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REFLECTIONS REF
THE ITEM
SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2013
’66 Morris College Hornets team was nationally ranked
Rossie Kearson demonstrates the shooting form that enabled him to become the all-time scoring leader at Morris College.
During the early part of the 1966 college basketball season, the Morris College team led the nation in field goal percentage and scoring. On the team was a young athlete, Rossie Kearson, who attracted national attention for his scoring average and his overall athleticism. The hoopsters brought state and national attention to Sumter, Coach Andrew Pollard and the Morris College athletic program. Today’s article is based on interviews published in 1966 from Item archives, the Library Services of Morris College and personal interviews with Kearson and Coach Horace Anderson.
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probably our best player,” he said. “I don’t know if he could make it in the NBA or not; he’s only 6-3, which is pretty short for the big leagues.” Kearson graduated from Central High School in Newark in 1962. He averaged 16.2 points a game and was selected to the Newark All-City Basketball First Team. He was recruited to play at Morris College, where he received his bachelor of arts degree in elementary education in 1966. While at Morris, Kearson elevated his play to another level, being selected to the South-
kids a place to go and play.” The 1966 team completed the season with a record of 24 wins and 5 losses, including a second place finish in the SEAC Tournament. The Hornets lost to Albany State by one point in the finals, primarily because of the opposition’s much taller lineup. Kearson was named the tournament MVP and averaged 26 points per game. Kearson completed his senior season with an impressive 29.5 scoring average, which attracted the attention of a number of scouts. However, following his college caPHOTOS COURTESY OF MORRIS COLLEGE ARCHIVES
ABOVE: Morris College Coach Andrew Pollard is flanked by two of his 1966 basketball players, co-captains Ronald Jones, left, and Rossie Kearson.
reflections
ight gam games into the ’66 se season, Morris C College undefe remained undefeated and led the nation in field goal accuracy with an astounding 83 percen percent average. In addition to tthis statistic, the team aver averaged 92 fou line percent from the foul and was scoring an average gam of 127 points per game. Coach Pollard att attributed suc their remarkable success to Press ” “Running and Pressing, and “due to the lack of height, the team had to rely on its speed to offse offset that disadvantage.” In ad addition to th the “run and gun” style of play Polplay, lard pointo that ed out t the team Sammy ope opened WAY each game with “a full court p press.” He also noted that “we usually got behind at the first of the game, bu but when the opponent’s big boys start tiring we’re ju just getan it’s ting warmed up and run, run, run. There aren’t too many teams tha that can run with us.” The tallest membe member of the se squad was 6-3, with several starters measuring less than 6 feet. The starting five at that com point in the season comprised fro NewKearson, a 6-3 senior from ark, N.J., the team’s leadin leading scorer with a 29.4 average; Ron Ronald leadin scorer Jones at 5-8, second leading C with a 20.0 point average; Clyde Blackshear, a 6-3 senior recr recruited m from Somerville, N.J., who managed a 13.7 scoring average; James Sindab from Centenary, S.C S.C., scoran Mack ing 12.2 points per game; and f Mitchell, a 6-3 sophomore from 1 Panama City, Fla., scoring 11.2 leadin the points a contest while leading team in rebounds. Pollard thought that Kear Kearson had the best opportunity to play on the next level. “It’s no doubt he’s
LEFT: Coley White and Manning Moore are seen in this picture from the Morris College yearbook.
eastern Athletic Conference First Team each of his four years. He was featured in a book, written by Ronald Smothers and titled “Salt Mine,” which detailed his numerous basketball achievements. He was also accorded small college All-America Honorable Mention. Kearson attributed a large portion of his basketball success to the after-school youth development program offered by his school and the New Jersey Educational System. He noted that he “did not see any such programs in operation in the South, thus the kids from up north often had a distinct advantage over local athletes.” He also remembers that he had a period during his senior year which he could devote to honing his skills in basketball. Kearson said, “On Saturday the gyms remained open, which gave
reer, Kearson accepted a job in Wadley, Ga., as an elementary school teacher. In 1968 he returned to Newark to work in public schools, where he taught for 31 years at Franklin Elementary School before retiring in 1999. He currently works as a director in the city’s day care program. Kearson was inducted into the Morris College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999 as the school’s alltime leading scorer. On Oct. 25, 2012, he was honored by the Newark community with induction into the City’s Hall of Fame. The Morris College basketball team of 1966 achieved a special place in Sumter’s sports history. These former athletes have had successful professional lives, and several have become outstanding coaches. The late Coach Pollard and the members of the ’66 team were successful in bringing state and national attention to our community and achieved a level of athletic performance few have exceeded. Reach Item Archivist Sammy Way at (803) 774-1294 or waysammy@yahoo.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF COACH HORACE ANDERSON
The Morris College basketball team comprised, on front row from left, Horace Anderson, Henry Lee, co-captain Rossie Kearson, co-captain Ronald Jones and Charles Watson; and second row, also from left, Manning Moore, Mack Mitchell, James Sindab, Coley White, McMillian Gerald and Fred Morris. Not pictured are Clyde Blackshear, Terry Mitchell, William McIntry and Tuggel Bowens.
Mack MItchell goes up for two points.
James Sindab sets for a jump shot.
J.T. scores one of many fast-break points.