HISTORY
The league was born from a game of five-on-five among Cal students from Casa Juaquin Murrieta/Chicano Student Co-op and friends from East Oakland.
La Raza Athletic Association was formally established in East Oakland fall of 1971. The need for an athletic league for Raza (Latinos) by Raza began to take shape. The birthplace was an old gym at one of the first alternative schools in the nation, “Casa De La Raza School.”
The school was housed in four wooden bungalows behind Martin Luther King Middle School, at 1781 Rose Street in Berkeley, California. One of the wooden structures contained a gem of an old basketball court.
Many talented guys played on that cracker box court. Word spread about the quality of competition being played in the old gym. It was the right time, the right place for a league. Friends, families and communities united themselves into well-organized competitive basketball and softball teams. LRAA basketball would grow to almost 40 teams in 4 divisions. The strength and sprit of the league were the players, the coaches and their commitment to making the league successful.
La Raza Athletic Association also had local competitive teams that participated in several statewide and national basketball tournaments winning one or more championship title games. This included hosting a successful national tournament here in Oakland.
Although it’s been over four decades, the history and sprit of the league is alive and strong. Many good people and players participated in helping guide La Raza Athletic Association’s success. Its alumni can be counted all over the San Francisco Bay Area, California, and internationally -- as CRAFTSMEN, TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, ADMINSTRATORS and POLITICIANS. More importantly, as Fathers, Tios, and Abuelos. La Raza Athletic Association’s sprit and brand is alive. The league is an important piece of Oakland’s history.