A FEW WORDS ABOUT WORDS
A FEW WORDS ABOUT WORDS
BOOKSMART
SAM LACY AND WENDELL SMITH : The Dynamic Duo That Desegregated American Sports
By SHERI BOOKER
Every genre has its heroes , and in American sports journalism , two Black men , Sam Lacy and Wendell Smith , played pivotal roles in bringing Black athletes into Major League Baseball . These legendary reporters boldly changed the narrative of America ’ s favorite pastime , creating headlines that could not be ignored .
Their determination and persistence were instrumental in breaking down racial barriers , advocating for integration , and amplifying the voices of Black athletes who had long been shut out of professional sports . As pioneers of sports journalism , they didn ’ t just break news – they broke barriers , daring to push for equality long before the Civil Rights Movement was in full gear .
In his candid retelling of their lives and legacies , Wayne Dawkins introduces a new generation to the two Baseball Hall of Famers in his book “ Sam Lacy and Wendell Smith : The Dynamic Duo that Desegregated American Sports .”
Through this work , Dawkins – an esteemed college professor and seasoned journalist – highlights the profound influence that Lacy and Smith had in dismantling segregation within American sports .
By tirelessly documenting the talents and struggles of players like Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers
( 1947 to 1956 ), Lacy and Smith didn ’ t just report history ; they helped make it . “ Just as Robinson integrated baseball , Smith and Lacy integrated American sports writing ,” as Dawkins puts it .
In the early years of Major League Baseball ( 1920 to 1945 ), Black athletes were excluded from the game , leading to the formation of the Negro National League .
But Black-owned newspaper editors and writers believed that if there could be racial equality in baseball , there could be racial equality elsewhere in society . During this time , Lacy , who wrote for the Baltimore-based Afro- American newspaper , and Smith , a journalist for the Pittsburgh Courier , covered the Negro League extensively . They even followed the teams to Cuba , Mexico , and the Dominican Republic , where they played during the off-season .
In their quest to cover the sport , Lacy and Smith also encountered racism . As Dawkins notes , “ Black sportswriters were barred from press boxes , dugouts , and rooms at big league ballparks …[ or ] never hired by mainstream papers .”
Dawkins masterfully captures the delicate balance these journalists maintained between confronting racial injustice and strategically advocating for change .
While their contributions to sports are undeniable , Dawkins doesn ’ t shy away from revealing the gritty reality of their journeys , including the strained relationships and personal struggles they suffered .
This deeply moving dual biography is not just a nod to heroes of the past , but also a clever play-by-play of how American sports finally embraced diversity . It serves as both a tribute and historical analysis of how the diversifying of the playing fields of Major League Baseball set the stage for a greater racial awakening in the United States .
And in accomplishing this , Sam Lacy and Wendell Smith were in a league of their own . n
Sheri Booker , an award-winning author and poet , is a lecturer in Morgan State University ’ s School of Global Journalism and Communication .
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