Celebrate the enduring legacy of Travis Brown, a celebrated PHL dignitary and sports legend from St. Louis Public Schools.
Travis Brown Courtesy of Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
High school basketball season can’t arrive fast enough for Public High League sports fans.
Reduced to just two football teams the rest of the football season-Gateway Stem and Career Academy-and facing the widespread backlash of declining enrollment, fan apathy and low participation, it’s fair to surmise that the Public High League has a major image problem these days.
Basketball, with the perennial banner carrying state-champion Vashon Wolverines probably can’t come fast enough. But until then, the football season will have to play out with the PHL’s surviving gang of two: the Phoenix of Career Academy and the Jaguars of Gateway Stem, the latter of whom are 7-0 and actually a bona fide Missouri Class 4 state contender again, after advancing all the way to the semifinals last season. But of course that success is obscured by the litany of setbacks the league has endured due to everything from population and enrollment declines, to general apathy to the devastation May tornadoes to the league and Public Schools being unprepared to deal with all of the challenges.
Speaking of PHL legacies, there couldn’t be a better time to reintroduce a PHL dignitary of the past: Travis Brown, a legend beyond his time.
Brown, who was born on October 16, 1950, would have celebrated his 75th birthday this month, but unfortunately died last Thanksgiving after a long illness. Nevertheless, he’s worthy to be remembered on many levels for his many accolades and contributions as a representative of the St. Louis Public Schools and Public High League. For starters, Brown was a star point guard on what was arguably one of the most talented teams in league history, the 1969 Missouri Class L state champion Sumner Bulldogs, which boasted a future stars, such as NCAA national scoring champion Marshall Rogers at Pan American University, Harry Rodgers a star at St Louis University, David Brent, a 7-foot force who starred at Jacksonville University before being a draft pick bonus baby in the old American Basketball Association pro league and William Westfall, a Memphis State University star.
As for Brown, he starred on the lower collegiate level at nearby Missouri Baptist University in West St Louis County, where he still holds the school record for most points (46) and assists (18) in a game, while ranking fourth all-time in points (1,641) at the school. He is a member of the Missouri Baptist University’s Hall of Fame, Sumner High’s Hall of Fame and more prestigiously the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, for his contributions beyond the playing court: He was a board member of the Missouri Sate Activities Association for over 10 years, including a couple as the board president
During his tenure with the state athletic association, he was given an award by the Brain Injury Association of Missouri for raising awareness about concussions in football. He was also an immensely popular principal at now-defunct Beaumont and league manager of the Public High League, where in both capacities he constantly introduced positive programs or activities to engage and inspire students, such as “Breakfast With Brown: at Beaumont, for parents and community leaders to help highlight and pay tribute to students academic success.
As PHL manager, he introduced a scholar- athlete awards banquet to highlight the well-rounded student athletes.
Former Beaumont coach Richard “Bird” Hamilton said shortly after Brown’s passing last fall, said those Beaumont teams were a reflection of Brown’s culture of respect. Hamilton coached over 20 years overall in the PHL, including his last several years at Beaumont, which closed in 2014. Hamilton said Brown was instrumental in getting the program into out-of-town tournaments and high-profile shootouts. But above all, he said Brown helped instill dignity and poise in how they played the game.
“We always played under control,” recalled Hamilton. “Players never got out of ‘pocket’ We never got technical fouls (for flagrant behavior). We talked to our guys all the time about respecting the refs, the school, the family and the coaching staff. That was a tribute to our team and our school. “
“He (principal Brown) had a saying “not at Beaumont”, remarked former Beaumont star player Bryan Turner during Hamilton’s tenure there.
Not surprisingly, Brown had been a coach himself and a successful one at his alma mater Sumner, where he went 137-85 from 1979 to 1988 and coached the metro region’s leading scoring champion in consecutive years in Albert Thomas, a Bulldogs great in basketball and football, before concentrating on basketball in college at Moberly Junior College and Texas Christian University (TCU) of the old Southwest Conference. Thomas said praise for Brown’s accomplishments may only be exceeded by praise of his character.
He holds the distinction of being in multiple Hall of Fames, including Missouri Baptist University’s, shown here in his playing days and also in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Courtesy of Brown
“Nobody has ever said a bad word about Travis Brown in the entire time he has been in administration or coaching, raved Thomas, who has been a longtime teacher and coach himself since his playing days. “In over 30 years in the St. Louis Public Schools System, he was scandal-free and drama-free. That’s saying something in our system. He was well-liked by everyone.”
Brown’s former classmate, coaching colleague and retired St Louis Public Schools administrator, Noren Kirksey, would concur with that assessment.
“There are not enough accolades one can express regarding my friend and brother, Mr. Travis Brown,” noted Kirksey, who served as an assistant coach with Brown for seven years. “I had known Travis for 50+years…In all the years that I knew Travis, he was the consummate gentleman: kind, thoughtful and graceful. He always had a smile and very seldom got angry or upset. However, he was a passionate basketball coach and teacher. He always demanded that you get the most out of your abilities and gave positive life lessons to the many people he touched during his decades with SLPS, whether as a teacher, principal, coach or administrator.”
Brown’s pursuit of exemplary behavior for his students and athletes may have been further illustrated when the Beaumont-Vashon boys basketball rivalry had become too disruptive and intense for its own good. Brown made a decision before the next Beaumont-Vashon game, a district playoff game, that all students who been unruly in the previous would not be allowed to attend. The move created a stark contrast in the atmosphere of the game, which sailed through without near-fights or fan disruptions.
Brown would later explain that he had met with “his team” of faculty and security to help identify the problem students and decided to ban them from that playoff game.
“Travis didn’t play around,” remarked former teammate Harry Rogers, emphasizing that Brown was nice just up to a certain point, if students got out of control.
“It was always ‘not at Beaumont’,” said Bryan Turner, the successful coach at St. Mary’s and arguably Beaumont’s best player of the late 1990’s and up until the school closed.
Kirksey said Brown’s coaching lessons transcended sports to last beyond the years.
“We molded many players during those seven years into not only good basketball players, but outstanding individuals that still remember those lessons and guidance to this day,” recalled Kirksey. “We will greatly miss Travis’ words of wisdom, his kindness and friendship.”
Brown, who was survived by wife Renee and sons Travis Jr. (Stuffy) and Marlowe, clearly lived a life well-praised.
“Everyone who came in contact with him, benefitting from his mentoring or friendship,” emphasized Albert Thomas. “To be in the system over 30 years and to be able to get out of it drama-free is saying something. Of course there is no perfect person, but he sure came close.”
Travis Brown, shown in his latter years holding his Sumner State trophy, would have celebrated his 75th birthday on October 16th, but he passed away last Thanksgiving.
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