Professor Richard Lapchick’s 2006-07 Racial and Gender Report Card addresses the hiring practices of people of color in leading American professional leagues and college sports. Principally, it focuses on the lack of representation of people of color in coaching and administrative positions as compared to the high concentration of such demographics in composition of players.
While in my political beliefs I support affirmative action policies throughout education, in particular, I have generally believed that the persistent racial gap in sports hiring practices cannot be looked at through the classic affirmative action lens. Though same may argue, affirmative action policies in education are not aimed to produce a better product through the advantages of diversity, but rather to "level the playing field" in breaking down cultural socioeconomic barriers. Contrarily, in the context of sports, I believe such a policy to be designed to improve the workings of an athletic team and as a result improving that team's performance in competition.
Perhaps the most distressing find in Professor Lapchick's study is the lack of professional team ownership by people of color. As he mentions, Arturo Moreno is the only Latino majority owner in professional sports (Anaheim Angels) and Robert Johnson is the only African American majority owner (Charlotte Bobcats). Though, as of May, Johnson was looking to sell his majority stake in the franchise. In appearance, this phenomenon speaks greater volumes about cultural socioeconomic concerns of corporate success and social status than an under-representation of people of color in professional coaching positions. Where society welcomes a black man that can run a 4.4 second 40-yard dash, score 35 points in a game, sell jerseys; where a society welcomes a Latino man that can dominate on the soccer pitch or bat .300 for the season, society seemingly does not accept them to an equal degree in the conference room.
Though Lapchick doesn’t mention golf in his study, one can only take a glance at the PGA Tour to notice the remarkable lack of racial diversity. Where the PGA Tour is characterized by massive diversity in ethnicity and nationality, the same cannot be said for race. Where I’m aware of history of Charlie Sifford, Calvin Pete, and Jim Thorpe, in recent history I can’t recall many instances of African Americans in professional golf. Obviously, the Tour is currently dominated both on the course and in marketing success by Tiger Woods (who is bi-racial), but with the exception of Tim O’Neil – who was made famous by having Will Smith has a financial backer, but has not had any mentionable success – I’m not aware of any other African American golfers of note.
Unlike the leagues in Lapchick’s study, I’m not sure that professional golf can be scrutinized in the same fashion – there is a greater cultural gap in competitive golf participation that can be observed at the junior, high school, college, and amateur golf level. Where skill and talent in basketball, baseball, football, etc. are color-blind, in golf there, quite simply, have not been as many prominent African American golfers as there have been Caucasian golfers. Hence, the gap in golf needs to be addressed from a larger, cultural perspective than it does in a simple context of hiring practices.
2 comments:
The racial economic situation in our country is changing - albeit still too slowly - with increasing numbers of minorities in the professions and upper echelon of business. This change will surely escalate as America becomes more diverse. Ethnic minorities will move into the middle class (as has existed in Atlanta, Washington DC and Southern California for years.) Professional sports team ownership by minorities is only symbolic that all groups contain some elites who have a need to show off and buy the biggest toys. . . In golf, with the demise of caddy programs, it takes middle class money to expose young people to requisite golf experiences (lessons, practice and playing) which might lead to the competitive arena. . . It does seem, in the near future, racial diversity in professional golf is going to continue coming from Asia and Tiger Woods.
I used to play golf in the 1960's in South Texas and Florida. There were a meaningful number of good players who were black (Florida)and brown (Texas). They, as I, played at low cost public courses that were city or military owned. The Tampa, Florida area in particular had several guys who played very well. Nate Starks, Charlie Owens, Cal Peete, Jim Dent won on the Florida Winter circuit and of course some did the same on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. . . I assume the the situation today has changed due to the high costs involved in golf. High School athletes have little of their own money tied up in order to play basketball or football.
As a personal anecdote, I was paired a few times in Winter Tour events with Charles Owens. Charlie is tall with a fused left knee (paratrooper accident.)He tried to walk on the regular tour but his peculiar gait would not permit it. He did win on the Champions Tour - the first to do so with a long putter. He was a funny and personable gentleman who would hit a golf ball 350 yards standing flat footed (his left leg could not support his weight) while holding the golf club cross handed. Unbelievable!
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