African American Impact on Sports

1749 words 7 pages
Show More
"A life is not important except in the impact it has on others' lives." This quote was said by Jackie Robinson who was important in paving the way for other black athletes in professional sports. He was the first black baseball player to play in Major League Baseball.What would professional sports be without all the greatest black athletes such as Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali or Jackie Robinson? Today the NBA is filled with a large majority of African American players. The NBA would be nothing without those players. Muhammad Ali was a boxer, businessman and social activist for equal rights for all races. He wanted equal opportunities for all men, regardless of color, to be successful. Michael Jordan was considered the best basketball …show more content…

When Ali was 12 his bike was stolen and he told a police officer “that he wanted to beat up the thief. Well, you better learn how to fight before you start challenging people, the officer said.” This police officer also owned a gym and trained boxers and took Muhammad under his wing and trained him. His first fight ever was in 1954 and was an amatuer fight that he won by split decision. Only 6 years later he won an olympic gold medal. Then in 1964 he claimed the throne as heavyweight champion of the world. Soon after Cassius turned changed his religion to Muslim and changed his name to Muhammad Ali.

Later Ali created a lot of controversy in the government by refusing to fight in the war after being drafted. Ali’s reason was that “he was a practicing Muslim minister, and that his religious beliefs prevented him from fighting in the Vietnam War.” (Bio) The government took Ali to court and he was found guilty of “refusing to join the military.” Ali appealed the ruling and after a long court battle the ruling was overturned. However the boxing association still took away Ali’s titles and suspended him. In 1970 he returned to the ring. That year Ali took part in what was called the fight of the century. This fight was between Ali and Joe Frazier, two of the greatest evering in boxing. After 15 rounds of brutal boxing Frazier bested Muhammad in knockout fashion. Later in 1974 they had a rematch and Ali got revenge by beating Frazier. His last

Related

  • Remember the Titans: Movie Review
    992 words | 4 pages

    Remember the Titans Movie Review The arrival of African slaves, sold in the plantations of colonial America, definitely triggered a superior-inferior relationship and mentality between “the whites” and “the blacks”. This present-day culture, resulting from a society of masters and slaves, has struggled against central concepts deeply rooted in the nations past .With strong cultural values on racial discrimination, the path towards the concept of racism in America was a vital moment in the course….

    Show More
  • Jackie Robinson's Leadership Style
    1439 words | 6 pages

    “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”- Jackie Robinson A true leader is someone who people willingly follow and listen to as well as someone who has the ability to influence and motivate others. An outstanding example of a great leader is Jackie Robinson. On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson shocked the world and changed not only the history of sports, but changed America. Facing the criticism, ignoring the racial slurs, and following his true passion, Jackie….

    Show More
  • African American Characteristics Paper
    2540 words | 11 pages

    African American culture in the United States refers to the cultural contributions of Americans of African descent to the culture of the United States, either as part of or distinct from American culture. The distinct identity of African American culture is rooted in the historical experience of the African American people. The culture is both distinct and enormously influential to American culture as a whole. African-American culture is rooted in Africa. It is a blend of chiefly sub-Saharan African….

    Show More
  • Dean Smith
    1173 words | 5 pages

    DEAN SMITH Dean Edwards Smith (born on February 28, 1931) is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. He is originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith as been called a "coaching legend" by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching career at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Smith coached from 1961 to 1997 and retired as the NCAA Division I men's basketball record-holderfor victories (879), a record which was surpassed by Bobby….

    Show More
  • Research Paper on Title Ix
    2522 words | 11 pages

    Title IX Research Paper December 11 Daniel Rose History TITLE VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 law was what many civil rights activists had been lobbying for over many years. Title VI was made to end segregation and discrimination on the basis of color, gender, and nationality for employment….

    Show More
  • Why Obama Won the 2012 Election
    961 words | 4 pages

    Why Obama won the 2012 Election The American elections of 2012 was very competitive between the Democrat candidate Barrack Obama, who was the president then, and Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate. The campaigns and presidential debates were quite heated and as has been earlier mentioned, it was tight for each of them as polls clearly indicated that both Obama and Romney had more or less an equally high chance of winning the presidential elections. Demographics played a significant part in seeing….

    Show More
  • Cultural Immersion Part 1
    1534 words | 7 pages

    Cubans has not been specified. The total number of adherents to Santería, which is Cuba’s main religious movement, is also unknown but may include between half and two-thirds of the population. The Santería religion includes many traditions of West African origin, mainly Yoruba. About two-fifths of Cubans are Roman Catholics, at least nominally; although only a limited number actively practice the religion, there has been a resurgence of interest in Catholicism since the late 1990s. Protestants represent….

    Show More
  • Sports
    17376 words | 70 pages

    publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016. IM-1826 CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1. Introduction to Sports, Sportscasters, and Sportscasting Chapter 2. The Historical Development of Sports and Sportscasting Chapter 3. The Economics of Sports, Sportscasters, and….

    Show More
  • Ford Swot
    3683 words | 15 pages

    this would also look at the automotive driving forces, that make it alluring for firms to join the industry. Finally, this paper will discuss the competition and critical issues Ford Motor Company Faces. Ford Motor Company is a traditional American company that has started a revolution that introduced the Model T motor car, which….

    Show More
  • Barefoot Running
    1501 words | 7 pages

    Footwear, accepted and denied Running for sport and recreation are perhaps as unique as the enthusiasts who first roused the market. Today, that market (running shoes) is changing. While the 21st century has propelled us into an “age of hyper-engineered performance gear and space-age wicking fabrics;” barefoot running has reinvented the marketplace, while simultaneously inspiring the new generation (Sprinkle 2004). The idea that running barefoot can be beneficial is a relatively liberal idea….

    Show More

Popular Essays