Black History Month

   As we all know, February is Black History Month. In sports, there has been so much controversy when it came to allowing African Americans integrate in to the major sports, especially baseball. The most famous is case is with Jackie Robinson. What many people do not realize is some of the best athletes of all time are African American. If you want perseverance look at Jackie Robinson or Muhammad Ali, they became big in time were they were given so much trouble. Today, people are not under the same scrutiny they went through over 50 years ago.

    Before 1947, African American baseball players strictly played in the "Negro League." Then Branch Rickey, general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, comes along and signs Jackie Robinson to a contract. On April 15th, 1947, he became the first African American to play in the Major Leagues. He had went through hell that entire season. At least he was not alone, over in the American League Larry Doby became the first African American to play in the league. It showed strength, courage, and intensity to overcome what they went through. I like to think that they helped pave the way for Hank Aaron, who would become the all time Home Run leader.

    Baseball was not the only sport which African American athletes had problems. Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson set standards for the boxing world in the 1930's and 40's. If it were not for them, the likes of Muhhamed Ali, Joe Fraizer, and Sugar Ray Leonard would not have made it. Sugar Ray Robinson never succumbed to the mob, it paid off immensely as he received many title matches. The "Rumble in the Jungle" took in place in Zaire. It was the first All African-American boxing match to be fought in the African continent. Muhammad Ali was a heavy underdog, but came back and won the match.

   The same way musicians fight certain fights through their music, athletes have the same concept. Jackie Robinson always did his work on the field. When he retired, people respected him more than when we first started playing. Muhhamed Ali showed it differently. Not only did he build up a great reputation in the ring, he stood up for what he believed in. When he dodged the draft, people saw that he was making a statement. If it was not for Jackie Robinson, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Muhhamed Ali, then we do not how African American athletes would fair today in their respective sports. Let's just take a few minutes to understand how people paved the way for future generations.