American sports

The Integration of American Sports

From Jessie Owens to Muhammad Ali

Racial stereotyping in american sport

I. Racial Stereotyping in American Sport.

The racial hypocrisy of sport in post World War II America Jackie Robinson’s minor league debut on April 18, 1946 The problem of an athletic “Sambo” image The notion of black athletic inferiority The white “interpretation” of Jesse Owens

The Racial Image of Joe Louis

II. The Racial Image of Joe Louis.

The white “interpretation” of Joe Louis The racial overtones of Louis’ nicknames --The “Brown Bomber” --The “Dark Destroyer” --The “Sepia Socker” --Pictured as a jungle animal

The Harlem Globetrotters

III. The Harlem Globetrotters.

The “acceptable” black athletes: The Harlem Globetrotters --Abe Saperstein The “Clown Princes” of Basketball Sporting Version of Rochester and Uncle Remus Preference for “ugly Negroes” Three rules for the players

The Harlem Globetrotters founded in 1927

The integration of baseball

IV. The Integration of Baseball.

Clowning in Negro League Baseball Robinson’s second minor league at-bat Time was ripe for change Who was Jack Roosevelt Robinson?

Branch Rickey’s plan

IV. The Integration of Baseball (cont).

Branch Rickey’s plan to integrate baseball --Roy Campanella --Don Newcombe Black Reaction to Robinson White Owner’s Reaction to Robinson Death of the Negro Leagues

White fan reaction to integration

IV. The Integration of Baseball (cont).

White fan reaction to integration Robinson’s Major League Ordeal --Pee Wee Reese Even harder time for some players --St. Louis Browns Paul Robeson and Robinson’s HUAC appearance Black “Horatio Alger”

The Integration of other professional sports

IV. The Integration of Other Professional Sports.

Integration of Other Professional Sports --Kenny Washington --Larry Doby Chuck Cooper and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton in the NBA (1950) Saperstein’s Reaction Althea Gibson

The sad story of Connie Hawkins

V. The Sad Story of Connie Hawkins.

The Exploitation of Connie Hawkins Hawkins at the University of Iowa Hawkins implicated in “point shaving” scandal Reasons for the easier integration of the NFL

Baseball after Robinson

VI. Baseball After Robinson.

Satchel Paige makes it to the major leagues New stereotype for Black baseball players Dominance of the more racially diverse National League The last ball clubs to integrate

The Racial transformation of the NBA

VII. The Racial Transformation of the NBA.

Black dominance in the NBA --Chamberlain’s 100-point game, March 2, 1962 Lennie Wilkens as a “myth buster” Stereotyping of white NBA players The problem of dwindling audiences . . . . . . And lethargic play

Racial transformation of basketball

VII. Racial Transformation of Basketball (cont).

Search for the “Great White Hope” -- “Pistol” Pete Maravich “The Eye of the Tiger” Serious doubts about the “mental competency” of the black athlete 1966 NCAA Basketball Championship Game --Texas Western over Kentucky 72-65 Impact of the Game

The black rebellion in american sports

Changing Image of the Black Man

VIII. Changing Image of the Black Man.

The era of “Black Power” --James Meredith and the integration of ‘Ole Miss --Stokely Carmichael and the Black Panthers The “trickster” in slave folk tales Emergence of the “bad” man black image after the Civil War “Bad” Men in 60’s popular culture

From Liston to Ali

IX. From Liston to Ali.

Real life “bad men” black athletes --Sonny Liston Floyd Patterson: “Credit to his race” Cassius Clay defeats Liston in 1964 Clay becomes Muhammad Ali Ali’s Background Ali and his Black Muslim Faith

Cassius Clay Knocks

Out Sonny Liston in Heavyweight Title Bout, February 25, 1964.

Muhammad Ali and the Vietnam war

X. Muhammad Ali and the Vietnam War.

Ali as the “baddest” black athlete of them all Ali as the “hard moral man” image White reaction to Ali’s new religion Ali’s opposition to the Vietnam War Ali’s refusal to enter the army Ali stripped of title and license

The evolution of Muhammad Ali

XI. The Evolution of Muhammad Ali.

The New “Jack Johnson” Ali’s Poetic Antics Ali’s verbal abuse was directed against black fighters as well --Floyd Patterson fight in 1965 --Ernie Terrell fight in 1966

Black Athletes in the 1970’s

XII. Black Athletes in the 1970’s.

George Foreman at the 1968 Olympic Games Pace of integration in sports accelerated in 1970’s Diverse images of the black athlete Softening of Black Muslims --Kareem Abdul-Jabbar --Ahmad Rashad

George Foreman

at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

The Changing Image of Muhammad Ali in the 1970’s

XIII. The Changing Image of Muhammad Ali in the 1970’s.

Ali’s reinstatement in 1970 Ali’s Comeback fight against Jerry Quarry Title Fight with Joe Frazier Regains Title by defeating George Foreman in 1974 President Carter’s “Ambassador of good will” to Africa in 1980

Complex Images

XIV. Complex Images of Black Athletes During the 1970’s.

The Symbolism of the “Rocky” Films Stan Wright and the 1972 Olympics The misinterpretation of Kermit Washington Henry Aaron and Babe Ruth Racist perceptions of Black athletes

Continuing racial controversy in american sports

XV. Continuing Racial Controversy in American Sports.

Black athletic success in the 1970’s matched by the persistence of black social problems Martin Kane’s 1971 Sports Illustrated Article Harry Edwards Responds Additional Criticisms of the treatment of black athletes

Continuing Racial Controversy

XV. Continuing Racial Controversy in American Sports (cont).

American Sports as a recreation of the Roman gladiator matches The tragedy of Earl Manigault Billy McGill and the University of Utah High Profile Racism in 1987 --Al Campanis --Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder