John Crawford Inducted in 2009
John Crawford
John Crawford, a New York City, played basketball for Iowa State, the school’s first African-American basketball player, and a member of the 1956 team that won the school’s first conference tournament title defeating highly favored Kansas and moving to No. 8 in the polls. He starred on the team that upset top-ranked Kansas (and Wilt Chamberlain), the first time Iowa State beat the nation’s No. 1 squad. Crawford was ranked first in career rebounding and second in scoring (behind his teammate, Gary Thompson) when he left ISU, and Tied a school record by making all 15 of his free throws in a 1956 win over Nebraska.
He was inducted into Iowa State’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006. When he returned to New York City, he served as a teacher and assistant principal. He was the founding principal of The Paul Robeson School, a middle school in the South Bronx, which he led for 27 years. He was the deputy superintendent of schools in the South Bronx for four years until he retired in 1999.
He was inducted into Iowa State’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006. When he returned to New York City, he served as a teacher and assistant principal. He was the founding principal of The Paul Robeson School, a middle school in the South Bronx, which he led for 27 years. He was the deputy superintendent of schools in the South Bronx for four years until he retired in 1999.