Statement by Maury Wills on National Sports Committee

    President 
Hon. Francis E, Rivers 

NA PRESS RELEASE Director-Counsel 
egal ‘efense und Jack Greenberg 

Director, Public Relations NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. Jesse DeVore, Jr. 
10 Columbus Circle, New York, N.Y. 10019 * JUdson 6-8397 NIGHT NUMBER 212-749-8487 

Statement by Maury Wills* at the press luncheon announcing the 
formation of the 

NATIONAL SPORTS COMMITTEE 

in support of 
THE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND 

January 23, 1967: Gallagher's Steak House, New York City 

First of all, I want to express the sincere regrets of Bill 

White. As many of you probably know, he injured his Achilles 

tendon recently and at this moment is unable to travel. I would 

like to read a telegram I received from him this morning, however, 

which expresses his disappointment. 

TELEGRAM TO BE READ 

There are several reasons why I agreed to join the National 

Sports Committee. First, I agreed simply because I was asked to do 

so by Bill White, whom I respect as an athlete and a fine human 

being. 

Secondly, I was reminded of the fact that baseball has been 

good to me in terms of providing financial security, a degree of 

personal recognition, and the Opportunity to meet people and do 

things which otherwise I would surely have been denied in life. It 

occurred to me that perhaps I had some obligation to utilize some 

of my benefits in order to assit others. 

More specifically, however, I was influenced by a personal 

experience. For some 16 years now, I have gone to spring training 

in Vero Beach, Florida (perhaps I should say for the past 16 years) 

and over these years have come to know the acute plight of the 

Negro kids in that area. They are in a trap--a trap of poverty, 

segregated schools, low motivation, and limited Opportunity. Many 

of them are excellent athletes, and each spring John Roseboro, some 

of the other ball players, and I would work with them, hoping among 

other things to give them some encouragment to go on to college, 

etc. Nes 

But year after year these youngsters would graduate to the 

Florida orange groves, to spend the rest of their Mise there. I 

have seen four generations of high school kids do this now--enough 

B25 



Statement by Maury Wills* (continued) 
Page 2 

to realize that if something isn't done, the cycle will be repeated 

with their children and grandchildren. 

I mention this personal experience, and the frustration that 

went with it, to lead up to this point. When I realized that for 

Many years now the Legal Defense Fund has been engaged in a major 

effort to desegregate the public schools of Florida and to provide 

scholarship funds to encourage Negro kids to attend the major state 

universities there, I welcomed the chance to join with them. 

There are other reasons, of course, but these were the immediate 

ones which led me to join with Bill White, Gale Sayers, Bill 

Russell, and the other athletes on the Committee in this attempt 

to give and raise $100,000 for the Legal Defense Fund. I hope those 

who have responded favorably to our performances as professional 

athletes will also respond generously to our work as responsible 

concerned citizens. 
= 30:4 

* Note: Maury Wills is a member of the Sponsors Committee. He 
Speaks today in behalf of Bill White, National Co-Chairman 
of the Committee, who is unable to be present due to a 
recent injury.