Central usually came out winning, but how could we know that we were champions? We were only allowed to play other black teams. On the other hand, how could the white teams call themselves Kentucky champions? They could only play other white teams. I’ve always told my students. "Don’t brag about being the best black players in town. Be the best. Then you can brag." No one can know who is best till he’s taken on all comers.

Before the schools were integrated, however, we got a chance to prove which teams were best. One year a white team from the eastern end of the state won the "state championship" in basketball. Prompted by the Central team’s business manager, one Lyman T. Johnson, our students began writing letters to the paper, saying: "How can this white team gloat about being the state champions? They haven’t played all comers." Before long I heard from that "championship school". "Dear Mr. Johnson," they wrote, "we’ve read the letters from your student saying we can’t be sure we’re state champions till we’ve played all challengers. Put us on your schedule next year. We’d like to see how we rank." So we played them the next year and tore them to pieces! After that I told my students they could brag.