Send your responses to krhodes@richmond.edu.
Lorraine Motel stirs pride and sadness
I know exactly what the students are feeling [in “Road Trip to History”]. I visited the Lorraine Motel (where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated) in the summer of 2006 for the first time, and it was quite an experience. I felt proud to be African-American and sad all at the same time. Thank you, Kellie and Jill, for your wonderful words and keep up the good work in school.
—Deborah Ruiz
San Antonio, Texas
Civil rights history overlooks military police
I enjoyed reading the article on the civil rights tour (Road Trip to History).
I read with special interest the section on Selma because I was a military police officer in one of the two regular army military police units that went to Selma and Montgomery. I also have visited the Voting Rights Museum in Selma. It was interesting to discover that they really were almost totally unaware that over 1,000 regular army troops were present to protect the marchers.
Almost every history book notes that President Lyndon Johnson federalized the Alabama National Guard and the march went on under their protection. But the role of military police officers in the civil rights movement is often overlooked.
—William Thomas
Culpeper, VA
Civil rights students are ‘an inspiration’
After reading the articles written by Kellie Clark, ’10, and Jill Eisenberg, ’09, (Road Trip to History), I am very pleased to know that the students are interested and serious about civil rights history. I loved hearing what they have to say. These two young ladies are truly an inspiration.
—Loretta Reese
Millersville, Md.
Civil rights story stirs memories of the 1960s
The story of the two students’ Road Trip to History was very interesting. What a wonderful way to experience history!
As I think back on the 1960s, I remember that my husband and a friend of his sat on the steps of our church in Durham, N.C., one Sunday in 1963 and had prayer and Bible study with some black students who were not allowed to go inside that church. The students were blocked from entering the church by the deacons standing in a line holding hands. I shall never forget how my husband silently reacted that afternoon!
—Faye Kilpatrick Gillespie, W’53
‘We’ve come a long way, baby!’
Lacrosse star Mandy Friend, ’09
I read with interest your “Playing to Win” article. I was at Richmond from 1982–86 and played lacrosse on scholarship for four years. It certainly was a different world back then for women athletes. It is encouraging to see that U of R women athletes are finally getting equal footing.
That being said, I do take issue with the part of your article where you discussed the women’s lacrosse program. You stated that Coach Sue Murphy “took over a program that had not won more than five games in one season since 1958.” This is not true. In fact, I even went up to my dusty attic to locate my yearbooks for proof.
Of course, since it was women’s athletics, the details reported were sketchy, but I did find some of the information I was looking for. The 1982 team ended with a 6-5-1 record. The 1983 team qualified for the AIAW (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) tournament, which was the women’s athletic organization before it merged with the NCAA. The Web also reported that the 1985 team was ranked in the top 25. When Coach Janet Grubbs was at U of R, the Division II Spiders advanced to the final four in three consecutive seasons, probably 1979–81.
I don’t have the exact records for the years when I played, but I am sure we won more than five games each season. But I won’t hold this mistake against you. Recordkeeping [for women’s sports] at that time was sparse to nonexistent. As the old advertisement said, “We’ve come a long way, baby!”
—Terry Gray Handerhan, W’86
Women athletes story was much need
I thought “Playing to Win” was great, a much-needed and long-awaited presentation of the talents and skills of the women at Richmond! Women athletes remained unsung and heralded for too many years.
Fanny G. [Crenshaw] was the parent of women’s sports at Richmond. She was my teacher and mentor, and during the tenure of our class, the illustrious class of 1954, we were undefeated in basketball for all seasons. We had the luxury, pride, and arrogance to achieve and HOLD the score at 54 unless officials prodded us.
We had no exterior praise or recognition; but prior to commencement in our senior year, the faculty of Westhampton honored our team with a luncheon and a basketball charm--quite a feather in our caps.
A couple of my friends and fellow athletes could have had national status if they had received the training and funding they deserved. At least there should have been parity with the men. Thankfully times and thinking have changed.
—Barbara Cronin Lovell, W’54
UR women have earned a level playing field
As a lacrosse alum (1997–02), I very much related to the “Playing to Win” article, particularly the camaraderie at UR—with professors, students, teammates, and other student-athletes.
I even married a Richmond football player, and we talk about Title IX’s effect from time to time. I feel like I could go on forever about all the great things that have happened for women’s sports in the time I was an active Spider, and I have to thank my coach, Sue Murphy, and all of the athletic directors for such a great push in the past few years. I think it says a lot about Richmond to have our athletic department on the leading edge of women’s athletics, something that has not necessarily been popular, but is the right approach.
I think all of the student-athletes currently at UR and potential student-athletes should read this great article to really grasp the culture and history of sports at Richmond. It may be the first time I’ve really grasped how much the UR women have earned the right to be on a level playing field, not because of a mandate, but because of their/our accomplishments.
—Alexis Brandolini Takas, ’01
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