The Omaha guide., 1946-07-06
SUMNER ACTIVITIES HICHLIGHT
NEGRO ATHLETIC PROWESS
By John NJ. Lee

NEW YORK-Long ago, the experts who are spending their lives
trying to prove that the Negro is inferior, came to the conclusion
leeS in the various branches of sports was to admit it on the basis
that the Negro is more animal than the Caucasian. Well, animal or
vegetable, the brown boys are still in there topping over records
in everything from ping pong to heavyweight boxing.
Spotlighted this season, and top attraction for a long time to
come, is the record being made by Jackie Robinson as a Brooklyn
Dodger minor Lacquer. Because Of his personality, intelligence,
ability and his position as the first Negro to break into the organ
lied game, Jackie will be something of a legend wherever and
whenever the game comes up for discussion There will be some
who will look upon him as an accidnt, and there will be others in
his own race who will consider him a Superman. Actually Jackie is
what the guy who keeps the records of the game will call a top
grade ball player.
Along with Jackie are two other high class performers in the
great American game. Roy Campanella and Donald Newcombe
are DodgeriteS assigned to the Nashua Club of the New England
League. Campanella, a recruit from the Elite Giants who hold
forth down Baltimore way, is a fauldess guardian Of the keystone
sack, with a quick eye and a betty swing. He likes to warm up for
his catching duties by blasting out home runs. Newcombe formerly
tossed them over for the Newark Eagles, and he is pitching his
way to a permanent berth on the big time train. There will be a
lot OF speculation about both of these boys, but what will outweigh
all OF the talk is the fact that they are two good ballplayers who
knew what they wanted and worked hard to get it.
Joe Louis who occupies the top money-making position in the
sports world has been analyzed and studied bv all sorts of experts
who want to find out why he won the championship. They assign
all sorts Of reasons to his success, but none Of them bother to see
the simple truth, which is just that Joe Louis is the best heavy
weight.
In basketball, track, swimming, football and manv Of the hun
dred other sports, Negro performers exhibit marked ability and
championship form. High Schools and Colleges throughout the
North, South, East and West turn I'D with amazino reo,laritv
Negro boys who show excellent athletic ability. Not ali of the cracl
performers are privileged to be heralded around the world, or to
become a part OF a championship team. Most of them are destined
to have their proweSS and acclaim remain a matter for local con-
SUMPTION, but there is no denying the contribution they make to
the record OF the game they play.
While this piece is concerned with the male of the species
Negro women have also excelled in the sports worId. Thew have
proven themselves proficient in such strenuous male pursuits as
football, basketball, bowling and boxing. Tuskegee Institute is tbe
proud possessor of a one woman championship team in the person
OF the speed and stamina OF Miss Alice Coachman who for the mast
several years has run her way into the athletic hall of fame.
Whether or not there is some significance in the consistency