Ray Crowe
Basketball Coach
Inducted: July 1, 2022
39th Annual Induction Ceremony
San Antonio, Texas
(The following appeared in that year’s HOF induction program)
For a man who only coached high school basketball for seven years, the late Ray Crowe's impact on the city of Indianapolis, the state of Indiana and the sport of basketball was perhaps greater than anyone who ever coached in the Hoosier state.
In only seven years as basketball coach at Crispus Attucks High School, an all-Black Indianapolis school, the late Ray Crowe coached his teams to four Final Four appearances, a record three consecutive state championship games and back-to-back state titles in 1955 and 1956. In the face of blatant racism and discrimination from opposing teams, fans and game officials, Crowe taught his Crispus Attucks basketball players to play with discipline and sportsman ship and prohibited trash talking and complaining to officials.
He became the first African-American coach to win the state championship in 1955 while Crispus Attucks became the first African-American school in the nation to win an open state title. The following year, Crowe guided Attucks to the Hoosier State's first-ever undefeated season in 1956 (31-0).
Crowe compiled a 179-20 record in seven years, including a 61-1 record and a 45-game winning streak during the 1955-56 years. Known as ''A Man Whose Team Awakened a City," Crowe coached many all-star players, including future NBA legend Oscar Robertson, Hallie Bryant and Willie Gardner of Harlem Globetrotters fame, and Willie Merriweather, and was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1968. Following his seven years as Attucks basketball coach, Crowe was the school's athletic director for 11 years. After his education career, Crowe was director of Indianapolis Parks and Recreation, a member of the Indianapolis City-County Council and was elected to five terms in the Indiana House of Representatives.
Crowe is credited with helping racial relations in Indianapolis and easing integration of the public schools. Attucks had initially been shunned by the public schools in Indianapolis and was only able to schedule small Catholic schools and teams from outside the city. Coach Crowe and the school administration would try to shield the players from racial tensions, but it was often not possible. Crowe maintained a quiet, non-combative demeanor in the face of such challenges, determined to overcome adversity through discipline and achievement.
Despite his death in 2003, the University of Indianapolis in ensuing years recognized Ray and his brother with the naming of "Ray & George Crowe Hall," and in 2021, children in his hometown of Whiteland began attending the newly christened "Ray Crowe Elementary School."
Although he was never honored with a "Coach of the Year" Award, Crowe was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1968.
Crowe was born May 30, 1915 in Johnson County, Indiana, and died December 20, 2003 at the age of 88.
