Taking A Look Back … Fact Filled Friday – the 1930s

Today, I decided to do something a little different on the blog … and before you say, “I like Taking A Look Back,” I will continue to take a look back, but on Fridays we are going to change it up a little bit. Every Friday from this point forward will be now known as “Fact Filled Friday” so that we may tie different items in to the blog even if they are not from the historical records.

However, today I have tied the “Taking A Look Back” in with “Fact Filled Friday” and I want you to join me as we go back and tour the decade of the 1930s and historical facts that happened in that decade for Tuskegee University athletics.

The decade started in the 1930 and will continue all the way through until 1939:

1930 – Tuskegee won the SIAC and HBCU National Championships for the fifth time in school history.

1931 – The Tuskegee football team played in its first bowl game against Prairie View A&M University in the Prairie View Bowl – January 1 – in Houston, Texas … The game was the first of 17 bowl games played by Tuskegee in school history … Warren Logan Hall opened on January 9 on the Tuskegee campus … The football team claimed the SIAC championship … The first women’s basketball game was played in Logan Hall, led by coach Amelia C. Roberts, and Tuskegee defeated Talladega 19-10 … Tuskegee University hosted the 15th annual National Championships of the American Tennis Association August 17 through August 22, with Nathaniel and Franklin Jackson winning the national Men’s Tennis Association doubles’ championship.

1932 – Tuskegee won the SIAC championship in football.

1933 – Tuskegee won the SIAC football championship and played Prairie View A&M University in the Prairie View Bowl (January 1) in Houston, Texas … The Washington Baseball Field opened on campus, named after Booker T. Washington’s brother, James B. Washington – who is considered the “Father of Athletics” at Tuskegee … Nathaniel and Franklin Jackson won the national Men’s Tennis Association doubles’ championship.

1934 – Tuskegee won the first men’s SIAC basketball tournament by defeating Clark College in the championship game, 44-28, in Logan Hall (March 8-10) … The men’s one-mile relay team competed in the Penn Relays in Philadelphia for the first time … Nathaniel Jackson won the men’s National Tennis Association singles’ championship, while he teamed with Franklin Jackson to win the men’s National Tennis Association doubles’ championship … Cleve L. Abbott organized the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament for high school boys and girls.

1935 – The Tuskegee football team played Prairie View A&M University in the Prairie View Bowl (January 1) in Houston, Texas … Renovations to Alumni Bowl took place during this year … The men’s one-mile relay team participated in the Penn Relays … Franklin Jackson claimed the men’s National Tennis Association singles’ championship, and teamed with Nathaniel Jackson to claim the men’s National Tennis Association doubles’ championship … Cleve L. Abbott organized the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament for high school boys and girls in Logan Hall.

1936 – The first Tuskegee-Morehouse Football Classic took place in Columbus, Georgia … The football team claimed the SIAC football championship … Cleve L. Abbott entered the first all-Black women’s track and field team in the National Women’s Amateur Athletic Association Track and Field meet … Mable Smith was the first African American woman track star to win a national individual championship (18-0.0 in the long jump) … Lula Ballard won the Women’s National Tennis Association singles championship … Nathaniel and Franklin Jackson won the Men’s National Tennis Association doubles championship. Men’s Track One-Mile Relay Team participated in Penn Relays, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania … Edward Adams left Tuskegee, after 13 years as head men’s basketball coach, to take over the same position at Texas Southern University.

1937 – Between 1937 and 1950, Tuskegee women’s track team won 14 National Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) outdoor team titles, including eight in a row … Tuskegee athletes won 65 indoor and outdoor individual titles … Lula Hymes set two records in the ’37 title. The Tuskegee football team played Prairie View A&M in the Prairie View Bowl, January 1, 1937, Houston, Texas … Men’s Track One-Mile Relay Team participated in Penn Relays, Philadelphia.

1938 – Men’s Track Two-Mile Relay Team participated in Penn and Drake Relays, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania … Tuskegee hosted the National Tennis Championship … Starting in 1938, Margaret Peters and Roumania Peters won the Women’s National Tennis doubles championship (1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1950) … Franklin Jackson won the Men’s National Tennis Association singles championship. First Intercollegiate Golf Tournament held in Tuskegee on the Franklin Road Course.

1939 – Men’s Track One-Mile Relay Team participated in Penn Relays, Philadelphia … The Tuskegee football team played Prairie View A&M in the Prairie View Bowl, January 2, 1939, Houston, Texas.

I hope you have enjoyed our walk through the decade of the ’30s, we will continue to look back at different decades as we move forward each Friday.

Don’t forget to follow us on Social Media (all of the platforms @MyTUAthletics) and on GoldenTigerSports.com where we are counting down the Top 10 moments from the 2014-15 athletic season, where we will reveal the top moment on July 31.

We will also release information about the 2015 Tuskegee Hall of Fame induction ceremony and how you can become a part of that special night, later today.

Until next time,

Travis J. Jarome
Athletic Communications Director
Tuskegee University