Transcript Slide 1
African American Sport Heroes
Issaac Murphy, Major Taylor,
Jessie Owens, Wilma Rudolph
Black Jockeys
Road to Glory
Jocko
Black Stable “Boy”
Horse Racing: Early Years
1665: First Recorded Races: Long
Island, NY
For two Centuries. The majority of
riders were black.
By 19th Century: Blacks made-up about
1:4 riders.
Horse Racing
1800 - South- Majority of Jockeys were slaves
After Civil War- Decline in the Black Jockey
: Charges of Dishonesty and Pulling Mounts
Stakes Races:
Travers (1864), Sara Toga (1868)
1st Black Kentucky Derby Winner: Oliver Lewis
Isaac Murphy
Born in Kentucky, 1861
In 1882, his salary was $10,000 per year plus
$25.00 for every winning ride.
1890, 1884 – Became the first jockey to win two
Kentucky Derby’s.
Isaac rode in 1,412 races and won 628 (44%)
Jockey Club (1894) formed to license riders.
1875 – First Kentucky Derby (13-15 jockeys
were Black). 1 .5 miles ( time: 2:37)
Blacks won 15 of the first 28 Derby Runs
Kentucky Derby ( Black
Riders)
William Walker- 1877 (20 years)
George Jarrett- 1886
Babe Hurd- 1882
Erskine Henderson- 1885
Alonzon Clayton - 1887
Henry King- 1921 (finished 10th)
Jimmy Winkfield ( Wink): 1928
Won Kentucky Derby:
1901 and 1902
Best Derby record: 2
wins, 1 second, one
3rd
Rode horses in: Russia,
Poland
Forced to leave Russia
in 1919
Retired in 1933: 2,600
victories in 10 countries
Died in France: 1974
National Sporting Library:
Middleburg, Virginia
Cycling
Revolutionized Bike Industry
Safety bicycle: designed and
commercially produced by John StarleyEngland ( 1880’s)
Pneumatic tires: John Dunlop in Ireland
Mass produced: $50 to $100 (1890s)
Social clubs formed
Major Taylor
1896 - Age 18 became the first black to
race professionally.( 1/2 mile race-NY).
League of American Wheelmen- 1894,
bylaws changed (whites only)
By 1897 - Taylor earned as much as
$850 a day.
Between 1901-1907-toured Europe and
Australia to race
1899 - Won World Cycling
Championship in Montreal.
Taylor in The US
Unable to check into hotels
Often the target of racially motivated
threats
Raced up to age 38
Book: The Fastest Bicycle Rider In the
World
1930- Moved to Chicago YMCA an sold
copies of his book door to door
Died at age 53 : 1982 Velodrome in his
honor
Major Taylor Velodrome: Built
in 1982
Jessie Owens
American Hero!
Jesse Owens
May 15, 1935: Span of 45 minutes “Buckeye
Bullet” won four races( three world records,
tying another)
3:15- won 100 yard dash (9.4 sec.)
3:25- won broad jump (26’ 81/4’’)
3:45- won 220 yard dash (20.3 sec.)
4:00- Won 200 yard low hurdles(22.6 sec.)
1936- won four medals: Germany
Jesse Owens
Was Jesse in some way physiologically
different from other athletes?
“ industry, training incentive and
outstanding courage rather than
physical characteristics are responsible
for the Negro sprinter’s
accomplishments” (Newsweek, 1936)
African Americans : 100 Meter
Worlds Records
Howard Porter Drew
Eddie Tolan
Ralph Metcalfe
Eulace Peacock
Ralph Metcalfe
Ralph Metcalfe
Jesse Owens
10.4
10.4
10.3
10.2
10.3
10.3
10.2
June 8,1912
Aug. 8, 1929
Aug. 8, 1933
Aug. 6, 1933
Sept. 15,1934
Sept.23, 1934
June 20, 1936
African Americas: 200 Metes
Eddie Tolan
Ralph Metcalfe
Jesse Owens
Jesse Ownes
21.1
21.1
21.1
20.7
Aug, 9, 1929
July 28, 1933
Aug. 4, 1936
Aug. 5, 1936
Eddie Tolan: 1932 Olympic Games (200)
Eddie won two gold medals at the 1932
games
African Americans: Long Jump
(meters)
Edward Gourdin
William DeHart
Hubbard
Jesse Owens
Ralph Boston
Ralph Boston
Bob Beaman
7.69 July 23. 1921
7.89 June 13, 1925
8.13
8.25
8.28
8.9
May 25, 1935
Aug. 12, 1960
July 16, 1961
Oct. 18, 1968
Bob Beamon
Ralph Boston
African Americans : Decathlon
Rafer Johnson
Rafer Johnson
Rafer Johnson
7,758 June 10-11,
1955
7,896 July 27-28,
1958
8,063 July 8-9,
1960
Wilma Rudolph
Overcame double pneumonia, polio,
scarlet fever
Star Basketball player in college
Attended Tennessee State
First Black female to win Gold (track1960 Games) ( 100 and 200)
Formed Wilma Rudolph Foundation
African American Coaches
(T&F): Hall of Fame
Edward Hurt
1975 Morgan State
Ed Temple
1989 Tennessee St.
Dr. LeRoy Walker 1983 NC Central U.
Football Greats:
Paul Robeson
Entered Rutgers in 1915
(Substitute player)
Sophomore year - 6” tall and
210 pounds promoted to first string tackle
and guard position.
1916 game with Washington
and Lee, he did not play
because of racism.
1918 - 6’3” tall and 225 pounds
Graduated Phi Beta Kappa played professional football to
pay his tuition at Columbia
University Law School.
He became an acclaimed
opera performer and civil
rights advocate.
Controversy between Paul
and Jackie Robinson
House committee on UnAmerican Activities called Paul
to testify. Robeson was labeled
Communist Party sympathizer.
Robeson said Black Americans
should not fight in a war
against USSR.
1923 Law School: Columbia