Transcript Race in Sport

Race in Sport
SS 271
Jack C. Watson II
Topical Outline
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Discussion Question
Definitions
History of Race in Sport
Reasons for Racial Differences
Racial Discrimination in Sport
Topical Review
Sport Provides a Sanctuary
Whereby Racial Problems and
Tensions do not Exist!!
Definitions
 Race: social category constructed and accepted
by society to describe members with genetic
similarity
– Socially constructed
– Based on physical attributes
– Categories for division are not fixed
 Varies by society
 Grandparents – way back
– Race divides us, us and them
What race am I…hum….?
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1/4
1/4
1/4
1/8
1/8
African American
Thai
Chinese
Native American
White European
 Old rationale = black
 Brazil
= white
Definitions
 Ethnicity: Cultural heritage of a group
– Not biological
– Shared culture
 Language/dialect
 Religion
 Customs
 History
 Both race and ethnicity serve to mark
groups
Definitions
 Racial-Ethnic Group: Possess similar
social and economic conditions, because
of cultural labeling as a race. Common
culture develops
– African American, Asian American, Native American
 Institutional Racism: Common practices
in society that systematically hurt one
group more than another
– Practices that perpetuate racism, even when individuals are not
racist
Schools
Law
Banks
Jobs
Example of Institutional Racism
 Proposition 48
– 2.0 GPA (11 courses)
– 700 SAT
– Resulted from
embarrassing events
(SMU, Oklahoma,…)
 Attempt to increase faith
in NCAA
– 1984
 Would have disqualified
54% of black Footballers
who went on to graduate
 Would only have
disqualified 9% of whites
 Proposition 16
– 2.5 GPA (13 courses)
– 800 SAT
– Sliding Scale
 2.0 GPA with 900 SAT
– Replaced Prop 48
 85% of those losing
eligibility were black
 Why?
– Real problems are with
tests and educational
systems in specific areas
– Dove Test of Intelligence
Definitions
 Minority Group: Members
share common group
characteristics, and suffer
from discrimination
– Power imbalance
 Unemployment
 Family income
 Home ownership
 HS graduation rates
 Medical insurance
 Arrests
History of African American
Involvement in Sport
 Pre Civil War
– Were allowed to box, and ride horses
 Post Civil War
– Sport was still segregated. Inroads in boxing and
horse racing that lasted until 20th century
 Early to Mid 20th century
– Barred from baseball, basketball and football
– Formed own leagues
History of African American
Involvement in Sport (cont…)
 Mid 20th Century
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Jackie Robinson (1947)
Began to be allowed to play in college and pros
Often exploited by college and professional programs
Watershed Years
 Current Times
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Minority players sign smaller contracts
Many players signed, but few play in majors
Leagues becoming stocked with foreign players
Minority players must be better than Caucasian players
to make teams
African American Participation in
Sport (2000) 12-13%
 78% of NBA player
 67% of NFL
 13% of MLB
 2% in NHL
 Why is this occurring?
– Race/genetic differences?
– Cultural differences?
– Social differences?
Explanations for Elevated
Numbers of AAs in Sport
 Genetic Reasons:
 Cultural Reasons:
– Race in US has been joined
– Only six genes are linked to
color
– Can we really eliminate social
and cultural differences?
 Kenyans are excellent
distance runner, Nigerians
are better sprinters
– Making success seem natural,
takes away from effort
– Physical skills are more
highly valued in AA culture
– Little evidence supports
this
– Greater emphasis is
placed on different
activities between cultures
(not just between races)
(i.e., more variability
between culture than
 Perpetuates social beliefs
race).
(e.g., work habits, intelligence,
physically superior)
Social Structural Constraints
 Occupational Constraints:
– African Americans may view sport as being
one of the few avenues to be successful in
US society
– Many athletic role models
 Opportunity Structures (i.e., the facilities
and resources available to them):
space, money, ...
– Differences between stereotypical white
and black basketball players
Racial Discrimination in Sport
 Stacking (Loy and McElvogue)
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Whites found in thinking and outcome control positions
Whites found in central positions
Blacks found in speed positions
Blacks found in reacting positions (defense)
 Requirements for participation are higher for
Blacks
Stacking in the NFL
OFFENCE
Quarterback
Running Back
Wide Receivers
Center
Guard
Tight End
Tackle
Kicker
DEFENCE
Cornerback
Safety
Linebacker
Defensive End
Defensive Tackle
Defensive Back
Nose Tackle
Punter
% of White Players
1983
1990
1991
1992
% of Black Players
1993
1990 1991 1992
99
12
23
97
77
52
68
98
94
7
11
76
62
39
50
83
1
88
77
3
2
48
32
2
92
7
14
87
76
49
71
97
92
8
10
89
67
49
60
88
8
4
4
2
92
43
17
20
12
57
53
31
29
28
47
31
28
28
26
69
47
50
44
30
53
0
0
6
5
0
0
0
42
35
0
0
0
92
85
0
58% of all players in the NFL are Black
30% of all players in NFL are White
8
90
86
13
24
51
29
0
8
90
89
10
31
51
31
0
6
92
88
19
35
59
46
7
96
83
66
72
50
0
0
0
96
80
68
70
54
94
49
3
98
88
71
73
67
95
60
10
Results of stacking (see Table 13.2)
– Promote belief of white supremacy
– Longer careers for whites
– Decreases coaching opportunities (see Table
13.3)
– Blacks make less money
– Blacks moved from central positions in H.S.
and College
Struggle for Equality
 Two black athletes dominated
 Another example of protesting
American sports in the years prior
occurred in the 1940s when the
to World War II: Jesse Owens in
students at New York University
track and field and Joe Louis in
launched a protest against
boxing. They made their
racial discrimination in
statements for racial equality by
collegiate athletics that gained
proving themselves as athletes, but
national recognition and
others turned to more direct forms
support to eradicate the color
of protest.
line in intercollegiate sports.
 For example, boxer Henry
Armstrong hammered away at
discrimination in the 1930s and
1940s by refusing to fight at
segregated arenas.
Henry Armstrong
Joe Louis
Struggle for Equality
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America's entry into World War II in
December 1941 had a huge impact
on the color line in sports.
In this period, Satchel Paige and his
Negro Baseball All-Star Team were
given the opportunity to play the
major league champions of
baseball.
The number of African American
athletes in predominantly white
collegiate conferences increased.
Integration of sports continued after
the war ended in 1945. In 1947
Jackie Robinson broke the color
line to become the first black player
in major league baseball.
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In professional basketball,
Chuck Cooper and Sweetwater
Clifton came into the National
Basketball Association in 1950.
That year also marked an
important first in tennis when
Althea Gibson became the first
African American woman to
compete in the National
Championships.
In the 1960s Wilma Rudolph and
Wymoia Tyus won international
acclaim for African American
women in track.
Althea Gibson
Wilma Rudolph
Chuck Cooper
Curt Flood
Struggle for Equality
 In the 1968 Olympics, two black track and field runners, John
Carlos and Tommie Smith, made a controversial stand against
racism in the U.S. At the medal ceremony, Smith and Carlos stood
on the platform wearing black socks w/o shoes and Smith wore a
black scarf around his neck. When the National Anthem was
played Smith and Carlos raised a gloved fist in the black power
salute. Because of their actions the Olympic Committee barred
them from competing in other events. Instead of receiving a
celebration of their achievements, they were subjected to death
threats and their actions were the subject of widespread debate.
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe was the first African American to win the
men’s U.S. National Tennis League. While a student
at UCLA, he won the NCAA singles and doubles
championship. Ashe wrote a history of black athletics
in America called a Road To Glory (1987). Ashe died
from pneumonia brought on by the AIDS virus.
Marshall “Major” Taylor was the cyclist who won the 1mile cycling championship in 1899, 1900, and 1901.
Marshall W. Taylor was the second black champion in
any sport.
Marshall Taylor
Jack Johnson became the world’s first African
American heavyweight champion in 1908 in a bout with
Tommy Burns. He held the title for 7 years. In 47 years
of fighting, he was only knocked out 3 times.
Jack Johnson
~One of 15 black jockeys in 1875 at the first Kentucky Derby.
~Lewis rode a horse named Aristides.
~They won the Kentucky Derby.
~Set an American record for the 1.5 miles.
Oliver Lewis
~Was the last black jockey to win the Kentucky Derby.
~Winkfield rode in 4 consecutive Derby’s from 1900-1903.
~He took first place in both 1901 and 1902
~He came in third in 1900 and second in 1903.
~In 1903 he left the U.S. for a racing career in Europe.
Jimmy Winkfield
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As one of the first black professional baseball players, Jackie Robinson
withstood a constant barrage of racism, from fans and players alike, in order to
pave the path for other minorities.
Even though the NFL and Major League Baseball (MLB) are among the most
integrated workplaces on the field, Jackie Robinson’s second dream, "to have
the front offices, and people who run and manage our teams, be open to
people of color" has yet to be realized
The color barriers may be broken on the playing field, but on the sidelines the
hurdles are still an ever-present obstacle for black head-coaching candidates.
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At the turn of the century, Rube Foster, a star pitcher for several African American
teams, envisioned a baseball league for blacks that would rival the white major
league, eventually forcing full recognition and inclusion of African American
ballplayers.
With partner John Schorling, Foster formed in 1911 the Chicago American Giants,
setting the foundation for the creation of a black baseball league. In February
1920, Foster founded the Negro National League (NNL) with the
owners/representatives of Indianapolis ABCs, the Chicago Giants, the Kansas
City Monarchs (owned by white promoter J.L. Wilkinson), the St. Louis Giants, the
Detroit Stars, and the Cuban Stars.
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As the first enduring professional sports league managed by African Americans,
the NNL was widely successful. In 1923, the Eastern Colored League (ECL) was
formed by white booking agent Nat Strong, leading to a feud with the NNL.
Tensions were alleviated in 1924, however, when owners in each league agreed
to a system based on the major league, with split schedules and the two best
teams meeting for a black World Series.
Both leagues failed after Foster’s leadership was cut short by mental illness in
1926 and his death in 1930. The ECL folded in 1928, and NNL followed in 1931. In
1932 black baseball thrived mainly in the Southern Negro League and in Latin
America, where great ball players were welcome, regardless of race.
Jesse Owens
Muhammad Ali, “The Louisville Lip,”
fought in a total of 61 bouts. Out of those
61, 37 were knockouts, 19 were wins, 4
were losses, and only once was he
knocked out by an opponent.
Muhammad Ali Carl Lewis has won 10 Olympic Medals. 9 of
which are Gold, 1 silver. He has won in the
100m, 200m, 4X100, but is predominantly
known for his long jumping skills. Some
other accomplishments include: World
Athlete of the decade for the 80s and Olympic
Athlete of the Century.
Carl Lewis
Wilma Rudolph overcame polio in her childhood and
won 3 Gold Medals (100m, 200m, and 4X100m relay)
at the 1960 Olympics.
Wilma Rudolph
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jackie Joyner-Kersee is generally considered as the
best all around female athlete in the world and the all
time greatest heptathlete. She has won 3 Gold, 1
silver, and 1 bronze Olympic medals. Kersee was the
first woman to score 7,000 points in a heptathlon
event.
Devers overcame a thyroid disorder (Graves’ disease) that
nearly resulted in her having both feet amputated. She
went on to win the Olympic gold medal in the 100 meters
in 1992 and 1996.
Gail Devers
Name the teams!
Mascots
"I
find Indian mascots offensive to my culture
and demeaning to my family’s struggles to
overcome dispossession, poverty, and racism.“
 Derek Jennings, member of the Quapaw Nation, graduate of
Dartmouth College’s American Indian Studies Program.
Mascot Quotes
 "Ignorance and stereotypes only hinder
efforts to bridge cultural and racial divides
and should be challenged at every turn.”
Gary Sandefur, Professor of Sociology, UW-Madison, former Interim
Provost, UW-Madison.
 "Mascots are like a slap in the face", Richard
Loud Bear, member of the Menominee Nation.
Topical Review
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Definitions
History of Race in Sport
Reasons for Racial Differences
Racial Discrimination in Sport