The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1956-01-28
Negroes May Boycott
All American Sports
Conlinued From Page One


also drawn against players of Monaghan decentChinese
on japanese
could be fined $500 and sent to prison for year
The negroes, of will not take this latest at
tack their sitting down.
Reports out of Washington say that leaders of
the Society for Retirement of the Negro have al
ready warned government officials of the dangers
involved should this bill be accepted in Mississippi
There 100000 negroes in the south alone
The fine line drawn against them the
schools and on the athletic field has set them
back very close to the days when their ancestors
slaves
Every boy girl you pass on the street
has that look of bitterness and hatred in their
Trouble very serious trouble is fermenting with each
One government official predicted the other day that
the first negro will be to declare boycott Of all
athletic games by members of their
This would take the form of cold war against
that the colored man will win
1t could never reach the stage of course where the
withdrawal of negroes from athletics would force us to
abolish competitive sports in America.
You'd be whistling in the dark, however, were
you toslaugh off the cold any threat to the
quality of our popular games.
1t is only necessary to look over the baseball
scene to realize how weak the game would be with
out the talented negro
For several years Brooklyn has dominated the
national league through the spectacular perform
ance of their negro stars.
Let Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanela, New
combe and Others refuse to don uniform and
what would the Dodgers have left?
Let Willie Mays quit the Giants and you have the
Word OF Leo Durocher that there's team
Al Smith and Larry Dolby have provided most of
CeVeandS punch for several And 1t goes through
out the major leagues
But the negros prominence in sports is bv mn WAYS
limited to baseball
The colored boys running wild on football gri-
dirons up and down the nation
Two negroes Joe Louis and Joe Walcott have foupht
their way to the boxing title recent years and count
less negroes in other divisions the ring game
az TINS very moment Archie Moore for one. Sugar Ray
Robinson for another -
It's the in basketball track Remove
the negro from these varied fields of competition
and you have removed considerable quality with
them.
Notwithstanding all that the negro boy is offer
ing the American public in athletic entertainment,
however, there men in powerful positions who
vicousy oppose giving the negro the opportunity
to display their skill and are even more resent
full of the Negroes
Now comes the important question Shall the American
public who enjoy high-grade competitive sport be allowed
TO sutfer because OF the racial bigotry of few in
the south?
The negro is bitter that riots are strong
possibility.
negro boycott sports appears almost inevitable
It has been limited many times in emotional remarks
ing from Jackie Robinson.
AS the first colored boy to be accepted in major
league baseball Robinson has always assumed the
possibility to demand respect for himself and other negro
boys to follow in his path
But Robinson has always felt that the negro,
including himself, only being tolerated because
of their ability on the field and there drawing
power at the box office.
He has said so, in uncertain terms during
his many battles with the umpire
To him baseball has been challenge, chal-
lenge to the white man who had held up the bar
rier against him.
Robinson is intelligent young and loves his
country But the hatred he has displayed against
his he travels from city to city left him bitter
to the core
If the boycott comes you expect to Robinson
directing the movement
Could American sports survive without the negro? AS
a sport, yes. AS Grade A sport,
Wherever you look the better class of rockies coming
into the big time negroes.
Most of the bright stars Brookyns farm teams
negroes The condition exists with the Chicago
Cubs CINCINNATI Reds St Louis Cards other teams
developing for the future
The of negro boycott, of course,
would center Brooklyn. The Dodgers
monty recognized the greatest team in base
ball. They draw in enough fans the road to
keep many Of the National League teams solvent.
But without Robinson, Campanela, Newcombe
Gillian and AmorOs they'd sink deep into the
Ond division.
The colored boy therefore, is in the enviable position
of producing not only the champions of major league
but of combining their talents to mould Of the great
est baseball teams that took to diamond
They destroy all of this overnight, by walking
of the field in protest to the abuse Of their people
If it happens national government will be forced
into definite action because the millions of American
people who like sports will demand it.
Perhaps this clmactc development would serve
very good purpose Much better that have the show
down the sport scene, than in that might
come