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Men's Basketball to Honor Houston, Smith, Whitehead
February 17, 2014 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 17, 2014
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville men's basketball's 2013-14 campaign signifies an already publicized moment in program history, the Cardinals' 100th season of basketball. While celebrating this centennial of basketball and the nation recognizes Black History Month throughout February, UofL will honor three pioneers during its Feb. 18 men's basketball game against USF.
Fifty years ago, UofL head coach Peck Hickman and assistant John Dromo recruited and signed three African American basketball players: Wade Houston, Sam Smith, and Eddie Whitehead. It was the first instance a predominantly white college in the state of Kentucky had any on its roster at the time. That initial trio will be honored during a timeout late in the first half of Tuesday's game.
After playing on the freshman-only team in 1962-63, a rule mandated by the NCAA forbidding freshmen from playing varsity which was lifted in 1972, the trio moved up to the varsity team and helped lead the program to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Houston, the first of the group to earn a scholarship to play at UofL, lettered from 1963-66 and twice earned a bid to compete in postseason play. Following the Tennessee native's career in which he earned bachelor's and master's degrees, Houston went on to coach Male High in Louisville to the state tournament twice and the 1974-75 Kentucky state championship.
In 1975, he was hired at UofL as an assistant coach and helped direct the Cardinals to a long tenure of success. In his time on the sidelines, Louisville made four Final Four appearances, with the 1980 and 1986 seasons culminating in NCAA titles. Fourteen years later in 1989, Tennessee hired Houston and he became the first African American head coach in the Southeastern Conference. His teams participated in two NITs and he was named the NABC's District 7 Coach of the Year.
Upon leaving the coaching profession, Houston became involved in a series of business acquisitions and transactions, including becoming partners in Active Transportation Co. Automotive Carrier Services, Dallas & Mavis Specialized Carriers and ATC Leasing Company. In 2001, he diverted his attention to concentrate on Houston-Johnson, Inc.
Smith played one season at the varsity level with Louisville, averaging 9.2 points per game. Of the three, Smith was the first to see action in a game. Smith transferred to Kentucky Wesleyan in 1964 after his sophomore year and eventually led the school to the 1966 College Division National Championship (now the NCAA Division II Championship). He continued his career in the professional ranks, playing in the ABA from 1968-71 before being taken in the third round of the 1977 NBA Draft.
Whitehead earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from UofL and subsequently entered the Air Force for four years. He returned to college, earning master's degrees from California-Berkeley in social welfare in 1974 and public health epidemiology in 1979. After a decade in real estate, he founded Whitehead Broadcasting, building a five-station radio and television group he would eventually sell after 15 years. His son Luke played for the Cardinals from 2000-04.
