C.M Newton Continues to Impact and Lead College Athletics

In his over 50 years of service and leadership, C.M. Newton has become of one college sports’ true leaders, innovators and pioneers. As a player, coach and administrator, Newton’s contributions to basketball, athletics, civil rights, people, higher education and more are almost unparalleled. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.

           

Even in retirement, Newton continues to lead and impact college athletics and more. He is Chair of the NIT Selection Board and is on staff with the Southeastern Conference, as Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Basketball.

He was a head basketball coach for 28 years (1956-1980, 1982-1989) at three different schools. During his career, he compiled a 509-375 record (both NAIA and NCAA).

He then served as Athletics Director at Kentucky from 1989-2000, taking over during troubled times and leading the athletic program to prominence, including both the basketball and football programs.

            

Behind the scenes and headlines, a closer look reveals that Newton has had a profound and deep impact on basketball, on college athletics and in the area of civil rights. He has been a leader in regards to progressive rules changes, innovative advancements in USA national basketball, the advancement of women’s basketball and much more.

           

Moreover, Newton has been a civil rights pioneer, integrating the athletics programs at two colleges, Transylvania in Kentucky and the University of Alabama. He was the first coach at both schools to recruit a black student-athlete and integrate him into the athletic program.

            

Newton downplays his accomplishments, in characteristic humility.

           

“I’ve been very fortunate to be around a lot of very good people, who’ve provided leadership for me,” Newton said. “Any good things were the result of a lot of people spending a lot of time to help me.”

Newton grew up in south Florida, Ft. Lauderdale, in the 1930’s and 40’s. In those years, Ft. Lauderdale above Miami had grown as a result of the Florida land boom of the 1920’s. The population in the 1940’s was around 30-35,000, larger during World War II because of the military bases there.

Newton’s parents and two older siblings were all influences in his life. But his early years had their challenges as well.

            

“My mom and dad were very special people,” he said. “My father though was an alcoholic until I was 10 or 11 years old. He got sober and then he was a great role model.”

          

Newton was a star athlete in basketball and baseball, and his high school hoops coach and science teacher, Clois Caldwell, was a big influence on him.

            

“Coach Caldwell was probably a surrogate father in many ways for me. I admired him greatly.” Newton even dedicated a memorial to Caldwell at the Basketball Hall of Fame.

           

Newton’s older brother, Richard (less than two years older) was another big influence.

“Richard was my role model growing up. He was a really a self-made person,” said Newton. Richard Newton had a 30-year career in the military after attending West Point. Newton’s older sister, Jean, (12 years older) was an influence on the young C.M. She passed away when Newton was 25.

Young C.M. was a star baseball pitcher who would eventually play three years on minor league baseball with the Yankees.

“My father loved baseball,” said C.M. “And it was every kid’s dream back then to play pro baseball.” Newton was recruited by Adolph Rupp to play basketball at Kentucky and would go on to play on the National Championship team of 1950. Newton played but was not a starter.

to be continued...