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40
Page B4-The Chronicle, ThursdM
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Ram linebacker John Coles coi
Dwayne Smith. The Ram defer
lost 19-7 (photo by James Parke
Black College Sp
Blacks find aj
By BARRY COOPER
Syndicated Columnist
?
When it comes to breaking the
color barrier, progress comes
very slowly, like sand seeping
through an hour glass. That is of
little consolation to black sports
announcers, though, who have
seen fheir u/av fr* tho K?rr\oHr?oc?
- - ...? .. IV kliv k/l VUUVHJl
booth blocked by discrimination
and other booby traps.
While the networks have done
a commendable job of hiring
former black athletes to serve as
expert?commentators?=^_ O.J_
Simpson, Ahmad Rashad,
Harvey Martin, Joe Green -- virtually
no blocks have been able to
land the most prestigious job in
TV sports announcing: that of
the play-by-play man.
For those not familiar with the
term, play-by-play means the
lead announcer on a broadcasting
team. It is the job Frank Gifford
holds on ABC's 4'Monday Night
Football" and Bob Costas
NBC's baseball telecasts.
Until this year, there were very
few blacks playing such roles;
Now comes progress, if only a little.
A few weeks ago, CBS set a
precedent when it chose Bill
Wilkerson, who is black, to do
WINNERS
Anthony Wardlow scored
three touchdowns to lead
Parkland to a 21-6 win over East
Forsyth last Friday. Bobby
Scrivens added two points in the
win, sacking East's quarterback
in the end zone for a safety. Also
chipping TnTor the Mustangs was
defensive linebacker Darryl
Roseboro, who had an interception,
and Jacques Holiday, who
played well from his defensive
end position ....
North Forsyth's Dwight Glenn
tallied two touchdowns to lead
the Vikings in a 30-0 victory over
South Stokes. Glenn scored on a
1 four-yard run and also caught a
15-yard touchdown pass from
quarterback Mark Simmons.
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rrals Virgnia Union's Mifchael Tc
lse contained Union's running f<
>r).
orts
nnouncing jol
play-by-play for the Kansas CityPittsburgh
National -Football
League game.
A week later, NBC pulled a
double-shocker when it announced
that two blacks would work on
the same telecast ? play-by-play
man Wilkerson along with
former Dallas Cowboy Harvey
Martin as expert commentator.
While NBC and CBS are to be
applauded for these moves, it is
doubtful that they signal the
beginning of anything big for
black sports announcers. The
same major problem that- has
dogged black sports announcers
continues to haunt them: how to
get experience.
.Before networks sign announcers,
they want them to have
track records, which is
understandable. After all, national
television is no place to
work on one's diction or delivery.
nearly all grassroots announcing
jobs ar^ shut off to blacks.
Mftay annouttoers break into the
business by landing jobs as radio
announcers for minor league
baseball games, or radio announcers
for stations that cover
college football and basketball
teams.
North's other quarterback,
Dedric Hatchett, also threw for a
touchdown ....
Despite a 20-7 loss to Bessemer
City last Friday night, Mt. Tabor
quarterback Tyrone Lewis continued
to show improvementrLewis,
a sophomore, threw for
the Spartans' only score, a
25-yard toss to Phil Kelly.
If you know of someone who
has excelled in recreation or
league sports, received a scholarship
to play sports on the collegiate
level, bowled a 300 game
or made other noteworthy accomplishments
? or if you
yourself have done so - cctil
Sports Editor Sam Davis at
723 8428.
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>aa uiosing in on the play was
or most of the game, but WSSU
bs hard to get
Few, if any, of those jobs ever
go to blacks, though.- For the
most part, they are reserved for
friends and associates of the team
owners, or, in the case of college
teams, someone who is well- *
connected with the university.
The emergence of the black
play-by-play man certainly makes
history. In the 25 years that ABC
has covered college football with
as many as six games a week
- only two blacks have been
employed as play-by-play announcers.
Ron Pinkney and Matty
Wyatt. Both were used for only
a short time.
Durino fh#? \0 voar c ?Wot
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NBA was televised by CBS and
nine years prior to that on ABC,
no black play-by-play men were
used.
The story is also bleak with
regard to black major league
baseball announcers. Former
New York Yankee Bill White has
been the only black to handle
play-by-play duties in that sport.
Though some progress is being
made, blacks clearly have a long
way to go. Let us hope that these
latest developments are signs of
things to come.
r\ FOR MY
/-?\ HAOONG
L i COUGH AND
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TiSSSSF CONGESTION
-or THY
JSv TRIAMMC
IXPKTORAMl .
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"I'm super,
"Winston-Salem traffic is
of bad, but my riders dor
worry about it. Tbey just i
leave the driving to meJ^
? Walter Shipp, bus opex
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SUPERPOOLINQ is a
to leave driving in ru
traffic to someone els
economical, conveniei
dependable. For super:
vanpools, carpools, pa
lots, bus schedules, a
return your SXJPEEP
questionnaire today.
WST/K S-a,
797-BOG
FOR THE SMILE \ *? ?
OF HEALTH.
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