TUSKEGEE, Alabama -- On Independence Day, friends of Tuskegee University gathered to celebrate the day that the first class was taught at the school more than 123 years ago.
Twelve years after the first class was taught at Tuskegee, a young lad born in Selma, Alabama, three years before that first class convened came to the attention of Booker T. Washington. He was 16 years-old at the time, and his name was William Clarence Matthews.
Right off the bat, Washington observed that Matthews was a bright student. He encouraged Matthews to join Tuskegee’s inaugural baseball team, which was coached by Washington’s brother, James B. Washington. Matthews was a strong batter and a good fielding shortstop. He excelled in baseball and ultimately became the captain of the team.
In 1894, Matthews, a quick learner, grasped the nuances of a newly emerging game called football. He helped to organize the Tuskegee football team and served as a student coach under James B. Washington. Although, Matthews-coached teams finished with a 0-2 record, today, Tuskegee’s football program has won more games (642) than any other historically Black College or University.
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