Mario Brown known as "Bro' Rap", was the first African-American men's basketball player at Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...

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Early years

Mario Brown attended Parker High School in Chicago, Illinois. As a senior, Brown was named the most valuable player of the school's basketball team and earned all-district honors. He was also president of the school's student council and played on the baseball team.

After graduating from high school, Brown played basketball for two years for Kennedy-King Junior College in Chicago.

Texas A&M University

Brown was recruited by Texas A&M coach Shelby Metcalf

Shelby Metcalf

Shelby Metcalf was the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team for 27 seasons, from 1963 to 1990. He won more games than any other coach in the former Southwest Conference...

, who travelled to Chicago, Illinois to personally ask Brown to attend the school. Brown played for two seasons at A&M, starting in 51 games and averaging 14 points and 4.3 assists per game. In his first season, 1971–1972, Brown earned second team All-Southwest Conference honors, leading A&M with a 16.9 scoring average in conference play and helping the team to a 16-10 record. The following year, his senior year, Brown was selected as team co-captain, and averaged 13.4 points and 4 assists per game as the Aggies ranked second in the Southwest Conference and finished with a 17-9 record.

Brown was a very fast player with a great crossover dribble.

Later years

Brown died of lung cancer one month after his diagnosis in 2002. He was survived by his wife, Myrtle, and several children, including Nick Brown, a USA Junior National Champion in track and field who has had much success in track and field at the University of Illinois

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...

. Sergio Brown former standout Safety for the University of Notre Dame Football Team. Now a new member of the NFL Patriots.