Beard's Stance Unchanged After 'Good Conversation' with Louisville President
(Photo of Butch Beard: NY Daily News)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - One day removed from voicing his concerns about the University of Louisville's "commitment to young black men", former Cardinals All-American & Hall of Famer Alfred "Butch" Beard finally had a chance to speak with Louisville president Dr. Neeli Bendapudi regarding the matter.
According to WDRB's RIck Bozich, the two spoke for more than an hour on Thursday afternoon, with Beard coming away saying that "we had good conversation."
That being said, it has not wavered his position in that he is seeking disassociation from the University.
“I hope things will start to change. But it doesn’t change my stance. Not until I see change," he told WDRB.
On Wednesday, Beard sent a letter emailed to Bendapudi requesting that the school "remove my name and accomplishments from any existing or future mention.”
In the letter, stated how he was disappointed at how the university "hasn't deemed it important to honor Wes Unseld", who passed away last summer.
He then followed that up with stating that Louisville "has been remiss and negligent in its hiring practices within the athletic department", and that they have not hired more African Americans to head coaching positions.
Beard won Kentucky's Mr. Basketball in 1965 with Breckinridge County in Hardinsburg, Ky., then went onto play three seasons at Louisville. He is 17th in all-time scoring with 1,583 points, earning All-American honors in 1969.
He was the 10th overall pick of the 1969 NBA Draft and played 10 years in the league. Following his playing career, he had head coaching stops at HBCUs Howard & Morgan State, as well as the NBA's New Jersey Nets. He was inducted into the Louisville Athletics Hall of Fame in 1981 as well as the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.
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