As part of Black History Month, Emporia State Athletics will take a look back at some of the black student-athletes that have had an impact on Hornet Athletics.

Duward Crooms was a football and track standout at then Kansas State Teachers College from 1932-36.  He won four letters in each sport, competing as a halfback in football and a sprinter on the track squad. 

Crooms was an honorable mention selection on the all-state team for the Hornet football team, scoring the game winning touchdown against the College of Emporia in their Thanksgiving showdown in 1934, but it was on the track that he garnered most of his success. 

He was mentioned as being on the same level as Jesse Owens and Eustace  Peacock of Temple in the sprints. He competed against Owens in the 1935 Drake Relays in which Owens set the then world record of 9.5 in the 100 yard dash.

Crooms won the 100-yard dash two consecutive years at the Kansas Relays with times of 9.7 in 1934 and 9.8 in 1935.  The next year he ran on the Hornets' distance medley relay team that set a world record of 10:12.7 at the 1936 KU Relays. 

At one point in his career, he held the school record in the 100 yard dash at 9.6 and 220 yard dash at 21.0.  Crooms was selected to represent ESU at the NCAA national track and field meet in 1935 and 1936 in Los Angeles and Berkeley, Calif.  He also competed in the Far West AAU meet in San Diego.