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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The University of Texas at El Paso men's basketball |
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team celebrated the 50th anniversary of its landmark national |
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championship win with a game against Western Kentucky University on |
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February 6, 2016; and |
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WHEREAS, On March 19, 1966, The University of Texas at El |
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Paso, then known as Texas Western College, defeated the University |
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of Kentucky 72-65 in the finale of the NCAA tournament; at a time |
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when black athletes were woefully underrepresented in college |
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sports, Miners head coach Don Haskins started five African |
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Americans, something that had never been done in an NCAA |
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championship game; that historic contest, against an all-white team |
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that was ranked No. 1 in the nation, came at the height of the civil |
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rights era and called attention to the issue of segregation in |
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college basketball; the game also marks the only national |
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championship title ever won by a Division 1 men's college |
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basketball team in Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, In the anniversary matchup, UTEP beat Western |
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Kentucky 93-89 in overtime; significantly, the Hilltoppers had also |
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competed in the 1966 NCAA tournament, starting two African American |
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players; and |
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WHEREAS, The achievements realized by Coach Haskins and the |
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1966 Miners team helped expand opportunities for players of every |
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race to excel based on their hard work, skill, and talent, and it is |
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indeed fitting that they be honored for their contributions to the |
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sport; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1966 |
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NCAA national championship victory by The University of Texas at El |
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Paso men's basketball team and congratulate the 2016 team on its win |
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in the anniversary game; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for The University of Texas at El Paso men's basketball |
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team as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of |
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Representatives. |
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Pickett |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 172 was adopted by the House on |
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February 23, 2017, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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