SJS Blacks May Boycott Y Game

By Mike Barney

Assistant News Editor

SAN JOSE, Calif., --Negro football team [play]ers at San Jose State College [announ]ced their intention to boycott the [schedu]led game with BYU Nov. 30. [The] seven team member confirmed [illegible] around the SJS campus that Black [players] would not compete unless certain [deman]ds were met.

Black players said earlier in the week [that t]hey probably would not play unless [the SJ]S Athletic Department tried to find a [Black] coach to replace the present Spartan [head] coach, Harry Anderson. Anderson has [annou]nced that he will not return as head coach after the present season.

The second demand made by the Black athletes was that a percentage of the income from the BYU football game be handed over to the Black students of SJS. The players did not say how much of the income they wanted or two what use it would be put.

Any athlete who boycotted any athletic event would face loss of his athletic grant-in-aid, said San Jose President Robert Clark, in a statement late Thursday night.

Clark added, however, that he personally was attempting to raise money which would allow the SJS administration to support those athletes who lose their grants-in-aid. The president was specific in adding that none of the players who boycott the BYU game would face any punitive action by the college.

A spokesman for the football team, halfback Frank Slaton, said that the feelings about boycotting the BYU game were "pretty strong."

Asked if he was under any pressure from Black Power activitsts off campus to boycott the game, Slaton said, "No one is twisting my arm."

One Black player, who asked to remain unnamed, said, "I'll probably not play in the game. You've got to understand how we feel. Those Mormons say we're the mark of Cain and that we can't go to heaven because we're black. Man, I just don't want to associate with those people in any way."

According to Mike Elvitsky, sports editor of the San Jose State College Spartan Daily, there is some reason to fear a general boycott of Black athletes at San Jose State. "There are seven Black players on the football team. Most see considerable action and their absence would probably have a severe effect," said Elvitsky.

Asked to comment about the problem, BYU Dean of Students J. Elliot Cameron said as far as he knew the game was still on. Dean Cameron said he had spoken with the dean at San Jose State and at that time, "he knew of no problems."