He is not only the first black , he also one of three players to be inducted into the Basketball Hall Of Fame twice , as a player & coach. He is also the NBA's winningest coach, even though he is retired from coaching.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Oscar Robertson
The Big O” was the first African-American to play college basketball for the Cincinnati Bearcats, setting 14 NCAA records as an All-American for his three seasons.
He went on to play for the Cincinnati Royals and was an All-NBA first-team choice for ten consecutive seasons,
He won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award in 1964.
****He is still the only player black or white to ever average a triple double in the NBA*****
He was selected unanimously to the Hall of Fame in 1979 and as one of the 50 greatest players of all time in honor of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary.
Wayne Embry
A retired American basketball player; a center/forward whose 11 year career spanned from 1959 to 1969. He played for the Cincinnati Royals, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks all of the NBA.
He attended Miami University and Tecumseh High School (New Carlisle, Ohio) before that.
He played in the NBA All-Star game for five consecutive seasons (1961-1965) and won the NBA Championship with the Celtics in 1968.
After retiring as a player he became the first African American NBA general manager, managing Milwaukee Bucks (1971-1979), Cleveland Cavaliers (1986-1999), and Toronto Raptors (2006). He was selected NBA Executive of the Year in 1992 and 1998. His most remembered moves as a general manager was his controversial 1975 trade of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Los Angeles Lakers, and his disastrous 1989 Cavaliers trade of Ron Harper and two first-round draft picks to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for the rights to Danny Ferry. The latter trade effectively crippled the Cavaliers franchise during the '90s. Abdul-Jabbar went on to win five titles with the Lakers, comparing to his one with the Bucks. The Cavaliers had a winning regular season record during Embry's tenure, but were never able to succeed in the playoffs.
He attended Miami University and Tecumseh High School (New Carlisle, Ohio) before that.
He played in the NBA All-Star game for five consecutive seasons (1961-1965) and won the NBA Championship with the Celtics in 1968.
After retiring as a player he became the first African American NBA general manager, managing Milwaukee Bucks (1971-1979), Cleveland Cavaliers (1986-1999), and Toronto Raptors (2006). He was selected NBA Executive of the Year in 1992 and 1998. His most remembered moves as a general manager was his controversial 1975 trade of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Los Angeles Lakers, and his disastrous 1989 Cavaliers trade of Ron Harper and two first-round draft picks to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for the rights to Danny Ferry. The latter trade effectively crippled the Cavaliers franchise during the '90s. Abdul-Jabbar went on to win five titles with the Lakers, comparing to his one with the Bucks. The Cavaliers had a winning regular season record during Embry's tenure, but were never able to succeed in the playoffs.
Willie Davenport
He participated in hurdling events in four Olympic Games, winning the title in 1968. In 1980, he also took part in the Olympic Winter Games as a runner for the American bobsleigh team, in doing so he became the first black member of the bobsleigh team.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson became the world's first African-American heavy weight champion in 1908 in a bout with Tommy Burns. He held the title for 7 years. For more than thirteen years, Jack Johnson was the most famous, and the most notorious African-American on Earth.
Dominique Dawes & Betty Okino
Dominique Dawes alongside Betty Okino became the first African American females to win an Olympic gymnastics medal in the 1992 olympics.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Eddie Robinson
Robinson spent fifty-six years as the head coach at historically black Grambling State University in Grambling in Lincoln Parish in northern Louisiana, from 1941 through 1997.
During his tenure, Robinson established himself as the winningest coach in college football history, becoming the first coach to record 400 wins. Robinson is second on the list of wins by a college coach, immediately behind active coach John Gagliardi of St. John's University (Minnesota). Robinson retired with a record of 408 wins, 165 losses and 15 ties. More than 200 of his players went on to play in the American Football League and in the NFL. Robinson coached three American Football League players who would later be inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame: the Kansas City Chiefs' Buck Buchanan; the Oakland Raiders' Willie Brown; and the Houston Oilers' Charlie Joiner. Robinson also coached James Harris, who with the AFL's Buffalo Bills became the first black quarterback in modern Pro Football history to start at that position in a season opener. He also coached Packers defensive end and Hall of Famer Willie Davis and the Super Bowl XXII MVP, Redskins quarterback Doug Williams, who would ultimately succeed Robinson as Grambling's head coach in 1998.
During his coaching career, Robinson compiled 45 winning seasons, including winning or sharing 17 Southwestern Athletic Conference championships and eight black college football national championships [1].
During his tenure, Robinson established himself as the winningest coach in college football history, becoming the first coach to record 400 wins. Robinson is second on the list of wins by a college coach, immediately behind active coach John Gagliardi of St. John's University (Minnesota). Robinson retired with a record of 408 wins, 165 losses and 15 ties. More than 200 of his players went on to play in the American Football League and in the NFL. Robinson coached three American Football League players who would later be inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame: the Kansas City Chiefs' Buck Buchanan; the Oakland Raiders' Willie Brown; and the Houston Oilers' Charlie Joiner. Robinson also coached James Harris, who with the AFL's Buffalo Bills became the first black quarterback in modern Pro Football history to start at that position in a season opener. He also coached Packers defensive end and Hall of Famer Willie Davis and the Super Bowl XXII MVP, Redskins quarterback Doug Williams, who would ultimately succeed Robinson as Grambling's head coach in 1998.
During his coaching career, Robinson compiled 45 winning seasons, including winning or sharing 17 Southwestern Athletic Conference championships and eight black college football national championships [1].
Doug Williams
in 1988, when Doug Williams became the first Black quarterback to play in a Super Bowl. He also won the Most Valuable Player award.
Lovie Smith & Tony Dungy
MIAMI February 2007 - Well before the opening kickoff, it is already clear that Super Bowl XLI will be one for the history books.
That's because both competing coaches – Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears' Lovie Smith – are of African-American heritage. On Sunday night, one of them will become the first black coach to win a Super Bowl.
That's not just a piece of sports trivia. It is part of the civil rights movement, an important chapter of American history that for many will outshine even the most amazing gridiron heroics.
By leading their teams to the biggest game in football, Coach Smith and Coach Dungy may open doors for a new generation of African-American leaders just as pioneering blacks opened doors for them.
That's because both competing coaches – Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears' Lovie Smith – are of African-American heritage. On Sunday night, one of them will become the first black coach to win a Super Bowl.
That's not just a piece of sports trivia. It is part of the civil rights movement, an important chapter of American history that for many will outshine even the most amazing gridiron heroics.
By leading their teams to the biggest game in football, Coach Smith and Coach Dungy may open doors for a new generation of African-American leaders just as pioneering blacks opened doors for them.
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