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Jackie Robinson’s UCLA team played at Illinois State in 1940
Monday Marked 50 Years Since Robinson’s Death
Monday, Oct. 24 marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947. Before his decade of excellence with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Robinson was a college sports star and in one notable moment, his UCLA basketball squad played at Illinois State.
On Dec. 21, 1940, Robinson’s Bruins team lost to Illinois State 37-21 in Normal at McCormick Gym, the former home of the Redbirds. Eight decades later, hoops historians still look back on the night that the great Jackie Robinson came to the Illinois heartland.
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Though he is best known for his baseball career that changed American culture, Robinson was a four-sport letterwinner at UCLA, the only athlete in that school’s history to hold that distinction. In addition to basketball and baseball, he also participated in football and track.
Robinson excelled in many of his sports at UCLA. In football, he led the nation in punt return average in both 1939 and 1940, and averaged 12.2 yards per rushing attempt in 1939, when the Bruins finished #7 in the AP poll. He was the NCAA champion in the long jump in 1940.
Oddly, he played only one year of baseball at UCLA and struggled, hitting just .097 in 1940. However, Robinson stole home 19 times, a sign of both his incredible talent and on-field aggressiveness.
On the hardwood, the 5’11 Robinson averaged 12.4 points per game in 1939-40 and 11.1 in 1940-41. Despite Robinson’s contributions, the Bruins struggled, going 8-17 and 6-20 in those two years, respectively. But the legend of Jackie Robinson was just beginning, and when he brought his UCLA squad to Normal that night, there was plenty of hype.
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The Illinois State – UCLA matchup featured two of the top black athletes in the nation in Robinson and the Redbirds’ John Scott. Though he was far less known, Scott had plenty of athletic credentials of his own.
Scott was a product of the hoops hotbed of Centralia and head coach Arthur Trout, who led the Orphans to 811 wins in a storied 37-year career. At Illinois State, he was a three-sport standout and collected fourteen championships in his three years as a Redbird.
The basketball program reeled off a 35-7 record in conference play with Scott, a four-time all-conference pick. The Redbirds’ basketball captain in 1940-41, Scott was also a two-time captain of the Illinois State cross country team. In addition, he was a top member of the school’s track team.
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Though Robinson had more fame, the night belonged to Scott, who scored a game-high 21 points. That was as many as the entire UCLA team managed in a 37-21 Illinois State win. Robinson was held to just two baskets, for four points.
Seven years later, Robinson played his first game for the Dodgers and, in 1949, became the first black player to win a Most Valuable Player award. A six-time All-Star, Robinson won the National League batting title in 1949, and led the league in steals twice. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
After years of battling heart disease and diabetes, Robinson died of a heart attack at his Connecticut home at age 53 on Oct. 24, 1972. Today, Robinson is remembered as an icon of American sports, overcoming rampant racism that is just now becoming fully understood.
After ISU, Scott went on to play for the Harlem Globetrotters for two seasons. In 1972 – the year that Robinson died — he was inducted into the Illinois State Athletics Hall of Fame. Scott, who pursued a career in the medical field, is also a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, another honor in a remarkable life.
Thirty years after Robinson’s night in Normal, the Illinois State men’s basketball program also made history with the hiring of Will Robinson (no relation), the first African-American head coach in NCAA Division I history, in 1970.
The appearance of Jackie Robinson at Illinois State, and his heralded matchup with John Scott, remains a seminal moment in hoops history in the state of Illinois.
Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville. He may be reached at 217-710-8392 or ilcivilwar@yahoo.com.
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FELONIES
Ronald R. Arnold, 35 of Gillespie, is charged with aggravated battery in a public place in connection with a December 28 incident.
Kenneth E. Ray, 39 of Bethalto, is charged with aggravated fleeing while involving the disobedience of two or more official traffic control devices, fleeing/attempting to elude officers, speeding 25-34 mph over the limit, and driver’s license expired more than a year in connection with a December 19 incident.
Jacklyn M. Wichman, 30 of Decatur, is charged with possession of methamphetamines (< 5 grams) in connection with a December 30 incident.
MISDEMEANORS
Levi R. Ladendorf, 31 of Staunton, is charged with battery/causing bodily harm in connection with a July 17, 2023 incident.
Demian E. Ellis, 46 of Benld, is charged with battery/making physical contact in connection with a December 30 incident.
Steven D. Lewis, 33 of Virden, is charged with two counts of violation of a protection order in connection with a December 30 incident.
TRAFFIC
Jason A. Keffer , 28 of Standard City, is charged with canceled/revoked/suspended registration in connection with a December 23 incident.
Daniel R. Gooding, 36 of Carlinville, is charged with driving on a suspended license and operating an uninsured motor vehicle in connection with a December 28 incident.
Douglas D. Davis, 27 of Benld, is charged with driving on a revoked license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and expired registration in connection with a December 26 incident.
Brandon E. Swarringin, 26 of Carlinville, is charged with driving on a suspended license in connection with a December 21 incident.
DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE FILED
- Terry L. Lumma versus Robert L. Lumma
MARRIAGE LICENSES
- Pietro Lentini of Carlinville and Anna Jean Triplett of Greenfield
- Morgan Barber and Emilee Bridgwater, both of Benld
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Summer Repertory at Carlinville is pleased to announce the return of a comedy play to the stage. Performances of Ripcord will be held January 17 and 18th at 7:30 PM and January 19 at 2 PM at Blackburn College Bothwell Auditorium.
Ripcord, by David Lindsay-Abaire, is based in the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility. The rivalry of odd couple roommates Abby and Marilyn, results in high stakes comedy of conflict for control of territory.
Cindy Rice and Joe Hardy bring their combined experience directing the small cast of seasoned actors.
Rice, who has directed place and musicals In Illinois and Texas, spent 15 years co-directing musicals at North Green high school.
Hardy, who began acting at age 7 with notable roles in Summer Repertory Theatre’s Shrek The Musical, The Little Mermaid , and Suessical, has also performed at several Springfield, Illinois, theaters. He has a BA in Theatre Performance from SIUE.
Tickets for Ripcord may be purchased at the door only. Ripcord is rated PG-13. For more information, see Summer Repertory Theatre at Blackburn College Facebook page.
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The Partnership for Educational Excellence is gearing up for an exciting trivia night on Saturday, February 15, 2025.
The lively evening is the education foundation’s one-and-only fund raiser. Proceeds will allow The Partnership to continue programs benefitting all CUSD7 students. Since 1992 the it has awarded more than $1 million to the improved and continuing educations of local students.
Since 1992 every student in every classroom in CUSD7 has benefitted from classroom mini-grants, school-wide academic grants, and – over the past three years – district-wide grants of $90,000 for improved and enhanced student computers.
In addition, The Partnership offers individual $2,000 academic tuition scholarships to GHS graduates enrolled in accredited state and private, academic and trade colleges and universities. In 2024, a record 40% of GHS graduating seniors received these awards.
The “For the Love of Education” Trivia Night will be held at the Gillespie Civic Center, 115 North Macoupin (behind City Hall). Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the competition begins at 7:00 p.m.
Mulligans will be for sale; games and lightning rounds will keep the evening lively; and a variety of door prizes will be awarded. Contestants are invited to bring their own beverages and snacks. Alcoholic beverages are permitted with a photo I.D.
In addition, The Partnership’s annual Grand Raffle will kickoff. Two “early bird” winners will receive $100 each on February 15. Their tickets will remain eligible for the grand prize of $5,000 on Saturday 12 April 2025. The fee is only $100 per table, up to 10 people per team.
There are four ways to register:
- phone Director Mary Griffel at 217-556-5456;
- visit www.thepartnership7.org to register online or to print out a mail-in form;
- write to The Partnership, P.O. Box 125, Gillespie IL 62033.
