African American Studies by Credo Reference: Sports

In Encyclopedia of Race and Racism
Sport and socially defined race clearly have a relationship in modern societies. Yet the dynamics of race's impact on the institution of sport is surprisingly complex.

From Black Firsts
The first known black professional player—predating the present league organization—was pitcher John W. “Bud” Fowler [John W. Jackson] (1858?-?).

From Black Firsts
The Rens, named after the team's home court, the Renaissance Casino in New York, was the first black professional basketball team.

From Black Firsts
Frederick Douglas “Fritz” Pollard Sr. (1890–1986), a diminutive back of Brown University, became the first black to play in the Rose Bowl.

From Black Firsts
The first black woman to win seven consecutive titles in the American Tennis Association was Ora Washington (1898–1971).

From Black Firsts
John Baxter “Doc” Taylor Jr. (1882–1908), became the first black winner of a gold medal in the Olympics.

In Black Firsts
1912 • The first black to hold the record for the 100-yard dash was Howard Porter Drew (1890-1957), of Lexington, Virginia. He was called the world's fastest human and won the National Amateur Athletic Union championship on September 12.

In Freedom Facts and Firsts: 400 Years of the African American Civil Rights Experience
Professional Negro baseball leagues were organized to showcase the talents of African American players during segregation; they became a successful business enterprise, generating millions of dollars in revenue and thousands of jobs for other blacks besides players, coaches, managers, and team owners.

Baseball player and executive, born in Mobile, Alabama, USA.

Boxer, born in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

US tennis player and coach. He won the US national men's singles title at Forest Hills and the first US Open in 1968.

American baseball player, b. Riverside, Calif.

US basketball player. Named by the US magazine Sports Illustrated as the ‘Best Basketball Player of the 20th Century’ (1999).

American athlete. Winner of nine Olympic gold medals, including four in the long jump, he duplicated in the 1984 Olympics Jesse Owens's feat of winning the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the long jump, and the four-by-100-meter relay.

(Jack Roosevelt Robinson), American baseball player, the first African-American player in the modern major leagues.

US American football player, film and television actor, and sports commentator.

US golfer. In 1994 he became the youngest player, at the age of 18, to win the US Amateur Championship.

U.S. boxer. World heavyweight champion (1986-90, and 1996): jailed for rape (1992-95); banned from professional boxing in 1997 after biting off part of his opponent's ear.

In African American Almanac
Hank Aaron (1934–)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1947–)
Muhammad Ali (1942–)