PROFESSIONAL | SPORTS
CLEVELAND ABBOTT 1892 - 1955
South Dakota African-American Firsts Cleveland “Cleve” Abbott lived, believed and taught these words he spoke in 1924: “To learn self-control is another great philosophy of the adage, ‘Him whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad,’ the success of any team and the prowess of any player depend upon the ability to keep cool under fire and the control of temper.” Imagine being a black child in the early 1900’s. What chance would you likely have to create changes now taken for granted in the world of international sports. Cleve Abbott was raised in a time of real and perceived cultural disadvantages able to stop many. A strong South Dakota character, combined with natural abilities, took him to the world stage, making it a better place for all of us. Cleve Abbott was a true South Dakotan to his core. A man of few words who instead used challenges to prove principled action creates success. He took his athletic prowess and South Dakota public education to create his own path to excellence. Cleve’s parents, Albert B. Abbott and Mollie Brown, were married in 1890 in Alabama and by the time Cleve was born on December 19, 1894, they were living in Yankton, SD. The family grew to seven children by the time the move was made to Watertown, where Cleve’s mother died in 1909. Young Cleve was raised at a time when most sons would have followed their father to become a stone mason. He instead combined sports and education to build citizens of character and strength for a stronger nation.
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2018 HONORS CEREMONY
He trained his mind like he trained his body. Cleve was among the first black South Dakotans to graduate from a public high school and college while excelling in sports. He graduated from Watertown High School and South Dakota State, earning a combined total of 30 varsity letters covering football, basketball (team captain), baseball, track and tennis. Considering the social and legal tenor of the day, these accolades would have been life highlights but Cleve was just getting started. Cleve’s college academic record combined with athletic ability was brought to the attention of Booker T. Washington, founder of the historically black college in Alabama, the Tuskegee Institute. While searching for a man of color to combine integrity, scholarship and athleticism to transform the stature and place in American society for his students, he had a 1913 chance encounter with South Dakota State president Ellwood Perisho, and Abbott received a graduation job offer. Cleve accepted the challenge to build an athletic program at Tuskegee when his dairy science degree was earned. In 1916, Cleve showed up for work at the Tuskegee Institute as an agricultural instructor and coach. Soon WWI interrupted his career, and he reported for active military duty. Cleve went on to become a respected Army intelligence officer and leader of men in France.
