racism in sports

"From a leading scholar of sports and race, a story of two pioneering Black quarterbacks--one who became the first to win a Super Bowl, and one who couldn't make it in the racist world of the NFL. There is no position in pro sports more recognizable, lucrative, and important than NFL quarterback. But while the league itself has always been integrated, quarterbacking was the exclusive domain of white players for many years. When Doug Williams and Vince Evans arrived in the league in the late 1970s, Black players were often dismissed as lacking the intelligence and leadership skills of a QB. They got death threats, faced racist questions, and knew that a single mistake could end their careers at any moment. In this book, Grand Valley State professor Louis Moore tells the twin stories of Vince Evans--the electrifying player who should have succeeded, but could not overcome his numerous obstacles--and of Doug Williams--the star of the Washington Redskins, and the first Black quarterback to become a champion. He shows how easily Williams' triumphant story could have gone wrong, becoming another tale of supreme talent that the world only got to glimpse, and how his success changed the game and the country. A skillful blend of game-time drama and social commentary, this book captures one of the unheralded heroes of the NFL, and all that he meant, both on the field and off"--Provided by publisher.

"While Colin Kaepernick's 2016 protests reignited the debate surrounding athletes and political activism, the relationship between the two is a longstanding tradition. The athletic field has long been a site for protests against racism, hosting key events in the fight for equality, such as legendary African American baseball player Jackie Robinson's 1947 induction into the MLB. Recent protests have expanded to issues like sexism, LGBT rights, and immigration, and have made use of social media and other modern developments. This volume examines the controversies surrounding athlete activism as well as its place in history and contemporary politics"--Provided by publisher.

"For far too long the storyline of Indiana basketball has been dominated by [the film] 'Hoosiers.' Framed as the ultimate underdog, feel good story, there has also long been a cultural debate surrounding the film, and 'The Real Hoosiers' sets out to illuminate the narrative absent from the film. This is the story of the real life team that inspired the team that most have long assumed was Hickory High's championship opponent. They were Crispus Attucks, an all Black team playing in the 1950s in a racially divided Indiana. Veteran sportswriter . . . Jack McCallum, excavates the history of the Crispus Attucks Tigers. After a crushing loss to Milan High School (the real Indiana team Hickory High is based on) in the 1954 semi-final (not the final), Attucks went on to win back to back Indiana state championships led by a young Oscar Robertson and an African American coach who recognized the seemingly insurmountable challenges of playing basketball in a state that was a bastion not only for the game but also for the Ku Klux Klan. This is much more than a sports story. The history of Attucks is rich, far beyond the basketball court, and filled with cultural influence and importance. 'The Real Hoosiers' replaces a lacuna in the history of Indiana while dissecting the myths and lore of basketball; placing the game in the context of migration, segregation, and integration; and enhancing our understanding of this country's struggle for Civil Rights"--Provided by publisher.

Tells the story of the life and career of Althea Gibson, the first Black woman to be ranked as the number one tennis player in the world.

"Now thoroughly revised and updated, Across the Line recounts the experiences of the pioneering African-American basketball players at 18 colleges in the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences, the South's most prominent, historically white intercollegiate leagues"--.

"This book chronicles the struggles and triumphs of African American athletes in the Modern Olympic Games, from 1896 through the 2020 Tokyo Games. It explores the lives and careers of both legendary and little-known Black Olympians as they sought to honor themselves, their race, and their nation on the world stage"--Provided by publisher.

In September 2019, ESPN's The Undefeated website (now Andscape) began a season-long series of articles on the emergence of Black quarterbacks in the NFL. The first article in the series was Jason Reid's enormously popular, Welcome to the Year of the Black Quarterback. The series culminated with an hour-long television program in February 2020, hosted by Reid himself. The Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America will expand on Reid's piece--as well as the entire series--and chronicle the shameful history of the treatment of Black players in the NFL and the breakout careers of a thrilling new generation of Black quarterbacks. Intimate portraits of Colin Kaepernick, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Kyler Murray feature prominently in the book, as well as the careers and legacy of beloved NFL players such as Doug Williams and trailblazing pioneers Marlin Briscoe and Eldridge Dickey. Reid delves deeply into the culture war ignited by Kaepernick's peaceful protest that shone a light on systemic oppression and police brutality. Fascinating and timely, this page-turning account will rivet fans of sports, cultural commentary, and Black history in America.

"Jackie Robinson was the first Black player in Major League Baseball. Arthur Ashe was the first Black man to win several pro tennis titles. Readers will learn about these athletes and others who have fought for and spoken out for racial equity in sports and the greater society"--Provided by publisher.

"Chester Pierce plays football for Harvard--the only African American member of the starting lineup. A big game at the University of Virginia is coming up. But back in 1947 there's an unwritten rule in college football: Northern schools don't bring black players to games in the South. And Southern schools bench a white player of equal talent in return. In the South, Jim Crow laws keep black and white people separate. The Harvard coach decides that it's time things change. He tells UVA he's bringing Chester . . . Together, the team makes history. Chester becomes the first black player to compete in an intercollegiate football game south of the Mason-Dixon line"--Dust jacket.

"Discover the courageous stories of elite Black athletes who battled prejudice and exclusion to become heroes and champions in their sport. Some have used their platform to bring attention to global, social, economic, and health issues. Others brought glory and fame to their countries. Read about such heroes in sports as boxer Muhammad Ali, tennis great Serena Williams, sprinter Usain Bolt, gymnast Simone Biles, and many more"--Provided by publisher.