The guardian., 1953-10-03
BOSTON
BAKED
By MABE KOUNTZE

Sports is the cauldron In
which ignorance, intolerance,
and prejudice are being melted"
w. r. wilson,
SPORTS for Colored Ameri-
cans have recorded great inter
racial progress since your hum
BILE Boston Baker began writing
in the sports phase of journalism
back in 1880, almost a quarter
century ago. Today colored ath-
letes are in the Major Leagues
and World Series; even Old
Satch finally made the Big Top.
We've had three heavy
weight champs, and Notre Dame
(at lastD has colored football
players. What a difference!
JACKIE ROBINSON, that gal
lant first Tan Yank to enter
modern Major League Baseball,
has once again helped to lead
the Dodgers into the World
Series. Brooklyn which con-
tinues tops in genuine Sepia
stars, is featuring a roster of
players everyone can be proud
of. Indeed, had the Red SoX not
been ''color blind, Yawkey
could have had the pennant
with at least two, and probably
all of the Dodger colored players
to-day.
BROOKLYN DODGERS, the
first real racial All-American
team in Big League history, is
the underdog in the current
1858 Series which began this
week. But regardless of the out
come, the Flatbush Fighters will
be the sentimental faVoriteS of
all sports fans here and abroad
who believe in deep democracy,
granting every man a chance.
This is something the wealthy
N. Y. Yankees have refused to
do. Both Rupert and YaWkey.
BASEBALL in the days when
Boston Tigers, Philly Giants,
the Royals and Davids patrolled
the local fields amidst semi-pro |
capacity crowds, never since
eoualled, then barred colored
from the Majors. And your hum
BILE writer personally argued the
injustice with Bob Quinn Sr
(Braves) and dapper Phil Troy
Cred Sox) with both men agree
ing thee olor bar must go, Well,
it is going. And the sky hasn't
fallen yet, Mr.. Yawkey.
LOU MONTGOMERY, Brock
tons n-crowned All-American,
got me into some college foot
ball debates. 1t is a wonder we
weren't investigated for com
munism" in those days when we
publicly rapt B. C. for benching
the Bay States greatest running
halfback, against Dixie eleVens.
B. c. sold out democracy for
sBowl games" and money. We
never accepted the reasons
given out by Be officials. But
Lou was a great sport.
FRANK LEAHY was the B. G.
coach during those infamous
Boston Benching days. Leahy
had succeeded Gloomy Gil Dolby,
whose slow beefy elevenS 1
watched with painful patience.
Leahy was a brilliant coach and
inherited a brilliant Schoolboy
parade. O'Rourke was king
pasSer and Lou was king run
ner. He never had a chance to
prove it. When Leahy wrote to
Notre Dame, I wrote him he
would someday appreciate sepia
stars.
NOTRE DAME, beginning the
1858 football season, has an
nounced she has two colored
Varsity players. They are Dick
Washington, an IS yr old 1876 ID
right halfback, underStudy to
All-American Johnny Lattner;
and Wayne Edmunds, a 200 ID
lineman who plays end or
tackle. Both sepia players are
former Pennsylvania Schoolboy
captains, all around athlete and
show Leahy much promise. They
are both Sophomores, 2 yrs to go.
THE FACT that all these i'm
provementS have come does not
mean they have come easy. They
did not come without agitation"
for equality. They did not come
without sacrifice. They did not
come without the earnest en-
deavor of many men and wo-
men, of many races and creedS.
Looking back over all the won
derful improvements, we must
never forget the labor Of many
peoples who helped to make it
possible. That would be ingrati-
tude.