Hard Road to Glory, A: #3 - Hardcover

A ground-breaking study chronicling the heroic persistence of African-American athletes over three centuries written by tennis star Ashe. Despite constant overt and covert racism, these athletes not only managed to establish a subculture of outlets to develop their playing skills, but eventually were able to make outstanding contributions to collegiate and professonal sports. Their early successes were constrained by America's discriminatory laws, customs, and traditions. Even today's black athletes suffer racial abuse and subtle discrimination, says Ashe, e.g., in hiring for management positions in professional baseball and in outside endorsements. Ashe's comprehensive work covers the impact of blacks in virtually every sport, not just major sports, and provides historical background on the African warrior-athlete. The second volume seems a bit overloaded by a list-filled reference section, which impedes the narrative flow; it is valuable research material, however. An impressive, important, definitive history of the triumph of a dedicated stratum of African-American society. For most libraries. Thomas J. Reigstad, SUNY Coll. at Buffalo
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.