Completed Event: Men's Basketball at Utah on February 24, 2026 , Win , 75, to, 59
Final
Men's Basketball
75
Utah
59
Iowa State University Athletics
ISU Hall-of-Famer John Crawford Opened Many Doors
02.16.2022 | Men's Basketball
John Crawford, Iowa State's first black basketball player, was often asked how he got to Iowa State.
After graduating from New York School of Printing in 1954 as one of the areas top preps, Crawford had received offers from UCLA, Hawaii, and many other colleges.
One day, Crawford ran into Johnny O'Boyle, who was a popular figure around the city parks. The encounter changed the course of his life.
"People were always wondering how I ended up at Iowa State," Crawford said in 2006. "I saw O'Boyle one day at the park and he told me a coach in Iowa wanted to talk to me. I had offers from many schools. I spoke with the coach for a half an hour on the phone. He then said he would like to speak with my mother now. He spoke with my mother for 15 minutes and my mother tells me, 'You're going to Iowa State.'"
That coach from Iowa was Cyclone Hall of Fame head coach Bill Strannigan, who was about to make his mark as one of the greatest mentors in Iowa State hoops history. And as for Crawford's mother, Iowa State can thank her for opening the door for a slew of future Cyclone stars.
Iowa State will honor Crawford this weekend at the Oklahoma game (Feb. 19) in conjunction with Black History Month. The team will wear honorary shooting shirts with Crawford's name and number on the back.
Yes, Crawford was a pioneer, but he was also an outstanding player on ISU's successful teams from 1956-58. The athletic, 6-5 forward with incredible leaping ability was a three-year starter for the Cyclones, averaging nearly a double-double in his career (13.4 points, 9.7 rebounds).
As a sophomore in 1955-56, Crawford immediately earned a spot in the Cyclone lineup while helping set the table for one of the greatest periods in Cyclone basketball history. Crawford averaged 12.6 points and 9.7 rebounds for a team that won its first conference tournament title in school history with a 1955 Big Seven Conference Holiday Tournament crown. The Cyclones defeated highly favored Kansas, 67-56 to claim the title. The historic win vaulted ISU to No. 7 in the national polls, the highest ranking in school history at the time. The 1955-56 squad tied for second in the Big Seven with an 8-4 mark and broke the school record for wins with 18.
Crawford averaged a double-double in his junior season (13.6 points, 10.2 rebounds) in 1956-57. That Cyclone team was led by senior All-American Gary Thompson, and it spent much of the year ranked nationally in the Top 20, including as high as No. 3 after defeating Wilt Chamberlain-led No. 1-ranked Kansas 39-37.
In his senior season (1957-58), Crawford earned first team All-Big Seven honors after averaging 14.1 points and 9.1 rebounds, leading the team in both categories. He posted 27 points vs. Drake and 28 points against Illinois to aid ISU to a pair of key non-conference victories, as the Cyclones finished 15-8 overall. The 1957-58 Cyclones tied for second in the league (8-4) and were ranked as high as No. 20 nationally. Crawford ended his brilliant three-year career as the school's all-time leading rebounder with 658 boards, as ISU was 22-14 vs. Big Seven competition in Crawford's three years as a starter.
His 9.7 career rebound average ranks seventh-best all-time in ISU history. Crawford was also ISU's second-leading career scorer (913 points) behind Thompson when he graduated.
Crawford, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 77, was inducted into the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.
"I was so proud I went to Iowa State," Crawford said in his Hall of Fame acceptance speech. "I had some of the finest teammates a person could ever hope for. Let me put it this way. I never felt any different than any of the teammates on the team at the time. I was like their brother."
Crawford dedicated his life to education after graduating from Iowa State.
He went back home to New York and had a distinguished 42-year career as a teacher, principal and then deputy superintendent of the New York City public schools.
Crawford was a fervent supporter of Iowa State Athletics. If you saw him at reunions or games, he was likely proudly wearing his Iowa State letter sweater.
He cherished reuniting with his teammates.
"We would get together often," Crawford reminisced. "When we would get together, it was just like we were 20-year-old kids again. We always had that bond."
Thompson was one of those teammates who shared that bond. Iowa State's first two-sport All-American remained close with Crawford until his death.
"John was the first black man to play basketball at Iowa State, but we never saw it that way. He was just one of us," Thompson said. "He was a tremendous teammate and a great player. I stayed in contact with John throughout the years. I miss him dearly."
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