Sports Illustrated uncovered a story but could only print a censored version of what the sports writer working on the story wrote.

College football is big business. Getting the best recruits to sign with them was getting even harder and harder to do. The alumni paid big bucks for their alma mater to win and win they must. Colleges are limited to providing only tuition, room and board as part of the scholarships to attract the best and strongest talent. A number of the bigger schools have taken this a step farther without the NCAA knowing about it.

There is what's now known as "Recruiting Hostesses" at several of the major colleges. The University of Texas has their "Texas Angels," North Carolina State University has its "Stately Ladies," Maryland calls theirs the "Black-Eyed Susans," the University of Miami has the "Hurricane Honeys," Clemson University has their "Bengal Babes" and the University of Alabama has the "Bama Belles."

This story is about one of the Bama Belles.

Miriam had hoped to obtain a tennis scholarship to the University of Alabama. She had known from when she was a little girl that she would be going to the University of Alabama as both her mother and father had gone to Alabama. Her dad was a rabid 'Bama supporter and went to all of their football games.

When Miriam went for the tennis scholarship interview, she was surprised that she interviewed with one of the assistant football coaches. He told her that he could get her the tennis scholarship but that she had to join the Bama Belles and help recruit blue chip football players.

Miriam asked what the Bama Belles did. The assistant coach replied that they escorted the visiting high school football players around campus when they visited and did anything that made them feel special so they would want to come to play football at the University of Alabama. Miriam replied that she wanted to talk to her Mom and Dad before signing the scholarship papers.

Her Mom wasn't too keen on the idea but her Dad said that it would be a fantastic opportunity for her to meet all the new recruits, besides, he said, several of them were bound to play professional football. On top of all of that, it was a scholarship for his daughter and that meant he didn't have to pay the tuition himself.

The next day, Miriam gave her answer to the assistant coach who had interviewed her. She was on her way to the University of Alabama on a tennis scholarship. That had been her dream ever since she was seven!

Miriam got her uniform and attended the training for the Bama Belles. They issued her a short pair of crimson-colored shorts and a white halter top. She was more than a little surprised when she asked not to wear a bra while wearing the outfit. They gave her a new pair of sport shoes and ruffled white socks to complete the outfit. She finished her orientation that afternoon with some of the other new girls. The other gals were as cute as Miriam was. There were several other blondes, a couple of brunettes and a redhead.

The first set of recruits visiting Alabama was on Tuesday. There were seven recruits, one for each of the Bama Belles. Most of the potential new football team members were black and Miriam didn't consider herself prejudiced in any way. She even had fun flirting with the boys just like the rest of the Bama Belles did.

The assistant coach who interviewed her, Coach Williams, came to Miriam on Thursday. "Miriam, this weekend we have a potential quarterback that we would really like to have sign with Alabama. He'll be here both Friday and Saturday nights. Please make him happy in every way you can." Miriam said she would do her very best to serve her school.

On Friday afternoon, Miriam picked up Tyrone Brown at the airport. Tyrone was six foot three and had nary an ounce of fat on his two hundred thirty pound frame. He was a quarterback who was highly sought after by most of the big schools. He was also black, very black; as black as the Ace of Spades.

Miriam took her new charge to the University of Alabama and showed him around the campus. They went to eat at the Sports Center Cafeteria which was reserved for only athletes. There, Tyrone had a fabulous filet mignon with a lobster appetizer. Miriam just had the house salad as she was watching her weight.

After dinner, the attractive blonde hostess took Tyrone to one of the nearby clubs that the football players frequented. Most of the athletes there were black and their dates were white. Miriam thought that this was unusual but she always considered herself non-prejudicial.

They danced together for several fast tunes. Tyrone had been drinking several beers while she had a glass of wine. It was already arranged that she would run a tab and one of the Bama alums would pay for all of their drinks.