Book McCray on defense.
Week 1: Trail Blazer (Podcast)
Week 2: Taylor Made
February is a time of reflection. GoMocs.com is looking back over the Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball program's history and chronicling Black History Month stories on those who had an impact on the success of the program in competition as well as the community.
This week's installment is a Chattanooga icon…an influencer of the highest regard. He's an adopted son of the city coming here from Louisville and making a lasting impression. In fact, few do more for youth in the city than Herbert "Book" McCray.
"The people of Chattanooga have always treated me and my fellow Louisvillians who came with me to play basketball very, very well," McCray explained when asked about staying in Chattanooga all these years. "It was a friendly city with a lot of opportunities when I graduated.
"It didn't hurt that I met a young lady and got married."
McCray is a famous basketball name in his hometown of Louisville, Ky. UofL legends Rodney and Scooter were a huge part of the Cardinals emergence as a national power. While unrelated, Book was part of a similar path in Chattanooga, and he did it first!
He played a key role in the Mocs DII takeover in the '70s over his 4-year career on the fantastic 1974-77 squads. Chattanooga went 90-28 (.763) with a National Championship (1977), a runner-up finish (1976) and fending with the No. 2 AP Small College ranking in 1974 after to ascending to No. 1 in the polls mid-season. That team is a sore spot in the disco era as it was kept out of the NCAA Tournament because a transfer reserve was deemed too important to the roster, but we digress.
Yep, on the court, Book was a glue guy. The glue guy often doesn't get the pub of say 2,000-point scorers, but you don't get championships without them. He took that into our community.
"When I worked with him, you could tell when he stepped into the room the kids all looked to him for guidance and respected him so much," former Moc Jonathan Scott '20 shared. "That glue guy is a great comparison because it's an even bigger role than anyone can imagine, and that's what he showed [in the community]."
It began with a long career as an elementary school teacher, coach and principal. After retirement from the school system, he started a city-wide basketball program that led to McCray starting the Independent Youth Services Foundation and youth ministry, Boys to Men.
In 1992, Book, Wayne Golden and Darryl Yarbrough founded the Chattanooga Basketball Foundation. The main objective was to create as many winning basketball teams on the AAU circuit as possible and grow the game. That was the original objective.
"There was a caveat," McCray shared. "We'd take 15, 20, 30 minutes of our practice talking to our young men talking about life skills. We called them 'chalk talks'…what it meant to be a good student, a vision of excellence after high school graduation, it's importance and avoiding drug use.
"Tools for their tool kit headed towards manhood."
Names have changed over the years. It's honed itself into the male mentorship model Boys to Men is today. It's comprehensive covering physical, spiritual, mental and social well-being and growth. The inspiration came from his Louisville roots and people that nudged him in the right direction.
"It goes without saying, the coaches that coached me in high school and even coaches at UTC," McCray began. "The professors at UTC and teachers all the way back to junior high. I often quote the African proverb 'it takes a whole village to raise the child'.
"I had uncles and aunts being very involved in my raising. I was blessed from junior high to high school and even UTC, teachers and advisors who took a genuine interest in me. They admonished me when I wasn't doing what I supposed to do and encouraged me when I did."
It may have started because of sports, but it didn't take long for the career educator to see the platform before him. Boys to Men teaches all aspects of what its name means. Chattanooga is better for it, and to think it all started with a basketball scholarship. Now it passes on to next generation with December's first Boys to Men College Scholarship.
"It's great to see a basketball player giving back," Scott added. "To show that how he's shared that education and has that desire to give back is great.
"It's a great testament to the man he is."
Herbert McCray fun fact…his nickname "Book" came as a teenager hanging out with his friends at the park in Louisville playing ball. His crew was famous for antagonizing each other. His mom sent him to get a new a pair of glasses. First stop after the optometrist? The park where one of his guys says, "oh Lord, here comes that 'bookworm' looking guy". Yes, that's when "Book" was born.
Herbert McCray historical fact…he was a part of the first all-black starting lineup in 1973 against Tennessee State. As retold by McCray, "Coach Shumate caught a little flak over it in the community at the time. We pressed on and fast forward from 1973 to 2021 and all that stuff is just a blur in the rear-view mirror." He paused and added, "We still have some fighting to go."
Week 2: Taylor Made
February is a time of reflection. GoMocs.com is looking back over the Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball program's history and chronicling Black History Month stories on those who had an impact on the success of the program in competition as well as the community.
This week's installment is a Chattanooga icon…an influencer of the highest regard. He's an adopted son of the city coming here from Louisville and making a lasting impression. In fact, few do more for youth in the city than Herbert "Book" McCray.
"The people of Chattanooga have always treated me and my fellow Louisvillians who came with me to play basketball very, very well," McCray explained when asked about staying in Chattanooga all these years. "It was a friendly city with a lot of opportunities when I graduated.
"It didn't hurt that I met a young lady and got married."
McCray is a famous basketball name in his hometown of Louisville, Ky. UofL legends Rodney and Scooter were a huge part of the Cardinals emergence as a national power. While unrelated, Book was part of a similar path in Chattanooga, and he did it first!
He played a key role in the Mocs DII takeover in the '70s over his 4-year career on the fantastic 1974-77 squads. Chattanooga went 90-28 (.763) with a National Championship (1977), a runner-up finish (1976) and fending with the No. 2 AP Small College ranking in 1974 after to ascending to No. 1 in the polls mid-season. That team is a sore spot in the disco era as it was kept out of the NCAA Tournament because a transfer reserve was deemed too important to the roster, but we digress.
Yep, on the court, Book was a glue guy. The glue guy often doesn't get the pub of say 2,000-point scorers, but you don't get championships without them. He took that into our community.
"When I worked with him, you could tell when he stepped into the room the kids all looked to him for guidance and respected him so much," former Moc Jonathan Scott '20 shared. "That glue guy is a great comparison because it's an even bigger role than anyone can imagine, and that's what he showed [in the community]."
It began with a long career as an elementary school teacher, coach and principal. After retirement from the school system, he started a city-wide basketball program that led to McCray starting the Independent Youth Services Foundation and youth ministry, Boys to Men.
In 1992, Book, Wayne Golden and Darryl Yarbrough founded the Chattanooga Basketball Foundation. The main objective was to create as many winning basketball teams on the AAU circuit as possible and grow the game. That was the original objective.
"There was a caveat," McCray shared. "We'd take 15, 20, 30 minutes of our practice talking to our young men talking about life skills. We called them 'chalk talks'…what it meant to be a good student, a vision of excellence after high school graduation, it's importance and avoiding drug use.
"Tools for their tool kit headed towards manhood."
Names have changed over the years. It's honed itself into the male mentorship model Boys to Men is today. It's comprehensive covering physical, spiritual, mental and social well-being and growth. The inspiration came from his Louisville roots and people that nudged him in the right direction.
"It goes without saying, the coaches that coached me in high school and even coaches at UTC," McCray began. "The professors at UTC and teachers all the way back to junior high. I often quote the African proverb 'it takes a whole village to raise the child'.
"I had uncles and aunts being very involved in my raising. I was blessed from junior high to high school and even UTC, teachers and advisors who took a genuine interest in me. They admonished me when I wasn't doing what I supposed to do and encouraged me when I did."
It may have started because of sports, but it didn't take long for the career educator to see the platform before him. Boys to Men teaches all aspects of what its name means. Chattanooga is better for it, and to think it all started with a basketball scholarship. Now it passes on to next generation with December's first Boys to Men College Scholarship.
"It's great to see a basketball player giving back," Scott added. "To show that how he's shared that education and has that desire to give back is great.
"It's a great testament to the man he is."
Herbert McCray fun fact…his nickname "Book" came as a teenager hanging out with his friends at the park in Louisville playing ball. His crew was famous for antagonizing each other. His mom sent him to get a new a pair of glasses. First stop after the optometrist? The park where one of his guys says, "oh Lord, here comes that 'bookworm' looking guy". Yes, that's when "Book" was born.
Herbert McCray historical fact…he was a part of the first all-black starting lineup in 1973 against Tennessee State. As retold by McCray, "Coach Shumate caught a little flak over it in the community at the time. We pressed on and fast forward from 1973 to 2021 and all that stuff is just a blur in the rear-view mirror." He paused and added, "We still have some fighting to go."
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Black History Month: “By the Book” Community Impact - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Athletics - GoMocs.com
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