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50 Years After the 'Black 14" Were Banished at Wyoming University....

Lloyd Eaton, who coached under Devaney and continued Devaney’s success at Wyoming, had his coaching career virtually destroyed by these events. Wyoming has had some good teams since Eaton’s departure but his Sugar Bowl team was arguably Wyoming’s greatest season ever.

I probably have a biased attitude about the blame because my dad was a good friend of the Eaton family. It probably isn’t surprising that the players kicked off the team continue to bash Eaton for not supporting them. But for those of us old enough to remember, the late 60s were a period where coaches were still known for a “my way or the highway” attitude. Eaton had it, so did Devaney. Ironically, the whole situation would have been avoided if only the LDS church had “modernized” their views on Blacks a few years sooner.
 
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I actually (vaguely) remember this when it happened as my father was working on his PhD in Laramie at the time. As I recall there was a team (or University) rule against any type of protest taking place while in uniform. Eaton warned the players it would be enforced but they wanted to do it anyway. Not sure who was right here, just my memory as a young boy.
 
I actually (vaguely) remember this when it happened as my father was working on his PhD in Laramie at the time. As I recall there was a team (or University) rule against any type of protest taking place while in uniform. Eaton warned the players it would be enforced but they wanted to do it anyway. Not sure who was right here, just my memory as a young boy.
I think your memory is accurate. Between the Civil Rights uproar and Viet Nam, the country was a powder keg.
 
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