'The love was in the room': St. Norbert College holds court dedication for former basketball star Chuck Holton
It was a year ago Michael Holton was told by St. Norbert College officials that the school planned to recognize his late brother, Chuck, by dedicating a basketball court in his honor.
It made sense.
Chuck was a star in basketball and track and field for the Green Knights. He became the first Black graduate of SNC when he earned an economics degree in 1952 and was inducted into the school’s athletics Hall of Fame in 1991.
SNC already had honored Chuck once before, when in February 2010 it named its multicultural center after him because he was credited with paving the way for future multicultural students. It also has created the Holton Endowed Scholarship, which will be awarded to students from historically underrepresented populations.
Michael and his wife, Mary, traveled from Milwaukee to De Pere last Thursday to attend the court dedication.
Chuck died last year at 91.
“It was especially meaningful because they did it in what is referred to as the old Van Dyke Gym, they have a new one now,” said Michael, who graduated from SNC in 1966. “But that is where my brother played. That is the floor he played on. Was so special.”
Michael walked into the area where the dedication was being held and saw several chairs set up. He estimated there were 75 to 100. SNC had asked him beforehand if he would give a speech, and he already felt embarrassed thinking most of the chairs would be empty. He didn’t think anybody would show up.
By the time the dedication started, not only were the chairs filled, but there were people standing in the back.
“I just stood in front of them, and I said I am overwhelmed at the love that was in the room,” Michael, 80, said. “They were all the way from students to people our age that were there. The basketball coach (Gary Grzesk) was there. I was overwhelmed. The love was in the room, and it was palpable.
“Just outstanding.”
Chuck Holton starred in high school in Milwaukee
Chuck was a standout basketball player at St. Benedict the Moor High School in Milwaukee and led the Milwaukee Catholic Conference in scoring before graduating in 1948.
His college choices weren’t as large as they should have been for his talents. Staying home and playing for Marquette would have been unlikely at the time. The team never had rostered a Black player until former guard Ralph Wilson played 11 games in 1951-52, which came toward the end of Chuck’s collegiate career.
He enjoyed his days at SNC and was treated well after going from an all-Black high school to an all-white college at the time.
A man from Menasha contacted the Harlem Globetrotters to inform them about the talented Chuck Holton. Chuck attended a tryout in Chicago and made what essentially was the Globetrotters’ rookie squad.
He quickly made it to the top team and played for the franchise from 1952 to 1958, rubbing elbows with legends such as Meadowlark Lemon, Goose Tatum and Marques Haynes.
Chuck returned home to Milwaukee after his playing days were complete. He was the social services administrator for Milwaukee County and then for the state until 1996.
He spent four years as the executive director of the House of Peace in Milwaukee before retiring in 2000.
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Chuck Holton's legacy lives on at St. Norbert
Michael told those at SNC who helped coordinate the court dedication how he felt they helped Chuck come “alive” again.
“When he passed, he was living in Vermont,” Michael said. “He wanted to be cremated, so we never had a chance to say goodbye. When I spoke to his daughter over the weekend, I said I feel like this was the closure finally of his death.
“He lived a life that was so meaningful in so many ways, including his personal career.”
Perhaps the most memorable moment of the day came when SNC guard Barry Applewhite approached Michael and asked what jersey number Chuck wore when he played for the Green Knights.
Michael never got the opportunity to see his brother play at SNC and wasn’t certain.
Applewhite, who played in high school at Whitefish Bay Dominican, told him SNC had something posted which said Chuck wore No. 12.
“He said, ‘I wear No. 12,’” Michael said. “And he happened to be a young African American man who is from Milwaukee. … I’m planning to come up there in December and see him play.”
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: St. Norbert College dedicates court to basketball star Chuck Holton
