Beloit College honors legacy of school’s first black basketball player, James Simmons

BELOIT, Wis. (WTVO) — Beloit College spent the final day of Black History Month honoring Johnny Watts, the first black basketball player at the college from 1930 to 1934.

Watts helped turn the team into a powerhouse, winning three consecutive state titles.

Often, the college’s basketball team was unable to eat at restaurants while they were away, as they were refused service for having a black man on the team.

James Simmons, director of Anatowind Music Clinic, said racial discrimination impacted Watts’ career from college to the pros.

“Unfortunately, the BIG 10 did not recruit black athletes. So … because there wasn’t the NBA at the time, he ended up playing with the Harlem Globetrotters, which was not a bad second choice. But it was not his first choice. So, since he wasn’t able to play at his first choice, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, his name recognition never developed,” Simmons said.

The Beloit School District invited their high school basketball teams to listen to Friday morning’s presentation.