ivy League grad (U of Pennsylvania) he is. And Elko had perhaps the most honest “the truth hurts” admission of the day. A writer asked him how, after a 2025 season as a playoff team, he keeps his squad from being satisfied with last season’s accomplishments.
“I show ’em our trophy case,” he responded. “And it’s empty.”
A&M safety Marcus Ratcliffe was equally succinct when I asked him about last year’s Texas game. “They played a better game,” he said. When I surveyed three writers who cover A&M to predict the Aggies’ record, I got 10-2, 9-3 and 8-4. I’m going 9-3. *** According to the Austin American-Statesman, the average price of a Longhorn game ticket is $261. Ohio State in Austin and A&M at College Station average more than 500 clams and the Texas-OU showdown in Dallas is listed at just under $500.
Cheapest ticket is $93 for UTSA. I recall getting “Knothole Section” seats in the north end zone for 50 cents as a little kid. Been a minute. **** Kalen DeBoer of Alabama comes off as almost laid back, when answering media questions. I got to ask him to compare his two Qbs, Keelon Russell, a Texan, and Austin Mack. He gave a well rehearsed answer and I didn’t learn anything. (I’m predicting it’ll be Russell, former Gatorade National Player of the Year out of Duncanville.) But when I spoke with Bama’s hard-hitting safety, Bray Hubbard, he allowed that the Tide’s head coach is not low key in coaching mode. “He’s got some fire to him, Hubbard testified. “He’ll let it loose.”
And Hubbard, a dude who looks fraternity cool, did use “fire” in the collegiate manner to describe his two favorite Tuscaloosa eateries. When I asked him that, with these shout-outs, there might be an NIL deal in the making, he laughed. “Nah, I’m not worried about that. And they’ve already got too much of my money.”
Hubbard will team with CB Zabien Brown to form the backbone of perhaps the SEC’s best secondary. But questions remain. Who’s the man at QB? And can Bama bounce back from an uncharacteristic inability to run the ball? Georgia turned the Tide back in the title game. Minus three yards on the ground. Five-star freshman EJ Crowell should provide the juice to get things up to speed. I can see Bama back in the playoffs.***

Ole Miss broke out a Heisman campaign of sorts this week, one that pushes both QB Trinidad Chambliss and RB Kewan Lacy, who hails from Dallas. They’re joined on the Rebel offense by Johntay Cook, the DeSoto guy who played for the Longhorns, then got a cup of coffee in Syracuse last fall before landing in Oxford. “Johntay Cook is my dog,” Lacy said today. “He’s looking very explosive and ready for the season…He brings a lot. I feel like he brings that fire we need.”
Chambliss, bespectacled and sporting a bow tie, is easy to see as ready for an impressive Heisman acceptance speech a la Fernando Mendoza. He provides thoughtful answers and flashes a smile befitting a man nearing top o’ the world status.

(TLSN’s Larry Carlson is a member of the Football Writers Association of America. He teaches sports media at Texas State and would love to own a Florida condo.)

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Bum Phillips said, “Fuller was the best football player I ever had at any level.” That would include Earl Campbell.  Bum Phillips introduced Fuller to Bear Bryant and the Alabama Crimson Tide and Fuller did not disappoint Bear Bryant.  In his first year, Fuller made the All-Southeast Conference team at safety, and during his senior year he made the all-star team on both offense and defense and served as team captain. He also received honors as the 1960 MVP of the Bluebonnet Bowl, which was played against Texas, and was selected to the North/South All-Star Game and the Senior Bowl.  Bear Bryant fondly remembers Fuller as “the little man with the big heart.”

Fuller’s years as a Longhorn defensive coordinator 1977-1981

Leon Fuller is regarded as one of the best defensive coaches ever at Texas. He was the architect of successful defensive strategies during the early years of Coach Akers ‘ reign as Longhorn Head Coach.  Akers was wise to hire him because Fuller’s defense kept the Horns on top of the National college football leader Board while Akers’ offense struggled to score points.  Leon Fuller instantly became a favorite among Texas fans and alumni, as his defensive units frequently ranked among the nation’s best.

William Graham (1979 -1981) says of Coach Fuller he “taught us how to study the game. “ “Coach Fuller knew how to reach us. He could take a player wherever he was and help him understand so that when he walked on the field, he had no doubt about what he needed to do or his ability to do it.”

Mike Smith  –Incredible player, recruiter, teacher, motivator and even better human being. Thanks as usual, Billy!

 

• Trooper Keeton  I tried to hook him up with Mike Leach at Tech.

• David Safely  One of the best defensive coaches ever!

• Patricia Pevoto -Wonderful coach!

• Cathy Kirk McJunkin- Loved him, great coach and developer of young men.

 

 

 

• 

1981 Coach Fuller’s defense at work: Mays, McCune, Hunter, Sims, Sendlein

 

Johnny Sky Walker says, 

Coach Fuller was instrumental in my decision to attend the university of Texas in 1980 as a freshman from high school. I was recruited by every school in the Southwest Conference, Nebraska, USC, and several others. Meeting Coach Fuller for the first time was like meeting a friend that I had known forever; he was honest and very sure that the University of Texas was the best school for me. He was absolutely correct! I’d see his smiling face every other Thursday at the coach’s office at Killeen High School, where he would always tell me to continue to work hard as a student-athlete because my future is very bright! Coach Fuller was absolutely right; I made the right choice, and the rest is history! Thank you, Coach Fuller, for everything! May You Rest In Peace!

 

John Haines played under two excellent defensive coordinators in Leon Fuller and David McWilliams.  Larry Carlson asks John, “How would you compare or contrast their coaching styles?”

JOHN: Leon Fuller was the coordinator for most of my time at Texas. Leon was a great, intense teacher with a dry sense of humor.

Billy—good article on Coach Fuller. Akers brought him to Midland in the early 80s when I was president of the Midland-Odessa Texas Exes. 

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Frank John Mozola

Jun 24,

 

Jim Bayless , top row far right sent the following remembrance of John to head tennis coach Bruce Berque.  

Bruce,

You may wish to notify Longhorn Tennis Nation of the loss of JOHN MOZOLA, a former UT No. 1 player (1968-70) and mentor to many (including my teammates and me when he was a UT law student).  John passed away yesterday in Amarillo.

John, a native of Houston, was a scholar (BBA, 1970, with honors; JD, 1973, with honors), a renowned civic leader and a distinguished attorney in Amarillo.  Known throughout the state, he was a perennially top-ranked player in Texas in the juniors (and Texas Junior Davis Cupper) and men’s singles for years.

On the court, he was a master tactician without peer.  Incidentally, in the relatedness of all things,

Avery Rush, another former UT No. 1 player (1969-72), and John were brothers-in-law.

Jim Bayless

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