Sports JournalismRon Bishop, Department of Culture and Communication, Drexel University

From the Course’s Actual Title…MythmakersStorytellersWannabesGroupies

Mike Lupica claims…“Sometimes the only thing that matters to

sportswriters is looking tough in front of other sportswriters.”

More Than a TrivialityQuite the challenge: your audience often knows

the outcome before it reads your piece. The true art is in writing a story so artful and

descriptive that they forget everything and wish they’d been there.

Sports is its own little world, full of conflict and competition, compelling characters, interesting details.

You are responsible to the athletes you write about. Remember why you found them interesting.

More Than a TrivialityThe best sports writers convey the essence of

their craft: empathy. Sports writing is grounded in curiosity and

revelation. Mine reality for deeper human qualities. You

are in the business of revealing human nature, not just passing along results.

It’s the stories and the people that count, not the scores.

The Environment…More sports content than ever before. Possible to immerse yourself in it 24/7. No such thing as “between games” anymore. It’s zealous or nothing for the fan. It’s expected that fans be informed. More coverage of the “packaging.”Sports journalists now are celebs.

The Environment…Less distance – theoretically – between fans

and players. More speculation than reporting. More process than product. Sports journalists sometimes achieve as much

popularity as the players.

The CastPlayersCoaches and ManagersOwnersFansOfficials (Refs, umpires)Agents and LawyersParents

The Cast, ContinuedLeague/University/HS OfficialsGoverning bodies (NCAA, NJSIAA)Communities/ResidentsMerchandise and Equipment MakersThe Media

Look for…The LosersThe BenchwarmersThe Union LabelLife Beyond the CrowdsThe So-Called “Minor” Sports

Types of Stories Game StoryPrecede – story about an upcoming game or

event. Follow – story in which you dissect and analyze

a game. Look-Ahead – story in which you prognosticate

about a team’s chances. Notes or Notebook – at end of a piece, includes

items that didn’t make the cut.

The Game Story

Beat writers v. one-time writers.Can’t tell the players without a scorecard.Learning about the sport v. becoming an

expert. My kingdom for some press credentials!Pregame rituals: “Getting to Know You.” The game itself: follow the action!Develop a scoring system.

The Game Story Life in the press box.Keep a list of possible questions. Plan for the post-game interviews.Write from the end to the beginning. Summarize the slow parts; focus on the

highlights. Following up; ongoing themes.You’ll be frequently interviewing the same

people.

The Game StoryDescribe the scene, the weather, the crowd – if

there’s a crowd. Double-check names and numbers.Watch for turning points, shifts in momentum –

from these, leads are built. Who’s playing well? Who isn’t? Why? Work on your scoring system (15 to 82, 33-yd. TD). Gratefully accept the information provided by the

team.

The Game Story Don’t ever assume the game is over (The Bill

Buckner Rule). Have a “plan B” lead and theme cooked up. What’s the score?

Keep the Following in Mind.. It’s challenging to cover a lousy team; you can

only write so many “rebuilding” stories. Observation is perhaps the key tool in your

arsenal. Putting the reader there still matters, even

though they can receive scores and highlights on their phones.

Look hard for fresh angles. Don’t follow the pack. You can be a bit cerebral and still bang out copy

several times a day.

Lead ApproachesStar PerformanceTurning PointTone (pace, feel, flavor) of the gameRoundupOff-Field EventsColor/Novelty

Your Basic Summary LeadRyan Miller stopped all 39 shots he faced,

including a second-period penalty shot, to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-0 win Saturday night over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

LeSean McCoy’s 16-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter capped a 21-point Eagles rally as the Birds beat the Washington Redskins, 24-17. Thanks to a key block by right guard Evan Mathis,

McCoy was able to dart around right end and down the sideline for the score.

Your Basic Summary LeadThe Philadelphia Phillies scored eight runs in

the first inning of last night’s game, then cruised to a 10-1win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ryan Howard had three hits, including a three-run

home run during the Phils’ first-inning explosion.

Your “Basic” Summary LeadThe only place where defense will be a higher

priority than in the Rams’ front office this offseason will be at the Pentagon. Coach Jeff Fisher continues the task of improving

his defense that for the fifth consecutive season gave up more points than the team’s offense scored.

“It turns out you can’t give up 35 points a game and win the Super Bowl,” Fisher jokingly told reporters after a Monday morning practice.

Your “Basic” Summary LeadThe Mets will try to put constant rumors of

imminent trades and Bobby Valentine’s supposedly imminent firing out of their minds tonight when they face the Florida Marlins. “Sure, it’s a distraction,” said Valentine about

several published reports that suggest the Mets will fire him, perhaps as soon as this weekend.

Your “Basic” Summary Lead It took more failed recipes that what you’d see

in the outtake reel of “Top Chef,” but Buffalo Sabres Coach Ron Rolston said he believes he’s finally come up with the right combination of players to energize his team’s sluggish power play. Rolston’s newest recipe yielded two power play

goals by Thomas Vanek in the Sabres 7-1 drubbing Tuesday night of the New York Islanders.

“There was more speed and puck movement out there,” Rolston said. “It caused some confusion for [the Islanders].”

Sports as Metaphor? Think of the scale!Are we addicted to sports?Does it spill into other parts of our lives? How about the rituals? Talking about structured organizations of

power. Symbiotic relationship. It ain’t just about recreational participation

anymore.

Sports as Metaphor? Technology-driven saturation of sports. Sports as “pastiche.” Distinctions between high art and popular

culture go away. How do advances change the viewing

experience? Sports as spectacle – all the time.

Sports as Metaphor? A distinct “pro” bias in major news

organizations. Coverage of “non-major” sports is limited. Ties in with marketing imperatives. Sports journalists select, order, and organize

events. It’s the art of constructing reality, not just

recording it.

Sports as Commodity?We’re still talking about authentic acts; games

are “primary texts.” It’s all about the interplay.Our narratives of the “romanticized ideal”:

Some values can only be taught through sports. An activity kids and parents can do together. Sports are an indelible part of everyday life. Sports are the media’s bread and butter. Sports offer drama and escape.

Rosentraub’s DimensionsA winner and a loser. No two games are identical.David beats Goliath every now and then. A definite outcome in a short period of time. Always hope for the losers. Injuries are a badge of courage.

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline1830s: Newspapers covered sports, but only

sporadically. Cricket (yes, cricket) and horse racing covered extensively. Later, prizefighting (1850s) and baseball (1870s) become popular, and receive coverage.

1831: Spirit of the Times is launched by William T. Porter. Becomes a message center for the sportsmen of the day.

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A TimelineTechnology helps make “one neighborhood of

the whole country” (Carey). Sending information, but also representing

shared beliefs. Hyer-Sullivan fight in 1849 the first

“spectacle.”Our need for immediacy was born. The “national sports society” is born.

From The Scene: “The fight took place yesterday about 5 p.m. at

Roach’s Point, Kent County, Maryland. Hyer won in fifteen rounds.Sullivan is badly punished, but not dangerously. Time occupied, about sixteen minutes.”

- “Uncle Joe Elliott”

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline1845: The National Police Gazette is launched.

Covered the seedy activities of criminals, hoping the public would read and seek retribution.

Runs bios of criminals. Police and organized crime dislike the paper;

editorial offices attacked three times.

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline1853: The New York Clipper is launched by

Frank Queen as a weekly trade publication for the entertainment industry. Was the “paper of record” for the circus industry. Played key role in popularizing baseball in the U.S. Absorbed by Variety in the 1920s.

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline1862: Henry Chadwick is hired by James

Gordon Bennett to cover baseball for the New York Herald - he is the first full-time sports reporter. 1873: Bennett begins handing out awards to

intercollegiate track and field athletes. Sponsors Henry Stanley’s search for David

Livingstone in the African jungle.

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline1874: Richard Kyle Fox journeys to U.S. from

Belfast, Northern Ireland. Takes over the National Police Gazette. Vulgar and self-aggrandizing, he exploits the

rampant bigotry in the country. Invents the sports section, the gossip column, and

was among the first to use illustrations to enhance stories.

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline1883: Joseph Pulitzer buys the New York World.

Creates the first standalone sports department, headed by a “sporting editor.”

Also in 1883: Sporting Life is founded by Francis Richter. Was a hero-maker long before Rice. Ran box scores and game recaps. Ran poetry and adages about baseball, its players. Eulogized athletes in obits. Ran photos, cartoons, features, gossip.

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline“Intuition is merely a remarkable faculty

possessed by a good guesser.” - Connie Mack

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline1886: The Sporting News arrives on the scene

– the first publication devoted solely to sports. Founder Alfred Henry Spink claims he played

key role in creation of A.L. First issue focuses on spring training prep, but

also describes visits to its offices by English wrestling champs and activities of Gentlemen’s Driving Club of St. Louis.

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A Timeline1895: William Randolph Hearst buys the New

York Journal. Adopts Pulitzer’s strategies, lures away many World staffers.

1920s: Large metro dailies get into the sports promotion game. Joseph Medill Patterson, co-publisher of Chicago Tribune, creates the Golden Gloves boxing tournament.

1933: Arch Ward, the Tribune’s sports editor, creates MLB’s All-Star Game; he went on to launch the All-American Football Conference.

The Evolution of Sports Journalism: A TimelineBy this point in time, you had three types of

sports writing: The “tall tale” Verse The true story

Along Comes Rice…

Along Comes Rice… Took heroism seriously. Was close to athletes, but not too close so their flaws

might be revealed. Athletes seemed grander then. Professional sports was a smaller world. Ripped as a cheerleader – but was he right for his

time? He believed – truly – what he wrote. Despite the criticism, he was revered by many

colleagues.

Along Comes Rice…The eternal optimist.He did write more than just “sunny side”

pieces. Bottom line: folks believed him; history has

added credibility; style was right for his audience.

He was the first “famous” sportswriter. He humanized athletes – but only to a point.An activist for sports. So did he help or hurt sports journalism?

Sports Journalism’s“Golden Age” in Context The “Jazz Age,” the “Roaring Twenties.” Color, personality, star-making in journalism. Celebrities glorified; sordid events became national

sensations. We were a nation in need of heroes, something

sports journalists are quite good at making. Wanted to focus on the individual for a while. The economy (for the moment) was booming. A buoyant national spirit coming out of WWI.

Sports Journalism’s“Golden Age” in ContextOur attention turns away from world affairs. Technology shortens the work week; more

leisure time. With urbanization comes the rise of the

“mass.” Sports gave us an outlet for individual

achievement. Society was becoming more bureaucratic.

Sports Journalism’s“Golden Age” in ContextSportswriters held the monopoly on sports

news. Skill mattered, but not as much as “color and

crowd appeal.” SJ was less about the game and more about

“behind the scenes,” such as they were. Amount of coverage increases. “My intellect is offended, but my editorial

judgment approves it,” says one NY Post editor.

Sports Journalism’s“Golden Age” in ContextNo longer so much about the game –

background, strategy, character mattered. Some SJ’s critical, calling it a plan to boost

circulation.

Sports Journalism’s“Golden Age” in ContextFew of us could actually see the athletes in

action. No TV.Sports writers had to make them accessible. Accuracy takes a back seat to storytelling. Lent a note of enchantment to sports. From “Gee Whiz” to “Aw Nuts” in less than a

decade.

And Then There’s Ring…

From Ring Lardner to Red Smith…Lardner the first baseball as a source of serious

literary material. Sardonic, witty, self-deprecating. Suspected White Sox threw the 1919 WS;

walked through the team’s train singing “I’m forever blowing ballgames…”

Dampened his love for baseball.

From Ring Lardner to Red Smith…The first true craftsperson. Irony, verbal economy, gift for dialect. Spanned the gap between the fan and the

“eggheads,” as one sportswriter explained.Favored satire; wasn’t afraid to criticize.

From Ring Lardner to Red Smith…“The family you come from isn’t as important

as the family you’re going to have.” “They gave each other a smile with a future in

it.”“He looked at me as if I were a side dish he had

ordered.”

From Ring Lardner to Red Smith…Highlights the dubious value of training to be a

sports writer. Had other experiences and interests on which

to draw. A multidimensional person – more than one

career path. Today? The obsession gets you the money. Lardner eclipsed the “goody-two-shoes” genre

popularized by Rice.

From Ring Lardner to Red Smith…Yet he insisted he wasn’t creating literature. We were becoming more celebrity-obsessed.Lardner tries to debunk the emerging

corporate values of a society headed for the world political stage.

Became ambivalent, jaundiced. But he didn’t hate baseball – he was just a

cynic and NOT a hero-worshipper.

From Ring Lardner to Red Smith…Wasn’t sure of the player’s moral character. Saw baseball critically – how it was consuming

us. Pursuit of happiness had turned into a pursuit

of the self, in his view. Took us to task for joining “the cult of obvious

feats and visible virtuosity.”

As Fitzgerald noted…During those years, when most men of promise

achieve an adult education, if only in the school of war, Ring moved in the company of a few illiterates playing a boy’s game. A boy’s game with no more possibilities in it than a boy could master, a game bounded by wall which kept out novelty or danger, change or adventure…” Speaking at Lardner’s funeral in 1933.

From Ring Lardner to Red Smith…

From Ring Lardner to Red Smith…Literary style, expository approach, clarity!Approached sports as a professional spectator.No over the top descriptions or behind the

scenes intrigue. A human being first, an observer second, and a

writer third. Gifted at stating “the ordinary case.” Interviewed without taking notes.

As For Woodward…Herald-Tribune sports section attains

unmatched level of “pungent literacy.” Knew an editor had to defend his writers. Wanted writers who were better than he was. See things no one else saw. No embellishment; few superlatives. Made newbies work city beat for a few years,

to become reporters first.

The Magic of Clarity“Now it is done. Now the story ends. And there

is no way to tell it. The art of fiction is dead. Reality has strangled invention. Only the utterly impossible, the inexpressibly fantastic, can ever be plausible again.”

“Ralph Branca turned and started for the clubhouse. The number on his uniform looked huge. Thirteen.” - Red Smith, The Miracle of Coogan’s Bluff

The Magic of Clarity“It could happen only in Brooklyn. Nowhere

else in this broad, untidy universe, not in Bedlam nor in Babel nor in the remotest psychopathic ward nor the sleaziest padded cell could The Thing be.

“Only in the ancestral home of the Dodgers which knew the goofy glories of Babe Herman could a man win a World Series game by striking out.” Red Smith, Winning By Striking Out, 1941

The Magic of Clarity“By special arrangement with the Hudson

Tubes, an expedition to this model political community as made today to get a look at Jackie Robinson, the model Negro infielder of the Dodgers’ model Montreal farm. It was a brief look because Robinson, having jimmied an ankle sliding into third base, didn’t play against the Itsy-Bitsy Giants.” Red Smith, Model Baseball Player, 1946.

The Magic of ClaritySmith part of the “on the button” school. Straightforward, factual reporting. Smith tried not to exaggerate – tried to

preserve a “sense of proportion,” to focus on accomplishments.

“I’m sure I have contributed to false values,” he said.

Needed to alert us to “the daily doings of the local teams,” as Gallico said.

W. C. Heinz

Heinz’s “Spare Elegance”Lyrical understatement. Insistent and inspired economy.Picking their brains. A voracious reader. Learned to listen to what people said – and how

they said it. Have to get the sound right. A “bricks and mortar” approach to writing.

Heinz’s “Spare Elegance”“There was a short, sharp sound and the colt

toppled onto his left side, his eyes staring, his legs straight out, the free legs quivering.

‘Aw -----,’ someone said. That was all they said.”

Heinz’s “Spare Elegance”Revered by fellow sportswriters. A true mentor. Authentic, straightforward voice. Don’t go overboard – the truth is powerful

enough!His graceful work is largely defined by what is

left out. Defined too by its rhythm, his ear for dialogue.

Invites, then defies imitation.

“The Ghost of the Gridiron”“I remembered that night when we ate in

Syracuse. As we stood in line to get our hats and coasts, Grange nudged me and showed me his hat check. In the middle of the cardboard disk was the number 77.

“Has this ever happened to you before,” I said. “Never,” he said, “as far as I know.” We walked out into the cold night air. A few

flakes of snow were falling.

“The Ghost of the Gridiron”“That jersey with the 77 on it that’s preserved

in Illinois,” I said, “is that your last game jersey?”

“I don’t know,” Grange said. “It was probably a new jersey.”

“Do you have any piece of equipment you work on the football field?”

“No,” he said. “I don’t have anything.” The traffic light changed, and we started across

the street.

“The Ghost of the Gridiron”We walked about three paces. “You know,” Grange said, “I’d kind of like to

have an I-sweater now.”

Paul Gallico Creates participatory journalism; no

longer just a “fly on the wall.” Plimpton would come along, adopt the

style, and make it popular. One of the highest paid sportswriters

during the “Golden Age.” Exited sports journalism at the top. “After 13 years of looking at every kind of

athletic contest, I had nothing more to say.”

“Better to get out while the getting was good and before the readers made the same discovery I had.”

Paul Gallico Started as a movie critic – too insolent; moved to

sports. Convinces Jack Dempsey to spar with him so he

could get a better sense of what it was like to fight a champion.

Piece helps him gain sports editor’s slot at the New York Daily News.

Narratives with a conversational tone; suggested he had personal relationships with athletes.

Created the Golden Gloves amateur boxing program.

Paul Gallico “There is one photograph in the News –

pictures were taken all through this – of which I haven’t the slightest recollection. But there I am bent over and Dempsey’s left hook is whistling over my head. I have no recollection of ducking that one.

But I didn’t duck the next one. I found myself on the floor. Everything went sort of black. The ring made one complete revolution clockwise and then went back, counterclockwise.”

Paul Gallico Became a quasi-member of the “gee-whiz”

style.Glorified athletes – but not always. Recognized their flaws:

“The sportswriter has few if any heroes. We create many because it is our business to do so, but we do not believe in them. We know them too well. We sing of their muscle, their courage, and their skill because it seems to amuse readers”

- Farewell to Sport

After the “Golden Age” The evolution of the craft. The last time when sports was put in

perspective. Balance between hero-worship and “behind the

scenes.” The sense of “us” and “them.”The writing matters most – but the facts matter

more. The “hidden dimension” period.

After the “Golden Age” Begin to distrust their powers of observation

and expression. Roger Kahn: “Athletes are becoming practically

real.” Stats begin to obscure the written word. “Watching the fucking game,” as Jimmy

Cannon once urged. What of the odd, singular achievement?

After the “Golden Age” How about some curiosity for what you don’t

know? The essence of sports writing: empathy. Not “the preening desire to be admired.” So much intensity – sports became less

interesting. “Neutralism” reigns. Athletes come to see SJ as a stage – and SWs all

get the same stuff.

After the “Golden Age” All the characters “squeezed out,” to quote

Deford. It’s the toy shop, but some toys are very well

made. More than just the “pole dancers of

journalism.” Gave away the chance to find the “stories.”

Angell: Gone For Good Observation is key; participation too. Staying on the right side of the line between

storyteller and groupie. Letting the subject do the talking, share his/her

reality. Like he’s hanging out with Blass. No expectations beyond a well-told story. End-result: you feel for him, but also realize life

goes on.

Angell: Gone For Good“…all this was said with an air of finality, but at

other times…I noticed it seemed difficult for Blass to talk about his baseball career as a thing of the past.”

“The pitcher goes into a slump. He sulks or rages, according to his nature.”

“The fastball is a great healer.”“But the moment a batter stood in against him, he

became a different pitcher, especially when throwing a fastball - a pitcher apparently afraid of seriously injuring somebody.”

Deford: The Rabbit HunterPortrait of a man totally immersed in the sport. You can’t draw a rich portrait of someone

without spending time with him.Not an important part of the sports writer’s tool

box these days. When writers – even great ones – head for TV

or online, the depth, the perspective is sacrificed.

People are more than the sport – or they’re not.

Deford: The Rabbit Hunter“’Wait, wait!’ cries the Good Fairy or the Angel

Gabriel or whoever’s in charge of distributing dimples. But it’s too late. Bobby has no time for this extraneous crap with the dimples. He’s already way down the line, taking extras on bile.”

“Yet as intelligent as Knight is about most things, as searching as his mind is, he’s also encumbered by a curious parochialism that too often brings him to grief.”

“The real issue isn’t the countenance, anyway. The real issue is the rabbits.”

Deford: The Rabbit Hunter“All the people are players, for or against, to be

scouted, tested, broken down, built back up if they matter. Life isn’t lived; it’s played. And the rabbits are everywhere.”

Plimpton: Medora Goes to the Game Moves into self-exploration territory. His feelings for his daughter – wants her to go to

Harvard someday, not Yale! Proud of her nine-year-old journalistic endeavors. Should a journalist use personal experience as a

storytelling device? Does it cheapen family relationships when they’re

deployed this way? One of last great pieces to include the person not

totally into sports.

Plimpton: Medora Goes to the Game “He took a feeble swing at the ball – the kind an

elderly aunt might aim at a terrier nipping at her feet.”

“A number of people in the stands noticed that in pecking here and there in the grass, the pigeon seemed to go right to the brink of the goal line and then back away, as if forced to do so by some psychic power.”

“In fact, the bells were something of a neighborhood nuisance because they got so loud; the person playing them sometimes got mixed up so it sounded as if the bells were tumbling down a rock slide.”

Coverage of RaceReporters still portray African-Americans “in

ways that create and maintain stereotypes” (Lule, 1995).

“Anti-black affect” has pushed aside more racist portrayals.

A form of “modern racism” – the belief that “discrimination is a thing of the past, that blacks push too hard and too fast, that black demands for opportunity are unfair, and that recent gains by blacks are undeserved” (Lule, 1995).

Coverage of Race These stereotypes are subtle and “reinforced at levels

likely to remain below conscious awareness” (Entman, 1992).

Reporters “debased” Mike Tyson in order to propel grander dramas.

Sensational coverage about his rape trial offered no “insight into the boxer and his life” (Lule, 1995).

Offered little more than “superficial storylines and crude stereotypes” (Lule, 1995).

Just two portrayals of Tyson: the “black, savage, sex-driven former heavyweight champion” and the “dumb, innocent, but well-hung boxer” (Lule, 1995).

Coverage of RaceMuch of the research to date focuses on

language used to describe performance of African-American athletes.

Typically portrayed as self-centered, arrogant, and greedy.

More likely to complain when they feel underpaid (Cole and Andrews, 1996).

Infantilized by depicting them as selfish, lazy, unappealing, and as lacking the will to win.

Coverage of RaceAlso portrayed as deviant, violent, compulsive,

and reckless.“As potentially polluting and destructive,

incapable of attaining social and moral sophistication” (Hardin, Dodd, Chance & Waldorf, 2004).

Coverage still informed by “black men misbehaving” narrative.

“Expresses, affirms, and authorizes popular fears, pleasures, and anxieties in ways that shape the experience of race” (Clarke, 1991).

Coverage of Race The NBA in the late 1970s and early 1980s portrayed

as damaged by epidemic of drug use by African-American athletes.

Stern tries to make them palatable to white fans. “Blackness has come to embody a pollutant within

the NBA that necessitates surveillance and regulation” (Leonard, 2006).

Owners act again after “Palace Brawl” – enact the ban on HS players entering the league.

With journalists’ help, the brawl was turned into a national crisis.

Make Them Palatable Efforts have deep historical roots. Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays brought a new style to

the game; they exuded “flair” and “cool.” Playing well just one part of their performance. “You had to play with style and soul” (Rhoden, 2006,

p. 149). “Free to make powerful statements using gestural

modes of expression to celebrate, honor, and even exude” (Rhoden, 2006, p. 151).

Athletes introduced the “black thing” to fans.

Make Them PalatableOwners capitalize on this “mix of ingenuity and

race, sensuality and strength, beauty and violence, rage and vulnerability” (Rhoden, 2006).

But African-American athletes weren’t allowed to “profit from this soul” (p. 153).

Owners eventually grow wary of the style; journalists call Mays and others “showboats.”

Happy so long as athletes partake in the commodification of their race – and stay out of trouble.

Make Them Palatable White fans also never completely embraced

the “Black Thing.” Left to be moved on Rhoden’s “conveyor belt.” Vitality of sports depends on a steady influx of

African-American players. Owners run a “full service delivery system to

identify, prepare, and carry black muscle to market” (p. 169).

Some end up feeling entitled.

Make Them Palatable

Make Them Palatable Racial identities are all but erased. No room for athletes who think of themselves in

racial terms, who rock the boat. Focus on “making those in positions of power feel

comfortable with their blackness” (p. 178). Don’t question the system that has given you the

money and lavish lifestyle. Don’t confront team officials; be deferential! Success has stifled the desire to challenge the

system, says Harry Edwards.

Make Them Palatable Talk about themselves as individuals. Stay away from controversy; the history of the

struggle for equality is irrelevant. “They have no idea about who set the table at

which they are feasting,” says Harry Edwards.

Make Them Palatable

Into the Way-Back Machine

Some Gentlemen…Agreements prevented African-Americans from

playing baseball, football. Tex Schramm: “It wasn’t the thing that was

done.” In baseball, had been in place since 1880. In football, African-Americans actually played;

GA put in place in 1933.

Some Gentlemen…

Some Gentlemen…

Some Gentlemen…Denied that GA existed; claimed they’d accept

African-American players if they were good enough.

We accepted the “conspiracy of silence,” as Tygiel argues.

“The convenience of ignorance,” says Myrdal. Sportswriters helped out by creating myth that

baseball was a “melting pot.” All players were equal.

Some Gentlemen…Even The Sporting News was in on it; argued

segregation was in the best interests of baseball and society.

Became a “news value.” Then came the minstrel show at the 1933 NY

Baseball Writers Association dinner; all white crowd of about 600 – owners, players, journalists.

New York Times called the show the most entertaining part of the evening.

Some Gentlemen…

Some Gentlemen… Heywood Broun, NY journalist,

asks why there were no African-American athletes in baseball.

Responding to a New York Daily News editorial.

“I can see no reason why Negroes should not come into the National and American Leagues,” he says.

Recalled how John McGraw had once been prevented by owners to sign an African-American player.

Some Gentlemen… Jimmy Powers asks for comment

from league officials and players – none, except McGraw, object.

In February 8 column, calls this a sign of progress.

Players were different than in the past. "The bulk of the players then came from the other side of the Mason Dixon line. They brought the (Jim Crow) ... ideas into the North with them,” he writes.

Only a matter of time…he was wrong.

Some Gentlemen… African-American newspapers are thrilled. The Pittsburgh Courier beings a series of articles on

race relations. White sportswriters stayed silent. Broun says nothing

after his speech. Would pass along information to the Daily Worker and

Lester Rodney. “I can’t use it, but I’d like to see it in print.” BBWA has its own color line…African-American writers

not allowed in press boxes, dugouts, locker rooms.

Some Gentlemen…

Some Gentlemen… It was a concerted effort. Beyond the observer’s role. Agents of social change. Responsibility to champion the cause. White sportswriters, save Rodney, continue

their silence.

Into The Way-Back Machine

A Nod From DestinyAfrican-American sportswriters pressured NFL

owners to add African-American players for more than a decade.

To fill the LA Coliseum, Dan Reeves knew he’d have to field a great team – with players from both races.

A Nod From Destiny

A Nod From DestinyWashington’s supporters felt he could still play,

despite 10 seasons of college, minor league ball.

On March 21, 1946, the Rams buy out his contract, and sign him to play for them.

He asks they sign Woody Strode so he would have a roommate on the road.

Many thought he saw better suited to break the MLB color barrier.

A Nod From DestinyNFL loved the Rams move; the upstart AAFC

had a team in LA, the Dons. Officials wanted to correct impression that NFL

wasn’t a major league.LA was first city to really understand that it

was. Needed approval from LA Coliseum

Commission before they could play there. Commission worried pro team would hurt gate

for UCLA, USC.

A Nod From Destiny

A Nod From Destiny Confronted Rams GM Chile Walsh about lack of

African-American players. One assistant coach said they signed Washington

just to finalize the lease. Smith said Rams did not deserve praise; the Rams

simply caved. Wasn’t a sure thing, though. Writers “make no attempt to be objective.” Would work to eliminate the color line “until we

drop from exhaustion.”

A Nod From DestinyNo coverage in white newspapers. Other African-American sports writers thought

Washington’s signing was inevitable – they focused on Robinson.

Washington was one of several options. “Make good news happen for our people,” said

Herman Hill. Had some help: Commission chair tipped them

off about the time of the meeting.

A Nod From DestinyCommission passes resolution banning teams

who discriminate from using Coliseum. “That was our cue…” Rams taken aback as writers made their case. “You could have heard a rat piss on cotton,”

said Abie Robinson. Leonard Roach and Washington were friends. Congratulated themselves in print.

Economics of SportsDo sports love us in return? Are we as in love as we used to be? Who’s being pushed out? Are we just scenery?

Economics of SportsCities should have some say in how teams are

run. Finite resources in a city’s budget. Publicly funded stadiums became urban policy

in the 1990s. Last 25 years: $30 billion in public money

spent on stadium construction/maintenance. This despite the fact that we’d rather they

didn’t spend our money in this way.

Economics of Sports They’ll say: it creates jobs! Yes, but at what level? NEVER has a publicly subsidized stadium in the

U.S. increased employment and economic growth.

Zirin: it’s “ethnic and economic cleansing.” Should be ashamed to ask for public money. The true “welfare kings.” We can’t afford to support sports as an affordable

escape.

Economics of SportsThe main revenue streams:

Public money for stadiums. Corporate boxes/PSLs TV rights deals/24-hour sports media

Economics of Sports Yet journalists gush about the new parks,

caught up in pre-adolescent fervor. Those who raise questions aren’t heard. A few tries at affordability. More out there to capture our attention. So how about municipalizing the teams?