Pioneers Nearby

(Wednesday, December 19, 2007)

Eight years after his death, John McLen don still brings people together.

The legacy of the late Cleveland State basketball coach drew more than 600 people to CSU's Wolstein Center on Tuesday, including some of the most notable names in sports.

The John McLendon Minority Athletics Administrators Awards Luncheon served to induct six minority pioneers in sports administration into its inaugural "Legends Class," and to honor Pittsburgh Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney for his role in mentoring minority sports administrators.

Tuesday night's Ohio State-CSU men's basketball game at The Q capped the day's festivities. Both events raised money for the McLendon Minority Scholarship Fund, which has awarded more than $300,000 to minority students pursuing graduate degrees in sports administration.

Among his many "firsts," McLendon was the first African-American professional basketball coach, with the Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League in 1961; the first African-American to coach at a predominantly white university when he took the CSU job in 1966; and the first black coach on the U.S. Olympic basketball staff, in 1968.

CBS college basketball commentator Billy Packer, who knew McLendon for years and calls him "an American treasure," emceed the luncheon and introduced the Legends Class:

Wayne Embry, former Cavaliers general manager and the NBA's first African-American general manager.

James Frank, the first African-American NCAA president and treasurer.

Ozzie Newsome, the Browns Hall of Fame tight end who became the NFL's first African-American general manager when he was hired by the Baltimore Ravens; Newsome could not attend because of an NFL commitment.

Gene Smith, a Cleveland native who is Ohio State's athletic director and the first African-American to serve in that capacity.

LeRoy Walker, the first African-American president of the NAIA and the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Bill White, a three-sport standout at Hiram College and Major League Baseball player who became the first African-American president of the National League. Bad weather prevented White from coming to Cleveland.

Also, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig presented the inaugural Mentoring Award named in his honor to Rooney. Rooney has served as chairman of the NFL Diversity Committee, which established NFL guidelines for hiring head coaches. The "Rooney Rule" requires NFL teams with an opening to interview at least one minority candidate or face fines.

Rooney said his father, late Steelers founder Art Rooney, instilled in him the importance of judging people for their ability and not their ethnicity.

Artice from www.cleveland.com