William Wright Helped Rise of Tiger Woods
1959 Amateur Champion and Others Fought Life-long Golf Prejudices
Aug 13, 2009
Black golfer William Wright was born in 1936, the same year in which track star Jesse Owens destroyed the ethnic prejudices of Nazi Germany leader Adolf Hitler by winning four gold medals at the Berlin Olympic Games. Hitler viewed a person of color, and Afro-Americans in particular, as inferior, "black auxiliaries" shipped to the Olympics (U.S. Today newspaper; Sports Section, page 5C; entitled "Owens to be honored at worlds in Berlin").
Although Owens died in 1980, he is still revered as the 1936 Olympics' best athlete and one of the greatest international track stars ever.
Owens and Wright Broke Barriers
Both Wright and Owens deserve credit for paving the way for future members of their race in breaking down racial barriers in their sports, as did the, perhaps, most famous barrier buster of all, baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson.
While track and field, and other Olympic sports, and baseball moved forward in leaps and stoen bases to alter extreme athletic bias, golf remained on hold, unwelcoming, for generations of colored athletes.
Until Tiger Woods.
After capturing three U.S. Amateur golf titles beginning in 1994, Woods stormed into the professional ranks with a wickedly long drive, a wide-open smile, and a sporting intensity that continue to overwhelm his playing adversaries.
Today, Tiger Woods entered the 91st edition of the PGA Championship to begin his quest for a 15th major golf title following his 70th career victory last week in the World Golf Championships--Bridgestone Invitational at Akron, Ohio. Woods' win at Bridgestone was a first, a record seventh victory on the same course in a stroke-play event.
His achievement was just one of a long line of wins and titles that have sent the thirty-three-year-old into a superstar orbit that may not stop spinning until he has earned every major golf record.
Woods and the Records
- Career Earnings (as of July, 2009): $86,914,539 -- $80 million more than Jack Nicklaus' best
- Career Major Titles: 14 pro; three amateur -- (four majors less than Nicklaus' leading 18)
- Career Play-offs record: 11-1
- Career PGA Tour Wins: 70 -- (Sam Snead, 82; Nicklaus, 73)
- Consecutive Years on Top Ten Money Earnings List: 12
Black Entertainers and Sports Icons Helped
Black entertainers Nat King Cole and Johnny Mathias and boxer Joe Louis, an avid golfer, and black professional golfer Charlie Sifford were all exceptional talents who gave weight to the attempt of the black community to overcome ancient everyday prejudices that in the 21st Century seem ludicrous but which still govern and/or influence American choices.
Black golfers, as black baseball players of the old Negro leagues, were forced to compete only amongst themselves in off-shoot organizations. In 1943, a "Caucasians only" clause became part of the PGA of America constitution. Membership, it stipulated, was open to "Professional golfers of the Caucasian race, over the age of eighteen years, residing in North or South America, and who have served at least five years in the profession" (Golf Magazine, 50th Anniversary Issue, September, 2009; page 122, "Playing Through, Wright & Wronged"; words by Caryl Phillips, portraits by Angus Murray).
Sifford became the first black invited to participate in a PGA Tour competition event in 1961. Almost thirty years later, Sifford's 1992 book, "Just Let Me Play", told of the true blackness he endured as a result of that landmark invitation.
Black golfer Lee Elder and even American Indian Olympic champion Jim Thorpe still bore the burdens of heavy bias that resided deep in the bellies of American country clubs. Without support from a club, or a corporate sponsor that would help finance their play in black leagues, or the PGA Tour, the progress of these dedicated players to integrate their sport was continually road-blocked.
While only Calvin Peete beat the odds to attain Tour status by winning twelve PGA events and two Ryder Cup appearances, Wright and others continued to fight the inhibiting Tour qualifying rounds and sponsorship requirements. No exceptions, no exemptions, no color went hand in hand to defeat nearly every black golfer.
Tiger's Early Lesson From his Mother
His mother told him when he was a youngster, Tiger Woods said early in his professional career in a television interview, that racial references to his participation in the sport of his choice are the problems of the initiator, not the recipient. Woods took the code of conduct advice to heart.
That may be the second most influential tool Woods acquired to become today's ruler of the golfing world. The first may be God-given talent complemented by Woods' singular disciplined sense of work ethic. And then there is timing, which many believe, is everything.
However, sustaining a number one status in anything is always the result of great vision.
 |
