Please Join Us In Bringing The USF Sport & Social Change Museum To Life.
SPORTS ARE THE VERY ESSENCE OF HUMAN STRUGGLE AND GLORY Sports make us more human. More exposed. More belonging. More of, perhaps, who we really are. They summon us, like light to the dark, to face what is best (and worst) within ourselves, and the world around us. And more importantly, they act as a stage to expose and right injustice.
COURAGE “ The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals.”
- JESSE OWENS -
SPORTS REVEAL HUMANITY & GIVE VOICE TO EQUALITY They remove color. Break barriers. Defy prejudice. Change hearts. And throughout history, the incredible acts of bravery and selflessness that have been a result of athletics – and those in them – have inspired progress and action in our world.
PER SE VER ANCE “ Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.”
- ARTHUR ASHE -
THROUGH SPORTS OUR MORALITY & VALUES ARE VICTORIOUS
1936
JESSE OWENS Owens arrived in Berlin to compete for the United States in the Summer Olympics. Adolf Hitler was using the games to show the world a resurgent Nazi Germany. Nazi propaganda promoted concepts of “Aryan racial superiority� and depicted ethnic Africans as inferior. Owens crushed this myth by winning four gold medals.
1947
JACKIE ROBINSON Robinson broke the baseball color line when the Brooklyn Dodgers started him at first base on April 15, 1947. His character and unquestionable talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation, which then marked many other aspects of American life, and contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement.
2011
BILL RUSSELL Russell led USF to NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956, including a string of 55 consecutive victories. He is widely considered one of the best players in both collegiate and professional basketball, winning 11 NBA Championships and a five-time NBA MVP. But, most notably, was his tenacity and strength in overcoming adversity brought on by the color of his skin. He changed the game and truly changed the rules.
1972
DR DONNA LOPIANO Dr. Lopiano’s unparalleled commitment to Women’s sports and equal rights has lended itself to the progression of TITLE IX and equal opportunities for women in athletics.
2003
THE ROONEY RULE The Rooney Rule requires National Football League teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs. Until 1979, Fritz Pollard was the only minority coach in the league’s early years. By the start of the 2006 season, the overall percentage of African American coaches had jumped to 22%, up from 6%.
SOCIAL CHANGE IS WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF USF ATHLETICS The Jesuit foundation of our university and belief system has nurtured amazing acts of moral and social change that affect our lives to this very day.
A MOMENT OF GLORY FOR A LIFETIME OF HONOR
‘ 51 DONS Going into the bowl season of 1951, the Dons were inarguably one of the best college football teams in history: undefeated, undivided and ready to conquer. But, the team’s Orange Bowl invitation came with one condition: only the white players could participate. In a dramatic and unparalleled stand against racism, the Dons unanimously rejected the offer to play. Thus surrendering their championship season and the future of the USF Football program. Their brave action stands as one of the most storied and monumental moments in the history of social change.
‘ 55 CHAMPS
The 1955 Dons were the first team in NCAA history to start three African Americans and win the National Title. They ended the season undefeated, becoming the first NCAA tournament champion to record a perfect season and overcome social barriers. Bill Russell, KC Jones and Hal Perry not only led the team on court, but led the sport -- and the nation -- toward change.
COMMUNITY
Our history is only as strong as the present effort we put into making ourselves, our university and our community stand by the values we were founded upon.
WE’VE CHANGED THE WORLD AROUND US
1960
PETE ROZELLE Rozelle’s history with the Dons led him to a career with the front office of the Los Angeles Rams. He was then appointed commissioner of the NFL and is widely credited with making it into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world.
WE’VE CHANGED THE WORLD AROUND US 19621980
DANTE BENEDETTI Benedetti is credited with saving the athletics program when it was about to be dropped. Additionally, his kindness, generosity and occasional firm hand guided many young boys away from trouble and back on the road to becoming responsible adults. His legacy continues to live on in many of “Dante’s Boys” who have become respected leaders of their communities.
1977
MARY HILE-NEPFEL Hile-Nepfel came to USF as the most celebrated athlete in the history of the women’s program. In addition to her phenomenal athletic and coaching career, she was the first female to be inducted into USF’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
DE TER MIN ATION “ The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
- MARTIN LUTHER KING JR -
Make Your Brand A Part of These Amazing Stories A partnership with the USF Sport & Social Change Museum aligns your brand with the remarkable values and legacies held within the museum. It creates an unprecedented awareness and recognition platform to share your own values and be a part of an important conversation.
JOIN US IN BRINGING THE USF SPORT & SOCIAL CHANGE MUSEUM TO LIFE
THANK YOU
2130 Fulton Street | San Francisco, CA 94117-1080 (415) 422-5555