Bobby Joe Hill facts for kids
Hill, circa 1967
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 12, 1943 Highland Park, Michigan |
| Died | December 8, 2002 (aged 59) El Paso, Texas |
| High school | Highland Park (Highland Park, Michigan) |
| Listed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Career information | |
| College | UTEP (1961–1966) |
| NBA Draft | 1966 / Undrafted |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Tyrone Bobby Joe Hill (born June 12, 1943 – died December 8, 2002) was an American basketball player. He was a key player for the Texas Western College team (now called the University of Texas at El Paso). In 1966, he helped the Miners win the NCAA basketball championship. This victory was very important in sports history. Texas Western had an all-Black starting team. They played against the all-white University of Kentucky team.
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The Historic 1966 Championship
Bobby Joe Hill was a 5-foot-11-inch point guard. He played for the Texas Western college basketball team. In 1966, his team won the national title. They played against the top-ranked Kentucky team. Kentucky was nicknamed "Rupp's Runts." The championship game was in College Park, Maryland. Texas Western's win is one of the most famous games in college basketball history.
Texas Western's starting five players were all Black. They defeated the all-white Kentucky team 72–65. Bobby Joe Hill was one of the best players on the court. In the first half, he stole the ball twice from both Louie Dampier and Tommy Kron. He turned both steals into easy layups. He scored twenty points, more than anyone else in the game. His teammates were also very talented. They included Harry Flournoy, Nevil Shed, David Lattin, and Willie Worsley. Don Haskins coached Texas Western. Adolph Rupp coached Kentucky.
A Victory for Equality
The Miners' win over the Kentucky Wildcats was a huge moment. It was important for civil rights and for ending segregation in sports. It showed that skin color does not affect talent or ability. This victory is often compared to Jackie Robinson playing baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. During the 1965–1966 season, Don Haskins and the Texas Western team faced many challenges. They overcame unfair treatment and still triumphed against all odds.
Life After Basketball
After his college basketball career, Bobby Joe Hill stayed in El Paso. He married his college sweetheart, Walltina Malachi, in 1968. He worked as an executive for El Paso Natural Gas. Bobby Joe Hill passed away in 2002 from a heart attack. He was 59 years old. He was the first player from that famous starting lineup to die. Bobby Joe Hill is buried at Restlawn Memorial Park in El Paso, Texas.
Glory Road Film
The amazing story of Bobby Joe Hill and the 1966 Texas Western championship team was made into a movie. The film is called Glory Road. It was released in the U.S. in January 2006. This was forty years after the "fabulous five" changed college basketball forever. The actor Derek Luke played Bobby Joe Hill in the movie.
