Celebrating Black Athletes
As we near the end of February, the end of Black History Month is also in sight. Before we say goodbye to this important month, we would like to take a moment to celebrate and recognize some of the remarkable accomplishments of black athletes throughout history.
BLACK WOMEN IN SPORT
Lucy Diggs Slowe was a trailblazer in many areas. She served as the first Dean of Women at Howard University and was one of the founding members of the first Black sorority in the US. Additionally, Slowe was a talented tennis player and won the national title of the American Tennis Association's first tournament in 1917, becoming the first African-American woman to win a major sports title.
Alice Coachman made history at the 1948 Olympic Games when she became the first Black woman to win a medal at the games. She won gold in the high jump, and her achievement paved the way for other African-American women to make their mark on the summer games.
In 2002, Vonetta Flowers became the first Black athlete to win gold at the Winter Olympics in the two-woman bobsled event. Her historic victory broke down barriers and helped to inspire other Black athletes to pursue winter sports.
Sheryl Swoopes made history in 1996 as the first player to sign with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), which debuted the following year. The league, now in its 26th season, features three Black head coaches, two of whom are Black women
Serena Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. In 2003, she became the first Black woman to hold all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously, a feat that became known as the "Serena Slam." To date, Williams has won a total of 23 individual Grand Slam titles, the most in the Open Era.
At the 2012 Olympics in London, Gabby Douglas made history as the first Black athlete to be crowned Individual All-Around Champion in the gymnastics competition. She also won gold as a member of the "Fierce Five" women's team, becoming the first American to win both competitions in a single Olympics.
Baseball
In baseball history, the first official Black Major League Baseball player was Moses Fleetwood Walker. He made his debut as a catcher for the Toledo Blue Stockings in 1884.
Jackie Robinson, who made his minor league debut with the Montreal Royals in 1947 would break the long-standing colour barrier in professional baseball by debuting with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948 . He made history as baseball's inaugural winner of the Rookie of the Year award, the first Black All-Star, and MVP in 1949. He went on to become the first Black Hall of Fame inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players in baseball history.
Basketball
Basketball has a rich history of Black athletes who have made significant contributions to the sport. Don Barksdale was a pioneer in basketball, becoming the first Black player named to a college basketball All-American team during his only season at UCLA. In 1948, he became the first Black player to compete as an Olympian for the United States in basketball. He continued to break barriers in the NBA, becoming the first Black All-Star selection in his second season with the Baltimore Bullets.
The 1950 NBA Draft also marked a significant moment in basketball history. Chuck Cooper, Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, and Earl Lloyd were all selected, breaking into the league in different capacities. Cooper was the first Black player drafted, going as the first pick in the second round. Lloyd was the first to play in a game for the Washington Capitals due to the season's schedule, while Clifton was the first to sign a contract that season.
16 years later, Bill Russell made history by becoming the first Black head coach of a major professional sports team in the modern era when he became the player/manager for the Boston Celtics. Two years later, he became the first Black man to coach his team to an NBA championship.
HOCKEY
In 1895, The Coloured Hockey League of The Maritimes was founded in Halifax, N.S., becoming the first all-Black hockey league. The league introduced several innovations to the sport, such as allowing goaltenders to go down on the ice to stop the puck, and Eddie Martin of the league's Halifax Eurekas may have been the first person to use the slapshot.
In 1958, Willie O'Ree made history by becoming the first Black player to play in the NHL when he debuted with the Boston Bruins. Often called "the Jackie Robinson of hockey," he played a total of 43 games for the Bruins. Thirteen years later, Mike Marson of Toronto was the first Black player to be drafted and play in the NHL.
In the early 1980s, Grant Fuhr, a superstar goalie for the Oilers, made notable contributions for Black athletes in the NHL. He became the first Black player to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup in 1984, the first of five times he would win the sport's greatest trophy. Fuhr also became the first Black goalie in NHL history, the first Black recipient of both the Vezina and Jennings Trophies for excellence in the net, and the first Black inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.
FOOTBALL
In 1920, Fitz Pollard and Bobby Marshall became the first Black players in the NFL. Pollard made history once again in his second season by leading the Akron Pros to their first championship and being named their co-head coach, becoming the first Black coach in pro sports history while still an active player.
In 1961, Ernie Davis became the first Black athlete to receive a Heisman Trophy, following in the footsteps of the legendary Jim Brown. Davis was a two-time consensus All-American and rushed for a total of 2,386 yards and 20 touchdowns during his college career.
GOLF
Although there were several Black golfers who contributed to the game, it was Tiger Woods who made the most significant impact. At the age of 21, Woods made history at the 1997 Masters Tournament by shooting an impressive -18 under par and winning by a record-breaking 12 strokes. This victory not only marked Woods' first major title but also the first by a Black golfer in the 63-year history of the tournament and the 81-year history of the PGA. It was a significant milestone for the sport and the Black community. Woods' continued success led him to become the first and only Black golfer to be ranked #1 in the world, cementing his status as a legendary figure in golf