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Six members of the Syracuse 8 spoke in a Zoom panel moderated by Beth Mowins, an ESPN play-by-play announcer, on Thursday night.

The Syracuse 8 are nine Black football players who boycotted spring practices in 1970 and demanded better academic and medical treatment.

During the panel, Greg Allen, Dana Harrell, John Lobon, Clarence McGill, Alif Muhammad and Ron Womack discussed their contribution to activism in sports and how it connects to recent events, including racist incidents in athletic departments at UCLA, Kansas State, Ohio State and Mizzou.

“It was really heartbreaking to find out that racism existed everywhere, even on the football field,” Womack said. “Slavery ended in 1864, but slave mentality never died.” 

The nine players were recruited to play for Hall of Fame head coach Ben Schwartzwalder — the Nick Saban of their time, they said. They had opportunities to play football elsewhere, but they chose Syracuse largely because it was the home of Jim Brown, a hero to many young Black athletes. But when they arrived at SU, the nine athletes endured racism and discrimination.

“We came together, kind of automatically, because we were all young Black ballplayers,” McGill said.

Muhammad double majored in civil engineering and mathematics on a scholarship. He put all of his personal ambitions on the line when he participated in the boycott because it was bigger than just him: it was about a lack of respect, he said.

“We learned we could do something besides just play football,” Muhammad said.

In the 50 years since, other athletes — both collegiate and professional — have followed in the footsteps of the Syracuse 8, using their voices and positions of power to evoke change. People have always looked up to athletes, and they can set the stage for social justice, the former athletes said. 

“When you walk in the room, know you’re in the room. Stand, and stand for something,” Lobon said.

Published on November 6, 2020 at 8:18 pm

Contact Ella: enplowma@syr.edu