I played basketball for Washington HS in San Francisco Ca, mid 1970’s.

Varsity team 10 Black players, 2 white players. We had a player on the team whose grandmother loaned him a car. (red mercury cougar convertible white top) The varsity Coach allowed the black player to pull up behind the gym and wash the car. Coach (who is white) sees us washing/drying the car, gives a look of disdain, gathers saliva in his throat, and then SPITS on the car. We were all in shock! Somebody yelled, coach why did you spit on the car? Coach gave a smirk, put up the middle finger and flipped us off! Needless to say, I skipped practice that day. Pissed off! Should have quit the team.

Fast forward to a game in Menlo Park. The varsity coach had a car full of Black players, and one White player (other white player injured) evening game. Pulls into a gas station, whose owner is a long time friend. Our coach yells out the window (to his friend) Hey – Do you serve Niggas Here?! Dead silence in the van. Once again – Shocked! We lost the game. We got stomped on. Total silence on the ride back to SF. We could not believe that our coach felt that way about us. I quit the team. My Father, was mad and determined to defend me and the other Black players on my team came to the school two days later. We met with the Principal. My Dad asked the principal to fire the coach. Didn’t happen. No apology from the coach. Coach wouldn’t meet with Dad, me and the Principal.

For One year I passed that coach in the hallways and the coach glared at me, a stare of utter contempt. Years later I saw the coach in a restaurant in the Bay Area, sitting across from me with his family, grandkids, etc. Same glare. Coach recognized me and I certainly recognized Him. I smiled and conversed with my date the whole time. Victory was mine. I made my point and by quitting the team. Years later, I heard Coach was dismissed from Washington after some other school ethical violations. I saw Him flirting with the female students in High School, especially the Black females.