This weekend, during their game against Eastern Michigan, the Kentucky Wildcats payed tribute to former player Nate Northington in a variety of ways. After all, it is the 50th anniversary of Northington becoming the first African-American to play football in the SEC.
Clearly, this is an historic commemoration of a watershed moment in college athletics, and it follows last year’s unveiling of the statue at Kroger Field commemorating the first four African-American players in program history.
One way in which Kentucky will salute Northington is by wearing a sticker on their helmets that reads “23”—Northington’s number while at Kentucky.