Life Often Imitates Sports

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I joined millions of African-Americans in our nation Tuesday in being filled with joy, pride and overwhelming thankfulness.   As I watched the day unfold –the Inauguration of OUR country’s first African-American President of the United States – I thought about all the men and women whose courage and sacrifices made it possible for us and President Barack Obama to experience such a beautiful day.   Naturally, I thought about Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Jesse Jackson and the less noted who stood up to fire hoses, dogs and men dressed in white sheets.

 But then my thoughts turned to sports and role African-American athletes played in making this possible. I wondered about the sports figures whose brave acts and selfless sacrifices may have played as much role as any in clearing America’s eyes and consciousness to be able to see us true equals.   I wondered would this day had been possible had Joe Louis not pummeled Max Schmeling and in essence Nazi Germany in their 1938 rematch?   Would it had been possible had track star Jesse Owens not won gold with such grace and class during Germany’s 1936 Olympic Games?   Would it had been possible had Jackie Robinson not agreed to be baseball’s human guinea pig and break the color barrier of America’s favorite pastime in 1947?   Would this had been possible had a brash young boxer soon to be known to the World as Muhammad Ali not screamed “I shook up the World!” and then preceded to do just that both inside and outside of the ring in a brilliant career?   Would it had been possible had Tommie Smith and John Carlos not had the guts to raise their black gloved fists high in the air and lowered their heads as a symbol of Black Power on the medal podium during the 1968 Mexico Olympics?   The answers seem to be no.

Sport was one of the first arenas where white America had to accept us as equals and often times as superior. It is there they also learned to adore and admire a man they would have otherwise looked down on.   As doors have opened for African-Americans in sports it should be little wonder that they’ve slowly opened in mainstream society, as well. After all, life often imitates sport as odd as that may be.

What do you think?

This story is filed under: Politics, Sports