The 1958 UB football team made goal-line stand against racism

BUFFALO, N.Y (WIVB) Leading up to the 1958 college football season, University of Buffalo head coach, Dick Offenhamer knew he had a special group on his hands"He said, 'Listen to whats going on in the locker room,'" said University of Buffalo football player, Nate Bliss.

"He said, 'Theyre laughing and joking.

They just got through knocking the snot and slobber out of each other for over an hour.'"The Bulls finished that season 8-1.

As a result, they were awarded the Lambert Cup which was given to the best small-college football team in the eastern United States.

"The big kicker was when Nick Bottoni and Lou Reale were on The Ed Sullivan Show," said Bliss.

"They presented the cup to them on The Ed Sullivan Show that convinced all of us that that was a pretty big deal."Shortly after, they were invited to play Florida State in the Tangerine Bowl Buffalo's first bowl game in program history.

But there was a catch: they could only participate if the teams two black players, Willie Evans, the star halfback and Mike Wilson, a defensive end, did not play."I was just shocked," said Joe Oliverio, a quarterback on the 1958 Buffalo team.

"I couldnt believe it.

Couldnt believe it.

Because of the color of somebodys skin, they werent going to allow them to play on the field."The Orlando High School Athletic Association operated the site of the bowl game.

In the lease agreement, the OHSAA integrated teams from playing."To say that you were excluding a person based on the color of their skin," said Bliss.

"We looked around at each other and said 'What?'"The university left the choice to participate up to the players.

They were prepared to hand out secret ballots to vote."Well several guys stood up right away and said, 'Forget the ballots,'" said Bliss.

"Were not going."The players unanimously agreed not to play in the Tangerine Bowl.

"To be in unison," said UB athletic director Mark Alnutt.

"To be in lockstep.

For everyone to say, 'No were not playing'.

Could there have been a couple of people over here in a situation like that say 'What are we doing? We want to go down to Florida.

Its 25 degrees in Buffalo.

Let's go down there.' That wasnt the case at all."Willie Evans was a special player for the Bulls.

He lead the team in rushing yards from 1957 to 1959.

To this day, he holds the school record for yards per carry.

But his special traits transcended beyond the field.

Oliverio said the best thing to ever happen to him was having Evans in his life."Just a humble person," said Alnutt.

"If he was sitting here, it wasnt about him.

It wasnt about his other African American teammate.

It was about them as one.

But also a person that would fight for whats right."Evans worked in Buffalo Public Schools for over 30 years as a coach and educator.

He unfortunately passed away in 2017.

For his impact throughout the Buffalo community, UB renamed a residence hall in his honor in 2022.

"When you do have that name up there and youre a freshman over there living in those residential halls and you see the name What do you do?", said Alnutt.

"You look it up.

I walk through this area all the time.

Whos Willie Evans?"Bliss said his teammates didnt bring up the bowl game for decades.

But things changed when UB received another bowl bid in 2008.

Despite the 50-year gap, Bliss said there were no regrets on their decision."Dick Van Valkenburgh was the backup quarterback," said Bliss.

"He says you know, 'Its starting to annoy me and embarrass me for getting thanked for doing the right thing.'Dick Offenhamer was right.

His team was special.

Not just for their success on the field, but for their bond as brothers in the face of adversity..

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