The Darker Shade of Sports

A couple of days ago a good friend from the state of Texas called to get my opinion on the double standard of punishment for violent acts between male and female athletes. He started the conversation by referencing the 2 game suspension of Baylor women’s basketball phenom Brittney Griner for punching a player from Texas Tech in the face and breaking her nose,Griner Punch, he asked if that were a guy from Kentucky do you think he would have just received a 2 game suspension?  I easily answered the question with an emphatic “NO” and used the example of Lagerrette Blount the Oregon football player who punched a player from Boise State in the face at the conclusion of the gameBlount punch . Blount’s season was virtually ruined and he was vilified across the country by everyone from the media to the common fan. The question becomes why the double standard ? there is no clear or easy answer, however what I find interesting about both cases is that both perpetrators were African American athletes who punched white athletes, how would this have played differently if the white athletes assaulted the black athletes? especially in the arena of football and basketball where African Americans are thought to dominate and not be challenged by their white counterparts, after all sports is the one area where many blacks feel superior to whites or at least feel that if all things being equal they can beat them unlike corporate America.  Secondly the fact that male athletes receive harsher sentences is counter intuitive to a culture that breeds competition and winning at all costs, raking in huge profits while encouraging a “Swag”or macho attitude of earning respect. Lastly  I think there is a severe back lash when the assailant is an African American male as oppose to a female as in this case with Griner, because of the negative stereotype that is associated with the black male athlete of being nothing more than a glorified “Thug”.  I doubt the purists of women sports who championed and fought for title IX were looking for preferential treatment when it came to holding female athletes equally accountable for their actions on and off the playing surfaces. However to date to the best of my knowledge none of the feminists groups, coaches or advocates have come out and made a statement on the minor suspension of Griner and how the NCAA and universities unfairly punish male athletes more harshly for the same offenses. I am not attacking Griner, I chalk up her actions to a young person who simply lost her composure, which does not make it right, however I’m not naive to forget what its like to be young and have your emotions get the best of you and override common sense, but I am questioning how the cases differ? how can she get a slap on the wrist for breaking a players nose while male athletes lose their seasons and reputations. Maybe its because men sports impact the bottom line of a university in a greater way and negative publicity upsets the fan base, and corporate sponsors or perhaps because they are simply more visible, whatever the reasons the NCAA needs to carefully examine these occurrences as violence in sports is becoming increasingly common especially in women sports and we can no longer turn the other CHEEK!

With the recent completion of the NBA All Star game held in Dallas, TX in which the East edged the West squad 141-139 and Dwyane Wade being named the MVP and the upcoming Frenzy aka March Madness, I thought it was fitting to remember the first African American that broke the color barrier in the sport of Basketball.                                                        

Harry Haskell “Bucky” Lew (January 4, 1884 in Lowell, Massachusetts - 1963) was the first African American to play in a professional basketball game. Lew played in a New England League game for Lowell against Marlborough on November 2, 1902, the first documented instance of an African-American playing in a professional basketball game. Harry Lew was born in Lowell in 1884 to an African-American family with a long and illustrious history in Massachusetts. His great-great-grandfather, Barzillai Lew, was a free black man who purchased the freedom of his future wife for $400. A gifted musician, he served in the Revolutionary War. He played the fife at the Battle of Bunker Hill, and years later at General Burgoyne’s surrender after the Battle of Saratoga. Henry Lew’s grandparents’ home in Lowell was a stop on the Underground Railroad. His father, William, was a delegate to the 1891 Equal Rights Convention in Boston.

He came of age in the Jim Crow era when “separate but equal” kept blacks and whites in different worlds, in the North as well as the South. Breaking the color barrier on a Lowell basketball court was not easy. Bucky Lew was a talented musician—he played a violin solo at his graduation from Lowell High School — an excellent student, and an extraordinary basketball player. According to one of his teammates, he was “the best double dribbler he had ever seen” (double dribbling was legal at the time). A brilliant defensive player, he was always chosen to guard the best player on any opposing team. But when Lew first took the court against white men, his skillful play was met with jeers and racial slurs.

After leading the local YMCA team to a Merrimack Valley championship, he played defense for the Pawtucketville Athletic Club in the New England Basketball League. When the League folded, Lew stayed in the game, working as a player and general manager for his own Lowell-based teams. In 1928, he moved to Springfield. One of the pioneers of basketball, he has never been inducted into the Hall of Fame, located just a few miles from where he spent the last 35 years of his life. Years later “Bucky” Lew reminisced about that first game. On November 2, 1902, his team, Lowell’s Pawtucketville Athletic Club, faced a team from Marlborough. He remembered that his manager was reluctant to let him play against white boys. But Lew was a hometown boy, and “some of the local papers put the pressure on by demanding that they give this little Negro from around the corner a chance to play. Well, at first the team just ignored the publicity. But a series of injuries forced the manager to take me on for the Marlborough game.”

Lew was supposed to be the extra man, and to spend the game sitting on the bench, but then one of the starting players was injured. At first the manager refused to put him in. “He let them play us five on four,” Lew remembered, “but the fans got real mad and almost started a riot, screaming to let me play. That did it. I went in there and you know… all those things you read about Jackie Robinson, the abuse, the name-calling, extra effort to put him down … they’re all true. I got the same treatment and even worse … I took the bumps, the elbows in the gut, knees here and everything else that went with it. But I gave it right back. It was rough but worth it. Once they knew I could take it, I had it made.” This was only the first of Lew’s encounters with racist opponents and fans. “Nobody ever voiced an objection to playing against him as a black player until they played him and he would shut down their best player… Then all of a sudden, they would say, we don’t want to play against a Negro player. They just used that tactic to get him off the court for the next game.”

After Lew played one year with the Lowell team and two years for a Haverhill team, the New England League disbanded. Lew formed and traveled with his own team, playing and coaching, for another 20 years.

Photo and story courtesy of hoopedia.com

Isaac Murphy’s grave at the Kentucky Horse Park

Most famous of the black jockeys by far is Isaac Murphy who is considered one of the greatest riders in American history. He was the first jockey to win three Kentucky Derbys and won an astonishing 44% of all races he rode. That record has not been approached by any other jockey since. He was the first jockey to be inducted into the Jockey Hall of Fame at the National Museum of Racing. Sadly, his career was cut short at the age of 34 when he died of pneumonia. He always had trouble staying at the light weight demanded of a jockey and was known to binge and purge. It has been speculated that it was vomit backing up in his lungs that caused the pneumonia which led to his death. He is buried next to Man O’ War in the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington

Willie Simms was a superb rider of the late 19th century. He brought winning mounts to the wire 24.8% of the time.Simms was born in 1870 in Augusta, GA, and began riding at East Coast tracks in 1887. During his career he rode for the most prominent owners of the era, including Mike and Phil Dwyer, Richard Croker, Pierre Lorillard, August Belmont, and James R. Keene.Simms won back-to-back Belmont Stakes in 1893-94 aboard Commanche and Henry of Navarre. He also was a two-time winner of the Kentucky Derby aboard Ben Brush and Plaudit and was the only African-American jockey to win the Preakness, aboard Sly Fox in 1898. One of Simms’ most dramatic races was a match between Dobbin and Domino in 1893. Simms and Dobbin finished in a dead heat with the previously unbeaten Domino.Simms found great success riding the New York circuit in the 1890’s. He also briefly rode in England in 1895. Many sources credit Simms with introducing the British to the short stirrup style of riding later popularized by Tod Sloan.Willie Simms was the nation’s leading jockey in 1894. He was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1977.

Swaps and Shoemaker in the San Vicente, © 1955 Santa Anita Photo; Willie Simms © Keeneland Library

In keeping with the theme of “Black History” Month the shortest month of the year to acknowledge the important contributions of the Black Race. Over the next few weeks I will profile some “Unsung Sports Heroes” individuals that many of you may have forgotten or never heard of. Enjoy

Willie Thrower
Ht/Wt: 5-11/182,Team(s): Chicago Bears, Toronto Argonauts (CFL), and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL) (Signed as F\A in 1952 by Chicago Bears)
College: Michigan State 
Chicago Bears QB Willie Thrower became the first African-American quarterback to solely play quarterback in an NFL game on October 18, 1953 against the San Francisco 49ers. He played under center and received the snap directly, making him the first African American QB since Pollard in 1923. Thrower a native of New Kensington, Pennsylvania had already been the first African American QB in the Big 10 conference, playing for Michigan State from 1950 to 1952, helping them win the National Championship in 1952. In his historical game, Thrower went 3 for 8 for 27 yards in a 35 to 28 loss. What was unfortunate about the game was George Blanda, who had struggled was reinserted into the game at the 5 yard line to complete a drive Thrower had started. After his debut against the 49ers, Thrower never appeared in another NFL game. Before the next season Thrower, who made the Bears team in 1953 as basically a “walk-on” was cut the following year in 1954. Thrower wanting to play QB and without any other takers in the NFL decided to go to the Canadian Football League, playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and semi pro in Toronto for four years before injuries shortened his career. He retired at age 27. His feat of a black man playing quarterback was considered such an oddity for the time that “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” featured him in a story. Thrower had a good outlook on his brief time at QB in the NFL and told The Valley News Dispatch of Tarentum, Pa., before he passed away in 2002. “I look at it like this: I was like the Jackie Robinson of football. A Black quarterback was unheard of before I hit the pros,”

 Photo and info Courtesy of bqb-site.com  The African American Quaterback Website

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2 Corinthians 8:10-11

“and in this, I give advice it is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago, but now you also must complete the doing of it!

What is it about the start of a new year that brings about a renewed sense of hope and causes people to stop and reflect on their life or current situation, why is it that we wait until the start of a new year to set resolutions or goals. Question is it really a new goal if you keep rehashing the same ones over and over again? You know the ones I’m referring to lose weight, save money, better relationships, new job or career, etc.  Maybe it has something to do with the season as many parts of the country are experiencing a deep freeze that forces us indoors where we have time to reflect on our success and shortcomings from the previous year.  I to was among the masses who rode the new year’s resolution merry go round, until 2009 when I shifted my focus and tried a new approach, one that would help me actually achieve some of my goals including the publishing of “An Unsung Coach”

This year if you really want to see a difference in your life and actually accomplish some of the goals you set forth , instead of just  broadly writing your goals down on a piece of paper that eventually ends up in your sock drawer or the trash receptacle make your goals specific how many pounds will you lose by June 30th, how much money will you have saved at the end of 3 months, what type of training or certification do you need to get ahead in your present occupation, then  mentally condition yourself to embrace the philosophy of finishing what you start.  If you make this simple strategic change, you will be well ahead of over 90 Plus percent of the population in reaching your goals.

Transitioning to this philosophy will not be easy, in fact it will require lots of practice and discipline to become a habit, habits are those things we do so often that that they become a part of our normal routine without much thought like driving the same route to work each day, brushing your teeth, watching your favorite television show, but if the goals you desire are worth having they are worth putting in the time and effort to make them a reality. Everyone of us is guilty of starting something we never saw to completion perhaps a new business venture, piecing together your family tree, writing a  new song, going back to school,  and we had every intention of completing it, we were filled with passion and enthusiasm, we researched every detail to the point we experienced sensory overload, then after a few months, we lose steam and eventually move on to something else, often times at the expense of never seeing the benefits of bringing the current project into fruition. In this country we love to boast about how we can multi-task however most successful people, people that have built multi-million dollar corporations or head large corporations will tell you the key to their success were in focusing on one task at a time and seeing it through despite the distractions and excuses.

So as you review your New Year’s list of resolutions and prepare to embark on the journey of making 2010 the year you can’t lose, adopt the principle that has helped me and countless others establish a new definition of success, finish whatever you start and next year at this time when you reflect on the year, you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come and how talented you truly are!

Recently I was the featured speaker for a fund-raising event to help raise money for a youth center. When I accepted the invitation, I immediately began to think of what I would say to the large gathering and the spirit led me to share 2 words, Exceptional and Expectations and how they can impact the next generation.  When we think of things that are exceptional we tend to focus on  feats that are rare, outstanding, exemplary in other words things we don’t expect to see often. An example is watching a pitcher throw a complete game, a game in which he or she allow no hits, walks or runs, those are rarities indeed for the sport, in fact not many people go to the ball park expecting to witness this feat. On the other hand when it comes to our expectations we tend to be more flexible in this area often times we set the bar or standards very low, today we don’t place much emphasis on high expectations and having people meet them, we allow room for negotiations or excuses, we settle for an average attempt and then walk away feeling that as long as some progress was made then our jobs are done, please understand that I’m not condemning anyone for taking that approach, as someone who has spent a great deal of my life working with and on behalf of youth, I understand the importance of making progress but I don’t believe you have to compromise high expectations in the process.

 To wrap up my presentation I shared with the crowd a real life example from my own family, I told of a story of how my youngest daughter scored a 92 on a geometry test and how excited she was to share the good news with her family. Now I was no math genius so I would have done just about anything for that kind of score and I imagine some of you feel the same. I shared how she first went to my wife and without missing a beat her mom did what many mothers do when their child comes home excited she made a big deal out of the moment and my daughter felt 10 feet tall, then she came to me and I told her that her score was nice, she did a good job (notice my words nice, good job), then I informed her that scores like that are what her mother and I expect from her, because she is brilliant, talented and has greatness within.  Unfortunately her countenance changed  it was like ” Gee  Dad”, thanks for raining on my parade, now my intentions were not to damper her spirits , no it was to inform her that she is capable of achieving those kind of grades every time especially if she applies herself.  A few weeks go by and I picked her up from her friends house as we were driving home she says dad did I tell you about my recent math test and I said no , she turns towards me with the kind of confidence you have when you have a winning hand at cards, and says  I got a 98,  immediately I acknowledge her efforts and let her know that I could not be more proud of her than at that moment, then I turned to her and said , do you remember our conversation a couple of weeks ago and what I said to you and she gave me a wry smile and said yeah , you said that’s an expectation.

Now what if I made a really huge deal about the 92 do you think she would have challenged herself to reach even higher, or is it possible she would have been contempt with that level of success, lets not forget a 92 is a good grade, but a 98 is closer to perfection.  See I believe if you raise the expectations of a person or perhaps even yourself, they will give you an exceptional effort to accomplish their Dreams & Goals and that’s something we all can feel good about!

Great Brothers of Soul Magazine (GBOS) names “An Unsung Coach” Inspirational book of the year for 2009. Author Tony Price to receive an award at the 40^th Annual GBOS Image Awards on November 7, 2009 @ The John Hancock Hall, Boston, MA.

GBOS magazine is a New England based publication that recognizes the important contributions of Everyday people who are doing extraordinary things within the community.

Hebrews 12:1 Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us

Well since I’m stranded this morning I can’t think of a better time to sit and write a new entry. It has been a while since my last posting so the timing is perfect. As I have traveled promoting the book with signings, radio and television appearances and delivering “Key Note” speeches in venues I never could imagine, there seems to be one common theme that keeps coming up as others ask that all too important question, what did it take to write and publish your book?  In other words how did you get past the FEAR to get it done?  And my personal favorite where did you find the time with your busy schedule?

The answer is quite simple, yet complex so I don’t want to trivialize it. My initial response to the question is this, I had to complete the book, and there was no other option.  An Unsung Coach is my story, my ministry and no one can tell my story better than me. I then lead the person along a journey of personal accountability on how each of us has a ministry and it’s our story. I inform the individuals who ask this question that people today are seeking answers to some of life’s challenges and your story may have the answers to their prayers, but they’ll never receive those wisdom keys or signs of encouragement and motivation that they can make it, if you selfishly keep your story within.

The next obstacle that you have to overcome is the feeling of doubt that what you have to say and share is of value, which can paralyze your dreams and cause you to invite the biggest Thief of Dreams, PROCRASTINATION into your realm.  I constantly heard that negative voice in my head asking “who wants to read your book”. Why would someone care about what Tony Price has to say, when they can purchase some well known celebrities autobiography.  I was able to quell that voice by reaffirming to myself and saying out loud that someone out there is in need of this information, the book may not be for everyone, but it is for someone.  Once I adopted this philosophy the next step was to just start, many dream and goals never materialize because people never take the first step, they think about it, talk about it but never do it, they want all of the answers first, it has been my experience that once you start the process the answers you seek will come, once I began to type the first words of what would later become a manuscript the words flowed like a raging river that had been bottled up by a beaver dam.  Lastly I encourage others to practice the discipline of finishing what you start; regardless of the outcomes this will separate you from over 90 plus % of the world and opportunities will arise. So as you can see the answer is simple, but the process is your greatest challenge and hurdle, on your mark, get set, Go!

Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you may not be judged”

Well it seems that the Rick Pitino saga has taken some interesting twists, as we now know of a self confessed sexual tryst six years ago between he and Mrs. Karen Sypher at a restaurant on a table no less.  Slick Rick has even admitted to paying $3,000 in hush money for an alleged abortion  or insurance. Mrs. Sypher also accuses Pitino of orchestrating her marriage to Tim Sypher the equipment manager as part of his plan to keep her silenced, disturbing to say the least.  As this case continues to play out I couldn’t help but draw a comparison with the Steve McNair case and the similarities of both. I also find the media’s reporting of both cases a stark contrast. In McNair’s case he comes off as a good guy, but a person with a dark side a miscreant. He is portrayed as someone just short of a pervert for gallivanting around with some young thing he met at Dave & Buster’s and it cost him his life, while there is a sort of romance mystery novel destined for the Life time network being played out in the Pitino case. I’m sure I was not the only person duped into initially thinking that Mrs. Sypher was some kind of deranged lunatic who singled out Pitino because of his fame and wealth, but as more of the facts are presented, you get a different perspective of Slick Rick’s role in the matter. James Ramsey the President of the University of Louisville has already made a statement on where the college stands “Its time to move on, Coach is our guy” colleges and universities are quick to react with stiff penalties when an athlete gets in trouble, funny how the roles change when their “Golden Boy” the person who helps generate millions of dollars for the institution is in trouble.

 Here are a few additional comparisons for you to consider

1.       Both Men had extramarital affairs that have played out in the court of public opinion

2.       Both men garnered Fame & Fortune through Sports

3.       All Families involved have been damaged and left to pick up the pieces

4.       Lives have been lost or in Pitino’s case allegedly lost(abortion)

5.       Both men were revered as leaders in their respective fields and positions and had thousands of people who looked up to them

6.       Both men gave back to the community and were active in charitable causes

Both McNair and Pitino lived in a world that 95% of men admire or envy, they made millions for their proficiency in athletics, one as a gifted athlete, while the other for his brilliance as a motivator. They also lived in a world that is far from the norm for the lay person, especially when it came to female adulation. For the average guy, we have to work hard to impress the ladies and have them notice us and the success rate is in the range of 10-30%, while men of fame, power, wealth and prestige, often have their pick from a bevy of available beauties. In their world the success rate even if for one night is higher. I’m not justifying the decision these men made, but I do thinks it’s important to consider the varied angles. As a country we are no longer shocked when we learn of affairs of some of the most powerful men in the country, in fact it occurs with such common occurrence the public expects it to some degree and many men often fantasize about what it would be like to have the tables turned on women and be on the receiving end of their attention or affection and being in the position to say Yeah or Neah as that delicate flower approaches you for a telephone number and date.

The questions still remains with all of the cases that are being played out before the public why do men continue to have these affairs, hoping that no one will ever find out? Is it a moral or character issue? Do they think they are untouchable?  Is the temptation greater than mans will power that they are willing to risk everything? And what about the woman’s role in the matter, often times we like to think of her as some lowly, desperate tramp a home wrecker, however in many cases she is quite the opposite, she is bright, articulate, educated and very calculating. Why aren’t they held accountable?  They are aware that most of these men are married, do we justify their actions or their temporary lapse in judgment based on the intoxicating aroma of prestige and wealth of the men they are involved with.  The answers may not be as easy as you think or better yet, maybe we just have to view each case separately, as no one can say with 100% certainty why these types of scenarios continue to happen.

 I have never walked in the shoes of these powerful and rich men hence I can’t imagine the pressure they face or the discipline they have to exercise on a daily basis to avoid the snares that are set before their feet. Nor will I judge them for their indiscretions, which amongst us has that right; each of us has a vice or kryptonite we hope no one will ever discover from addiction to low self esteem. However I do know the importance of understanding that every action has a consequence good or bad and you have to live with that.  I discuss this in depth in chapter 9 of the book “An Unsung Coach” Change the game, don’t let it change you. It’s important for any of us to remember why we got involved in the professions of our choice, generally it was to make a difference while at the same time earn money to support our family. It is important for you to remember the core values of who you are and do your best to see through the illusions of the trappings of success, no one is perfect, but continue to hold yourself accountable or find someone you trust to hold you accountable this may lessen the risk of questionable behavior.    

Revelations 3:8

“I know your works. See, I have set before you and open door, and no one can shut it.

Well it’s been over two months since the release of “An Unsung Coach” and the quest to market promote and share the message or as I like to say the ministry of the books contents has been filled with peaks and valleys.  As a novice to the publishing game, I had no idea how difficult it would be to get the book “out there”. Of course the road would be much smoother if I had a major publishing engine paving the way, but alas my works are self published.  I cannot tell you the hundreds of emails, phone calls, and announcements I have sent to  the major networks, publications,  television and radio personalities  many whom claim to care about the community only to receive no or minimal response.  Honestly at times I wonder if it’s all worth it, I thought I was doing what God would have me do and share my testimony  and message of encouragement on how to overcome tremendous odds to create your own definition of success, but why has it been so HARD to get the message out there?

Maybe it’s because I’m not a celebrity, maybe it’s because no one wants to admit there is a problem, borderline epidemic that thousands of young people are pinning their futures on becoming pro-athletes or entertainers to no avail without a back up plan.  Maybe if I spread gossip, or slandered someone’s name, talked about all of the stuff we now call news, I’d become the next great literary sensation with a calendar filled with events and appearances.  I just don’t get it at times I feel like scrapping the whole mission and jumping on the “Give the people what they want” bandwagon.  But this is not who I am,  it’s funny whenever I encounter the detour of self defeat, God will send a friendly, but much needed GPS signal that directs me back to the right road. A couple of days ago, while shopping at the local grocery store, a young girl no older than 10 approached  me , looked up as  if I were a giant standing over 8 feet tall, I suspect from her  point of view  I was as she barely came to my waist and gleefully stated “I remember you, you spoke to my class” I was taken aback , this elementary aged child remembered me coming to her classroom to share the popular TPC principles which I share in the book with her classmates  and that was over eight months ago, coincidentally I also received a wonderful surprise in the mail this week, it was an envelope containing a couple of letters and reviews written by students from the various schools I visited throughout the year,  they had to answer the following question, of all the speakers who visited your class this year who was your favorite and why? They also had to rank the speakers; low and behold I ranked as the number one speaker and the favorite of quite a few.  

These two experiences coupled with recent invites and requests for appearances instantly refueled my spiritual engines to continue with this labor of love.   I leave you with this thought; the results you seek when trying to fulfill your purpose may be slow to come and at times will cause you to question if you are in fact walking in the right direction, but don’t give up, if God gave you the vision press on, an keep your eyes and ears open as the rewards may come in small packages!