From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)
Owensboro Trojans [Independent] Basketball Team
(start date: 1948 - end date: 1958) The Owensboro Trojans was an independent basketball team in Owensboro, KY, that was organized in 1948. It was one of the many African American independent basketball teams in Kentucky. L. W. Miller was the team coach and Bill Amos was the team manager. The first players included Earl Moorman, Bailey Robinson, Lucian Moorman, Eugene Deal, Edgar Rumage, Grant G. Talbott, Jessie Hankins, Harry C. Norris, Thomas Moorman, J. H. Shrewsbury. The Owensboro Trojans team was made up of former Western High School [Owensboro] players and veterans. Home games took place in the Western High School gym.The team played against African American high school, college, and independent teams: Western Kentucky Vocational School in Paducah, Western High School (Owensboro), Deluxe Panthers from Earlington, KY, Hopkinsville Colored Hoopers, Hopkinsville Brown Bombers, Central City Colored American Legion Team, Hardinsburg Blue Devils, Henderson Colored All-Stars, Louisville Hurricanes, Beaver Dam Colored All-Stars, Camp Breckinridge Eagles, and other independent African American teams in Tennessee and Illinois. One of the last newspaper articles about the old Owensboro Trojans appeared in 1950.
Then, in December of 1957, the New Owensboro Trojans was a basketball team organized to play in the YMCA Industrial - Commercial Basketball League. Team members (last names) included Rates, Grundy, Dowery, Moxley, Edwards, Morris Jackson, Winsatt, Jackson, Brown, and Higgs. With the new league, the New Owensboro Trojans played against teams with white players. It was integration on the basketball court. During the season, all the league teams, including the Trojans, played against other league teams and non-league teams. The Trojans non-league opponents were the same African American teams that the previous version of the Owensboro Trojans had played against.
One of the last newspaper articles about the New Owensboro Trojans was published the first of March 1958. It was the season opener for the YMCA Industrial League, and the New Owensboro Trojans, with a record of 5-2, forfeited their game against the Coca Cola Bottling Company team.
Sources: "Trojans play Paducah net team here tonight," The Owensboro Messenger, 01/16/1948, p.22; "Owensboro Trojans at Paducah tonight," The Owensboro Inquirer, 12/10/1948, p.8; "Owensboro Trojans beat Deluxe Panthers," The Owensboro Inquirer, 01/20/1948, p.8; "Trojans edged by Central City team," The Owensboro Inquirer, 01/27/1948, p.10; "Trojans play Bombers at Western High tonight, The Owensboro Inquirer, 01/30/1948, p.10; "6 Industrial League teams to see action at YMCA this week," Messenger and Inquirer, 12/09/1957, p.15; "Trojans beat GE to open IL season," Messenger and Inquirer, 12/12/1957, p.11; "Wyndall's swamps Odd Fellows 138-90," Messenger and Inquirer, 03/01/1958, p.11.