During the same month as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Albuquerque High School is making it a point of emphasis to honor star athlete alum Owen Smaulding years after he left his mark on the school, KRQE reported.
Though Smaulding is celebrated at the school these days, he probably wasn't feeling all that welcome at the school when he was attending it. Smaulding was a high-profile athlete that was not allowed to graduate with his classmates due to the fact that he was Black.
During his time at the school, Smaulding was able to overcome racism and oppression throughout his high school athletic career to break records and become one of the greatest high school athletes the area has ever seen.
“He’s one of the individuals that I like to bring up when we talk about tradition here at Albuquerque High School," Tim Johnson, the football coach at AHS, said.
During an undefeated season for the football team, Smaulding scored seven touchdowns, also setting eight state records in track and collecting 17 first-place finishes in meets.
In college, Smaulding played baseball and went on to play for the Negro League. He played for three teams in five seasons, during which he was forbidden to play in the major leagues due to his race.
After his playing career, he retired from baseball and taught for five years in Jackson, Miss., before opening a printing business in Chicago, KRQE reported. He died in 1961 at the age of 65. He has received several honors by the high school since then and still graces the trophy case of the school.