The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-04-02
NEGRO ATHLETES.


Isl Our pneonle are so widely scattered
over this. country that one section prob.
ably knows very little of the achieve
ments Of the other. Their activities
are as many and as varied as any other
class Of citizens, 1t is the aim OF the
writer to bring before the country,
and our people in particular, the achiev-
ments Of colored athletes during the
last decade. We believe it would be
source Of knowledge to the older ones,
inspiration to the younger ones, ana
pride to all, to know OF these achieve
ments.
Since we are going to deal primarily
with amateur athletes, we will conhne
ourselves almost wholly to those mem
hers of our race who have attended
universities and colleges throughout the
country, and who, from their constant
association with other races, are Great
ing feeling Of comradeship and better
understanding. The boys who are max
ing these records are confined to no par
ticular section of the country. Many
Of them come from Southern schools
and not only make enviable records for
themselves in competition, but return
to their Alma Mater and are equally
successful in the development of other
athletes. recitation of the difficulties
\
by these boys and of the results attained
sound more like fiction than real life.
The old adage, that you get out OF the
game what you put into it, is as true
in athletics as in any other line OF
endeavOr.
Permit me to cite few of the out
standing features of the Negro athletes
achievements in the last few years:
An eminent sportswriter said, IN
1913, that if the Colored track athletes
competing at that time could be brought
together and team chosen from them,
it would be strong enough to defeat any
college team or athletic club in the
United States, and would have taken
at least two-thirds of the first places.
In 1915, half mile relay team chosen
from the Colored sprinters competing
at that time, could have defeated any
relay team in the country, and have
set a new world IS record, as each man
could do better than % seconds in the
220.
There is one class of events in which
the Negro seems particularly adapted
and that is in the sprints. There are
many reasons for this, chief among
which are the facts, that the Negro is
Of a nervous and excitable temperament
requisites which are primarily essential
in Splinter; also less rigorous and
exacting course Of training is necessary
in this class of events than in others,
and finally, it was in this class of events
that Negros first made success, and
this inspired others to try the same. In
fact all the records in running races
held by our people, are confined to races
not greater than a quarter mile.
There has been no time in the past
ten wears but what cOlored athlete
has been member of some college team
in the United States, and point winner.
They havesecured points in every Inter
Collegiate or National meet in the c0un-
try, and they hold no less than thirty
collegiate National A. A. q. and World 8
records There is one goal, however,
which they have not attained, and this
Is an Olmympic championship. This
ls the ambition of every track athlete
We have had members of Olympic teams
but we have never had winner, al
though we have had men who have
beaten Olympic winners. However, in
the Inter-Allied games in France last
June, we had a winner in the broad
lump. and in winning it he came within
two inches of the world $ record.
Heretofore we haved ealt largely with
track athletes. but there are owner
branches of athletics in which the Ne
gro has proven his ability beyond a
doubt, and has gained the highest hon
Ors.
There is no branch of athletics that
commands the admiration Of the pub
lie more than football. The highest
award possible to be placed on Walter
Camp Is All-American football team.
Two Negroes have achieved this dis
s. IT,