In the fall of 1953, Frank August, Western H.S.; Joie Kaufman, Roosevelt H.S.; Russ Lombardy, Anacostia H.S.; Dave Brown, Phelps/Spingarn H.S.; Frank Bolden , Cardozo H.S.; Art Byrd, McKinley H.S.; Pete Laubukas, Wilson H.S.; and Bobby Hart, Eastern H.S. met at Roosevelt H.S. to bring together the then segregated black and white coaches for the purpose of working together for better working conditions and pay for coaches. They also wanted to work for the welfare of all student/athletes, black and white. This effort was hit and miss for the next nine years. Not until 1962 was there some kind of structure for developing a good coaches association which would promote working together for the betterment of athletics for the students in the D.C. Public Schools.
The first president was Ray Hammon for the newly-organized group of coaches who began meeting on monthly basis. Out of these meetings came many good things for betterment for athletics, for all coaches and student/athletes. One of those ideas was to have all-star games for senior athletes, giving them a chance to put their skills on exhibit for college coaches and scouts and to earn college scholarships. These games were originally played at R.F.K. Memorial Stadium, but have, over recent years, moved to the Eastern H.S. Stadium, in an effort to reduce cost. One of the first Football All-Star Games was sponsored by the Mayor's Office. Mayor Walter Washington made a donation of $10,000.00. In return, the Association gave the D. C. Mayor's Office 2,000 tickets. The Association has not changed the price of its game tickets over ten years in hope that more students would come to support the game, but not so.
The Mid-Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company sponsors a luncheon for athletes participating in the Ail-Star Football Game. Currently, the only donation for the game comes from the N.F.L. Washington Redskins Alumni Association in the amount of $3,000.00, which is not nearly enough for all of the all-star activities. We get no other donations. Basketball is the only other sport we collect fees for attendance, we have yet to make a profit on basketball. If we are unable to get sponsorship, we will have to give up all of our Ail-Star games. This will result in many students not receiving scholarships.
