Some of the Worlds’ greatest playground basketball players have come out of New York City. Hoop stars like Connie Hawkins, Nate “Tiny” Archibald, Pop Gates, Jack DeFares, John Isaacs, Carl Green, etc.
There was another playground basketball player visiting their city recently. President Barack Obama was there to address the NAACP on their 100th Anniversary.
He didn’t bring back memories of those great players. The left-handed jump shooter’s cross-over move to the podium in the ‘Big Apple’ made Earl Monroe’s move look mediocre.
President Obama made it clear from the very beginning of his 37-minute speech, that his recent historical move into the White House proves there have been some improvements in race relations in America. He also reminded us there is still plenty of work to be done.
He clearly understands in 2009 that when “White America” catches a cold, ‘Black America’ catches pneumonia. We are the most murdered; most incarcerated, and suffer more unemployment then any other group of people in America. We are the victims of all of these things in a country that we help build.
The day after his speech, a front page story in the Washington Post read, “Obama addresses the Race Issue in America for the first time.” Where is a better time to address race relations then in front of an organization that has spent the last 100 years fighting racism or at Ben’s Chilli Bowl eating a hamburger?
It was in 1947 in New York City that the great Jackie Robinson kicked racism in the butt. He kicked in doors of America’s No. 1 past time, Major League Baseball.
Brooklyn Dodger owner Branch Rickey pleaded with Jackie to “Turn the other cheek” until white folks were comfortable seeing him on their ‘Field of Dreams.’
He had baseballs thrown at his head, players would slide into second base with spikes high, fans yelled “Nigger go home,” they spit on him, and released black cats on the field to dishonor him and Black America.
He kept his word and held his temper and made all of us proud. He died at the young age of 53 of a broken heart. He held in his anger too long.
The Jackie Robinson Foundation recently held an awards ceremony at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
They presented Washington Post sports writer Michael Wilbon and WJLA TV 7 anchorwoman Maureen Bunyan awards in his name. I wondered how and why? Jackie Robinson was a man of integrity and kept his word!
"The many of us who attain what we have cannot forget those who help us along the way. We have got to remember there are so many others to pull along. The farther they go, the further we all go."
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