Rainbow Coalition honors MSU

Rainbow Coalition honors MSU
Photo by Sid Salter

July 11, 2013

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Chicago honored players from the 1963 "Game of Change" that pitted Mississippi State University against Loyola University in the NCAA basketball tournament. MSU's participation in marked the first time a Mississippi university played an integrated team in NCAA competition. Attending the event in Chicago from MSU were, left-to-right: Larry Lee, Rosemarie Gold (the widow of the late MSU 1963 team captain Joe Dan Gold), Bobby Shows, Stan Brinker, Don Posey, and Jackie Wofford. The organization also honored team member Leland Mitchell, who died the day prior to the event. Also attending was MSU alum Robbie Coblentz, the producer/director of the documentary film "One Night in March." MSU and Loyola will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1963 game when the Bulldogs host Loyola in basketball in the Humphrey Coliseum on Dec. 1.