African Americans Strive to Bring Equality to Golf

Broadcast: Apr 09, 2003

 

Charlie Sifford, George Simkins and Tiger Woods. Different generations and skill levels, but connected by their love of golf and a determination to get more African Americans involved.

23 years old, Tiger Woods is the number-one golfer in the world. He has become the dominant¹ player on the professional tour and has won 34 titles since 1996. His success, popularity², and competitive³ spirit have attracted thousands of young African Americans to take up the game. He has helped raise more than half a million dollars to fund junior golf programs for inner city minority youngsters⁴.

Tiger Woods says he would not be where he is today without ¹⁾sacrifices from other African Americans. In the days of ²⁾segregation in the United States, golf was a sport virtually off limits to blacks. They were barred from most publicly-owned golf courses. Instead they were forced to play on a few poorly maintained "black only" courses. That did not stop people like my father George Simkins. He was a ³⁾recreational golfer and a long-time civil rights activist⁵ in Greensboro, North Carolina. He used to tell me the story about playing golf and fighting to get courses in the city integrated⁶.

"[When] I started playing golf, they had a little segregated⁷ course for us called Nocho Park Golf Course here in Greensboro, just for the blacks," Mr. Simkins said. "And they [the city] would fix it up. There were weeds everywhere. They had another course for the whites called Gillespie Park Golf Course.

On December 7, 1955, six of us went out on the Gillespie Park Golf Course to play golf and we were arrested and given active jail terms for ⁴⁾trespassing," he continued. " So I told him, no, we were going to take this case all the way to the Supreme⁸ Court, because anybody who pays taxes should be able to enjoy the recreational facilities provided by the city." In October 1959, the justices in Washington heard the case. They later ruled that all city-owned recreational facilities around the country must be integrated and open to Blacks.

Golfer Charlie Sifford took advantage of integrated golf courses and began to compete with white golfers. In fact he was the first black golfer to join the Professional tour. Up until 1962, only white golfers were allowed to play on the PGA tour. He faced a great deal of discrimination.

"It really was tough," Sifford said. "It had to be tough for a black man out playing, out in a white man's golf world, the only black guy playing on the PGA tour. "

Sifford, with his signature cigar, overcame the racism⁹ and even the death threats he faced on the tour.

"If I did not love it, I would not have put my life on the line for it," he admitted. "You have to be intelligent and you just cannot go out there and hit people up side the head because they say something to you wrong. You have to be willing enough to accept these things."

Thirty-six years ago Sifford made history by becoming the first black golfer to win a PGA tournament event. Two years later he won the Los Angeles Open.

Nearly five decades after the North Carolina golfers were arrested for playing on this segregated course, whites and blacks now play here together. Thanks to the efforts of George Simkins, Charlie Sifford and Tiger Woods.

Chris Simkins VOA TV, Greensboro, North Carolina.

1)    sacrifice[5sAkrifais]n牺牲, 献身

2)    segregation[7se^ri5^eiFEn]n. 种族隔离

3)    recreational[9rekrI`eIFEnEl]adj. 休养的, 娱乐的

4)    trespass[5trespEs]n. 过失, 罪过, 侵入

1 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

2 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

3 competitive   

adj.竞争的，比赛的，好竞争的，有竞争力的

参考例句：

• Some kinds of business are competitive.有些商业是要竞争的。
• These businessmen are both competitive and honourable.这些商人既有竞争性又很诚实。

4 youngsters   

n.孩子( youngster的名词复数 )；少年；青年；年轻人

参考例句：

• We followed the youngsters at a more sedate pace. 我们跟在年轻人后面，步子稍慢一点。
• The camp is for youngsters aged 8 to 14. 这次夏令营是为8至14岁的少年儿童安排的。

5 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

6 integrated   

a.整合的，完整的

参考例句：

• A fully integrated low phase noise LC voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is presented.介绍了一种全集成的LC压控振荡器(VCO)的设计。

7 segregated   

分开的； 被隔离的

参考例句：

• a culture in which women are segregated from men 妇女受到隔离歧视的文化
• The doctor segregated the child sick with scarlet fever. 大夫把患猩红热的孩子隔离起来。

8 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

9 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。