The first African-American to wear a Salukis basketball uniform was Mr. Cross, although he never played in a game for Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He was recruited to play for the Salukis in 1944 during a time when whites and blacks were segregated. SIUC was making strides to become integrated, and the school’s basketball coach was doing his part by recruiting Mr. Cross.

Unfortunately, Mr. Cross never was allowed to play in a game for SIUC, so he decided to quit the team and withdraw from school. As World War II raged overseas that winter, he was quickly drafted by the military and ordered to report for duty.

After his tour of duty in Germany was completed, he returned to college and played basketball, but not at SIUC. Later, upon graduation from two out-of-state colleges and with masters degree in hand, he returned to his segregated hometown high school where he taught classes and coached basketball. On and off the basketball court he taught faith, courage, leadership, teamwork, and respect for others.

I didn’t meet Mr. Cross until well after he had retired from education and coaching. Even though his life’s accomplishments were many, he wasn’t ready to retire from life just yet. He served on an endless list of boards and committees, and he enjoyed watching basketball games as a fan.

I ran into Mr. Cross at a high school super-sectional playoff game at the SIUC arena a few years ago. We discussed the future of one of the players who was a highly talented youngster. Mr. Cross showed concern about the youngster’s personal well-being and adjustment to the spotlight, not just his basketball skills.

Through his many years of experience, he had seen more than one talented youngster who could win on the basketball court, but who lost his way in life. Some of them lost sight of their family values while others got caught-up in their own personal glory. Mr. Cross had seen it all before and all too often.

As basketball fans, and even as human beings, we often judge others based on what we see. I think Mr. Cross had learned how to judge others based on how they reacted to what the rest of us see. His life-long mission was to teach his players, and all young people, the benefits of teamwork and respect for others.

Being the first is not always the easiest, as Mr. Cross told me once. He said he thought he was going to fulfill a life-long dream by playing college basketball in front of family and friends near his hometown. In the end he went away to find happiness and success, but he came back home to teach others about life.

The first African-American to play in a basketball game for SIUC was a fellow named Tucker, at least that’s what Mr. Cross told me. They both had plowed new ground by integrating college basketball in our area. Being able to “pave the way” for others to follow requires faith, courage, and leadership. Mr. Cross displayed all three, and we’re better off because he did.

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