Colorado’s Bill Collins, who stood up to Alabama’s segregated roster at the 1969 Liberty Bowl, passed away from cancer
PHOTO: Colorado defensive lineman Bill Collins was the Buffaloes’ first Black team captain.
***
Visit my homepage: TomShanahan.Report
— Click here for review and purchase link: THE RIGHT THING TO DO, The True Pioneers of College Football Integration in the 1960s and here for a purchase link to RAYE OF LIGHT, Jimmy Raye, Duffy Daugherty, the Integration of College Football and the 1965-66 Michigan State Spartans.
— Learn about our documentary at the fundraising stage, GAME CHANGERS OF THE CENTURY, and the Investment Deck.
***
By TOM SHANAHAN
Colorado’s Bill Collins, one of the overlooked giants of college football’s 1960s march confronting segregated teams in the South, died on Thursday in Dallas from a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Collins, 76, was a senior defensive tackle and team captain when he stood up to Alabama and its segregationist coach, Bear Bryant, at the 1969 Liberty Bowl. Collins was Colorado’s first Black team while sharing the role with two White teammates, running back Bobby Anderson and tight end Mike Pruett.
Anderson, a College Football Hall of Famer, told me the story while I was researching my book, “THE RIGHT THING TO DO, The True Pioneers of College Football Integration in the 1960s.”
Anderson recounted the tri- captains noticed as they walked to midfield for the pre-game coin toss that Alabama sent out 40 players from its all-White roster. Anderson and Pruett, in an impromptu decision, stepped back while telling Collins to represent the roster that included seven Black teammates.
Anderson is quoted on Page 332:
“We wanted to make a statement we were with our Black brothers. Bill showed great courage. He had a great game.”
Colorado’s stance at the Liberty Bowl is one of the many untold stories from the 1960s when the sports media avoided race. Many milestones of progress were ignored and lost to history. Colorado’s story is largely unknown outside of Buffaloes’ football lore.
In the first half, Colorado and Alabama traded scores until the Buffaloes took a 31-19 halftime advantage. Anderson said as the Buffaloes trotted to their locker room, Alabama fans shouted racial epithets and spit at them.
Denver Channel 9 feature on Bill Collins
On Page 333, Anderson added: “We’re in the locker room and all of the sudden we heard Bill Brundige screaming.”
Anderson referred to CU’s defensive end, a White teammate.
“He said, ‘Did you hear what they were calling our Black brothers?’ He was normally a calm guy, but he was emotional. He was livid with the Alabama fans.”
In the second half, Alabama rallied for a 33-31 lead until Colorado scored the final 16 points — two touchdowns and a safety — to finish a 47-33 victory.
More untold college football integration stories
— College football integration’s 40 most significant moments, 1954 to the 1970s – Tom Shanahan Report
— My lengthy catalogue of 1970 USC-Alabama myths and Bear Bryant fairytales – Tom Shanahan Report
— Clint Jones and his 1964 touchdown at North Carolina that history ignored – Tom Shanahan Report
We’re committed to telling the true stories of college football integration in the 1960s
Game Changers of the Century documentary development – Tom Shanahan Report
Earlier in the 1969 season, Alabama lost to integrated Tennessee 42-21 and in-state rival Auburn, which signed James Owens as its first Black player in 1969, defeated Alabama 49-26. Colorado running up 47 points on Alabama was followed by Alabama losing to USC in the 1970 season opener, 42-21.
But a myth crafted two decades after the game credits USC and Sam Cunningham’s performance for enlightening Alabama’s fans to allow Bryant to recruit Black athletes. The false narrative suggests Alabama’s fanbase was shocked by a team scoring 40-plus points, but Alabama allowed 40-plus points in three of its final four 1969 losses and two were against integrated opponents.
The myth also ignores Bryant had signed Bo Matthews and Wilbur Jackson to Southeastern Conference letters of intent on December 13, 1969, although Matthews ended up at Colorado.
But the media accepted the unvetted myths and the true pioneers of college football integration have been written out of history
Collins’ obituary isn’t likely to gain attention outside of Colorado media. ESPN, The Athletic (the New York Times sports page) aren’t likely to post anything, although by contrast the death of Cunningham in 2021 received national coverage.
Cunningham, according to Reggie Berry, a former NFL player and who operated an education outreach program in Southern California with Cunningham’s support, says Cunningham died feeling he had been manipulated by those who crafted the 1970 USC-Alabama game myths.
In June, Wake Forest coach Bill Tate, who desegregated the program in 1964 as the first southern school from a major southern conference to recruit Black players out of high school, died at age 93. The national media outlets ignored his obituary.
The same was true in 2024 when Bob Grant, one of the three Black players Wake Forest signed in 1964, died. Grant was the first Black player from a major southern school drafted by the NFL upon the Baltimore Colts taking him in the second round in 1968.
But Grant’s obituary, similar to Tate’s, was limited to Wake Forest-related media.
Here is more on Collins from the Colorado athletics website:
1969 Liberty Bowl Film, Colorado vs Alabama
College football lore also fails to understand Colorado’s 1961 team stood up to Jim Crow segregation in Miami. The Buffaloes, led by team captain Joe Romig, a College Football Hall of Famer, informed the Orange Bowl committee the team planned to boycott the game unless CU’s five Black players could stay in the same hotel and eat in the same restaurants.
The Orange Bowl backed down.
Both stories of the 1961 Colorado team, coached by Michigan State coach Duffy Daugherty Disciple Sonny Grandelius, and Colorado’s 1969 team, coached by Eddie Crowder, a part of a documentary in development: GAME CHANGERS OF THE CENTURY.
Game Changers of the Century documentary development – Tom Shanahan Report
-30-
I invite you to follow me on Twitter @shanny4055
Tom Shanahan is an award-winning sportswriter and frequent contributor to Spartanmag.com in addition to posting on his website. His new book on Michigan State leading college football integration is, “THE RIGHT THING TO DO, The True Pioneers of College Football Integration in the 1960s.” His first book was “RAYE OF LIGHT, Jimmy Raye, Duffy Daugherty, the Integration of College Football and the 1965-66 Michigan State Spartans.”
Below are links to click on to purchase my books focused.
My books tell the true story of college football integration in the 1960s and address the myths and fiction that allowed a false narrative surrounding the 1970 USC-Alabama game to usurp the credit from the true pioneers. As I said when I spoke at the National Sports Media Association book festival, no two books provide an accurate portrayal more than RAYE OF LIGHT and THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
I’ll put my facts up against anybody, anytime, anywhere. Watch here.
Click here for my story on the 1962 Rose Bowl and Segregation awarded first place by the Football Writers Association of America. I tell untold stories on Michigan State’s leading role and the true pioneers of college football integration. Click here to read the summary as a first-place story.
***
Click here to purchase The Right Thing To Do
THE RIGHT THING TO DO
The True Pioneers of College Football Integration in the 1960s
Foreword by Ruffin McNeill
***
Click here to purchase Raye of Light.
RAYE OF LIGHT
Jimmy Raye, Duffy Daugherty, the 1ntegration of College Football and the 1965-66 Michigan State Spartans
Foreword by Tony Dungy
DUFFY CHILDREN’S BOOK purchase links: Order from Barnes and Noble here and Amazon here.
