There was once a time when Goliath white men roamed the earth. They had names similar to Boog, Harmon, and Moose (Richmond 184). They wandered throughout the empty countryside carrying wooden sticks, smacking harsh fastballs delivered by pitchers with names like Whitey and Don and Bob. Peter Richmond writes, "They lived for one thing and one thing alone: to swat mighty homeruns that would make us roar in delight. They were the stars of the favorite game in the land." In the meantime, the grass turned into plastic and a new group of sluggers swiped through the artificial turf. Then catastrophe struck the game of baseball. Greed, complacency, and unions took the sport into a Dark Age, and the people began to lose interest. As other sports transcended baseball's popularity, the once national pastime started to become extinct. Then, the game discovered a new way to survive: "by adapting, and by promoting and embracing and marketing its multiethnic heritage" (Richmond 184). A legendary hero, Jack Roosevelt Robinson, was born. Robinson is a pioneer of modern society - he set a personal standard for determination and in doing so raised the power of African- American athletes, thereby transf

Sports Illustrated 1999 Sports Almanac. New York: Little, Brown and Company. 1998

Early, Gerald. "Performance and Reality: Race, Sports, and the Modern World." Nation

Aaron, Henry and Gordie Howe. "The Color Barrier." Newsweek 25 Oct. 1999: 56.

Richmond, Peter. "Aces in the Hole." GQ April 2000 : 184.

Along with Robinson, there have been many other noteworthy Negroes who have helped change the "mainstream" of athletics. Henry "Hank" Aaron was a ballplayer who observed Robinson's effects during his own generation. From the first time he saw him, he began to appreciate the impact that Jackie had on his teammates. Aaron avowed, "Around them he just made everyone a better person. Once he put on his uniform, he was a winner" (Aaron and Howe 1-2). Aaron told his father that he would be "in the major leagues before Jackie retired" (Aaron 1). Soon enough, Aaron accomplished his goal when he played with the Braves and the Dodgers. Aaron, also known as "Hommerin' Hank", has the all-time home-run record with 755, and runs batted in record of 2,297. He holds the all-time third place hit record with 3,771 and led the league in homeruns and RBIs four times. Aaron states, " I was inspired to dedicate my homerun record to the same great cause that Jackie dedicated his life" (Aaron 3). Racial paranoia that once existed in this country had become extinct. Stanly Crouch, a Black Social critic, revealed, "You have white girls who are Michael Jordan fanatics and their parents don't care" (Price). Jordan was a player who dominated his team. No other team in NBA history had won 200 games over a three year span. With Jordan's leadership, the Chicago Bulls went 203-43 in three full seasons. He led the NBA in its most basic statistical categories every year he competed. No one in the history of team sports has done that. He also won six championships in his last six full seasons (Hirdt 62). Jordan was an athlete who "ignited teammates and fans" (Friend 52). He was a role model to young children and adults, and even a mentor to aspiring athletes. Tigers Woods, another Afro-American athlete, was stimulated by the Jordan era. Woods radically altered the notion of golf, his sport. (Diaz 62). At age twenty-two, Woods became the youngest winner ever, scoring a record low 270, winning by the widest margin in tournament history (S.I. Almanac 822). Robinson was clearly the catalyst for these athletes. He ignited the inspiration for African American athletes around the world.

Hoffer, Richard. "Our Favorite Athletes." Sports Illustrated 12 July 1999: 76-81.

Davidson, Magaret. Jackie Robinson, Bravest Man in Baseball. New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1988.

Some common words found in the essay are:
African American, Sports Illustrated, Jackie Robinson, Carl Anderson, Hommerin' Hank, Wilbur Johns, Chicago Bulls, Basketball League, Riley Kansas, Tom Malley, jackie robinson, african american, sports illustrated, cnn interactive, magazine 29 june, magazine 29, white athlete, 29 june, american athlete, major league, african american athlete, 29 june 1998, espn magazine 29, afro america, happened white athlete,
Approximate Word count = 2759
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)