Who broke the color barrier in all sports ?

edmundfitzgerald

Baseball.... Jackie Robinson

Basketball... ?

Football....... ?

Hockey....... Willie O'Ree ??? Boston Bruins

Tennis....... ?

Nascar Driver.. ?

rbdjr1

Tennis - Althea Gibson (women) Arthur Ashe (men)


(footnote: Edward Simmons was considered the first African American to publicly participate in a tennis match in Flint Michigan, and maybe first anywhere?)

Mr. Edward Simmons came to Flint in 1928, after attending Lincoln College from Dayton, Ohio where he had established himself as an outstanding amateur athlete in tennis, basketball, track and baseball. He worked at the Buick factory and for the Y.M.C.A. before joining the city recreation department. He played on the Flint Owls baseball team with such stars as Dodson and Grady Truss, Gus Wells, Wilfred Heller and others.

After leaving Buick and the Y.M.C.A., along with the efforts and support of others, he helped make available sports and playgrounds to black youths. Simmons became Flint's first black city recreation supervisor in charge of Negro Activities. In 1937, along with others, funds were raised to purchase a house between Wellington and Kennelworth which became the Clifford Street Center.

Mr. Simmons epitomizes the struggle of Flint black athletes. In 1935 he became the first officially recorded appearance of a black tennis player in Flint history. From 1936-37 he was beaten in the Semi-Finals with his opponent becoming the tournament champion. However, in 1938 with a smashing service, a brilliant net game and indefatigable legs, Simmons merely overpowered his opponents. He became Flint's first black tennis champion. The first champion to win the tournament in three straight sets. First black to represent Flint in a State Tennis Tournament, also the first black to win a State match from Flint. He won the most straight tournament matches and most tournament matches from 1935-1938.

After winning the Flint tournament and therefore winning the privilege of representing Flint in other tournaments around the State, Simmons was denied participation in tournaments held in Owosso, Saginaw and Eastern Michigan league clubs. He played in three National Negro Tennis Association Tournaments.

After 10 years with the City Recreation Department, he retired and left Flint to become Director of the Crispus Attucks Community Center in York, Pa. In 1976 he retired as a Supervisor of Complaint Investigations. For this cause we are compelled to preserve these accomplishments of our black pioneers in sports.

Since his selection for induction into the Hall of Fame, Mr. Simmons passed away in Harrisburg, Pa., at the age of 91. May he rest in peace. Thanks for the history.

JackWESQ

Basketball (NBA) - Earl Lloyd

1957-58 Topps Earl Lloyd

JackWESQ

History of African-Americans in Pro Football; courtesy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

/s/ JackWESQ

Dboneesq

<< <i>Basketball (NBA) - Earl Lloyd

1957-58 Topps Earl Lloyd

>>




EARL was the first to play

CHUCK COOPER the first to get drafted

SWEET.WATER CLIFTON the first to sign a contract

JackWESQ

Dear Doug,

Play, draft, sign ... semantics. But if we look at the question posed ... "Who broke the color barrier in all sports ?", then the answer would Chuck Cooper as the Boston Celtics, by drafting Cooper in the 2nd round of the 1950 NBA draft (Lloyd was drafted in the 9th round), acknowledged that African-Americans [had a place/belonged/were going to play/etc.] in the NBA. But, like I said, semantics.

/s/ JackWESQ

P.S. I think your interpretation of the Mass. statute regarding stopping for school buses is correct (re stopping when coming from either direction).

alpemomo

i believe in 1908 Jack Johnson became the first boxing champion (heavyweight) and that was huge! He was brash and talked a lot of trash

he didnt stay champ for long but I believe he might have been the first black athelete to succeed

edmundfitzgerald

So the Chicago Bears drafted the first African-American player in 1949. However, he did not sign.

The Bears also had the first Afro-American QB in 1953. His name was Willie Thrower. Some name for a QB.

Johnny Grier was the first Afro-American official in the NFL in 1988.

Ozzie Newsome was the first GM in 2002.

Wally Triplett from Penn State was the first drafted player to play in the NFL in 1949.

SoFLPhillyFan

Is Jim Thorpe considered non-white?

DeutscherGeist

Jesse Owens--Track and Field

Although I doubt he was the first African-American Olymic Track and Field member, he was definately one with the high impact. He became sort of an ambassador of black athletes in the decades to come. Competing on the world stage in Berlin gave him a lot of exposure. The head of Adidas, Adi Dassler, encouraged Owens to wear his shoes--that made him the first African-American receiving sponsorship.

When you read the autobiography/biography of Owens, you will see his sentiments regarding how he felt in Germany as a foreigner/guest and as a black man in segregated USA. He felt more like a human being in Germany than in the USA. The propaganda of nationalism during the time when the USA and Germany were rivals give a false picture of how mistreated Owens was here and not so much there. He noticed these injustices (going to Germany really put things into more perspective) and was an outspoken and active voice in his African-American community. What a nice life he had.

perkdog

As far as Football goes I believe it was either Paul "Tank" Younger or George Talieffero

WinPitcher

Moses Fleetwood Walker
Catcher for Toledo Blue Stockings of American Association (then a major league) in 1884, 63 years before Jackie Robinson's debut. Batted .263 in 42 games.

Charles Follis
Halfback for Shelby Athletic Club in the Ohio League from 1902 to '06, the first of six black pro players in pre-NFL years.

Harry Bucky Lew
Forward with Pawtucketville (Mass.) Athletic Club in New England Basketball League in 1902, 48 years before Earl Lloyd broke into NBA.

John Shippen
Assistant pro at Shinne k Hills in Southampton, N.Y., played in 1896 U.S. Open there, 52 years before Bill Spiller became the first black to play in a PGA event.

stevek

<< <i>Jesse Owens--Track and Field

Although I doubt he was the first African-American Olymic Track and Field member, he was definately one with the high impact. He became sort of an ambassador of black athletes in the decades to come. Competing on the world stage in Berlin gave him a lot of exposure. The head of Adidas, Adi Dassler, encouraged Owens to wear his shoes--that made him the first African-American receiving sponsorship.

When you read the autobiography/biography of Owens, you will see his sentiments regarding how he felt in Germany as a foreigner/guest and as a black man in segregated USA. He felt more like a human being in Germany than in the USA. The propaganda of nationalism during the time when the USA and Germany were rivals give a false picture of how mistreated Owens was here and not so much there. He noticed these injustices (going to Germany really put things into more perspective) and was an outspoken and active voice in his African-American community. What a nice life he had. >>



If Owens would have been a citizen of Germany at that time, I promise you he would have rather of lived in the US and felt more like a "human being" in the US - Firstly he would have never been able to participate in the Olympic games as a German athlete, and secondly he would have likely been exterminated at a concentration camp. Even though he made that statement, doesn't mean his perception was accurate about the US versus Germany treatment of black people, because his perception was nowhere close to being accurate. Read your history books about Nazi Germany from around 1933 to 1945 and you'll figure it out.

goraiders

1st black nascar driver

Most sources that document the early history of stock car racing list Wendell Scott as the first African-American NASCAR driver, and understandably so.

Scott was a true racer - the first and only African-American driver ever to win in the Grand National/Winston Cup series.

That victory came in 1963 at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida, in a race which also featured Richard Petty, Ned Jarrett, David Pearson, and other top NASCAR stars of the day.

Over the course of his 13-year career, Scott competed in 495 Cup races from 1961 to 1973. He posted 20 top-5 and 147 top-10 finishes including his win, and finished in the top 10 in points three times - sixth in 1966, and ninth in both 1968 and 1969.

Wendell Scott was the first African-American NASCAR driver to race at the Cup level on a long-term basis, but historical sources which dig a little deeper typically list Charlie Scott (no relation to Wendell), as the first African-American driver ever to compete in a Cup race.

A 2008 article on NASCAR.com states, "Charlie Scott will go down in history as the first African-American driver to make a NASCAR race. He competed on the Daytona Beach road course in 1956 in a Kiekhaefer Chrysler. When the checkered waved, Scott found himself in 19th place, earning $75 dollars for his efforts."

That was Charlie Scott's only race, and it occurred on February 26, 1956.

I recently came across an interesting bit of information that may change NASCAR history: A page from the August 1, 1955, edition of the San Mateo (CA) Times newspaper, with an article about that weekend's NASCAR race at Bay Meadows Speedway.

The 250-lap Grand National Series race was held on July 31, 1955, on the one-mile San Mateo dirt track. It featured several NASCAR stars of the time, including Lee Petty, Marvin Panch, Buck Baker, Ed Negre (making his Cup series debut), and Tim Flock -- the race winner, who also won the Grand National title that year.

Finishing 28th that day in a field of 34 cars, in front of 15,000 fans, was Elias Bowie, making his first and only NASCAR Cup appearance.

Elias Bowie was African-American

There's a nice display at the speedway[daytona] here of scott.

IrishMike

Charlie Sifford.

markj111

As has been noted, Jacki Robinson did not break the color barrier in baseball. There were several black players in organized baseball in the 19th century. Fleetwood Walker was one of them, but was not the only one.

rube26105

at first glance, i thought this was kid dyno-mite!!!! jj walker

BigDaddyBowman

<< <i>As far as Football goes I believe it was either Paul "Tank" Younger or George Talieffero >>





Hard to really determine...depending what your criteria is, but Fritz Pollard played and coached back in 1920's. Kenny Washington and Woody Strode in NFL and Bll WIllis and Marion Motley in AAFC. I believe all came before Younger and Talieffero.

75 Seasons: History of the NFL movie had a section on this. A must see (or read) for vintage football fans.

calaban7

<< <i>Moses Fleetwood Walker
Catcher for Toledo Blue Stockings of American Association (then a major league) in 1884, 63 years before Jackie Robinson's debut. Batted .263 in 42 games.

Charles Follis
Halfback for Shelby Athletic Club in the Ohio League from 1902 to '06, the first of six black pro players in pre-NFL years.

Harry Bucky Lew
Forward with Pawtucketville (Mass.) Athletic Club in New England Basketball League in 1902, 48 years before Earl Lloyd broke into NBA.

John Shippen
Assistant pro at Shinne k Hills in Southampton, N.Y., played in 1896 U.S. Open there, 52 years before Bill Spiller became the first black to play in a PGA event. >>



Thanks for this info . I normally get trashed for presenting facts that don't quite jive with P.C. thought. To some , tradition and myths are more important than reality.

Let history be history. Let nonsense be nonsense.