The Detroit tribune., 1963-03-16
EVENTS m THE
sports
sG,OE'IlI
By WALHR B. HOVE

trouble Is brewing III the Detroit Physical Education
Department because of the in which they handle
fine upgading of city referees Outright prejudice pre-
vents qualified Negroes from moving up the ladder to var
sv ratings The systems for upgradng isn't any different
nan that in most states 1t is the individuals in charge who
varp il 10 fit their own selfish desires
Instead of Judging man his merits they Judge him
on the color OF his skin and or who he rubs elbows with
They attempting to strangc the aspiration of Negroes
this They pcrpctratng this abominabe cond
lion al the expense of Negro youths potential in ath
|htcs
There has never mind you saw never been Negro
ccrce that has up through the ranks the way the
hcr referees have What they've done to camoufage this
s situation is TO have two for visibility purposes
They offer this token representation hope of satisfying
and thwartng the increasing demands of the Negro
| for his constitutional rights.
The seeds Of this Sordid dSfranchSemen bore bitter
ri in recent contest between public high school
sseibo champs and the parochial champs. The ugly
ed o prejudice reared tscl Yes you read it right. pr
Ac u frustrated the valiant effort of of the cy's
basketball coaches to bring home the proverbal bac-
l 10 school that hadn't had any in 33years Getting
team into the championship game was nearly miracle
\ itself
This team lost under what would call questionable
-numsances During the course of the game saw a team
Eorv become foul proof after season where they had
merouS fouls called on them. The PSI team got foul
kor foul until they had received three times as many as
kv opponents And lost two of their most valuable play
1r
This earnest. hard-wOrkng coach after winning the
bbc School title wasn't given the common courtesy OF
fne The opportunity of recommending either of the two
Referees that we're used in the game The results: two pos
Abe PARTISAN men were chosen lie got his team to the
4n portal Of greatness his superb coaching skill after
ne three of his main players due to graduation Given
! a,rnng chance all that any American will ask, ne would
ave uydouhy came out victorious. But this equal oppor
II hing for the Negro hasn't become reality for him
He lost TO good team but almost any other PSI team
rld have beat them
WHY haven't the men involved spoken up? Well! Inc
e,sn IS simple Gestapo tactics used against single IN
llals who try to speak out: The men concerned have
economic fear Of losing thef'jobs We the modern, nu
ear dav NEGRO are of this odously odorl1erous
ttudc DISPLAYED by the so-called powers that be.
The apathv shown toward granting the Negro equality
any american has right to expect has taught us tnat
Be cool and sedate is be ignored and frozen out we
determined not TO continue as second class ciizes.
Ken the NEGROES involved banded together TO prevent re-
rclssion hcy were told don't rock the boat Just SUD-
n gnne dociIe supplcaon of particulars FOR the re-
J Is look around you Nothing. In the whole City OF De-
1 how many varsity referees are Negro? Inc Time loi
kng kid gloves is past dead The Negro is shedding tnat
bc role we are human beings with the same sensiliV
II Of other normal people This passive attitude mas peeh
Hllcd too darn far already.
IA The Negro is not asleep to these foul deeds tha are
Mne pcrperated on their fine athletic youth as wen aS
NJ scholars.