THE CABOUNIAIV
RALEIGH, N. C„ SATURDAY, APRIL 4. 1964 '
Stars Shouldn’t Represent Half-Free Nation: Whitfield"
■ a i — -
CHAMP CHATS —Muhammad Ali, the former Cassius X, the former Cassius Clay, present
holder of the World Heavyweight boxing crown, chats with his friand Chico (right), a midget, on
the etepe of New York Hotel Theresa, March 22nd, apparently unconcerned over reports that Ns
title might be taken from Mm. Emile Bruneau, chairman of the World Boxing Association, amid he
expects Clay’s title to be revoked for "acts detrimental to boxing.” (UPI PHOTO).
LIVING WITH SPORTS
BT CHARLES 1. LIVINGSTON
BOXERS NEED PROTECTION
AGAINST HOODS. RING GROUP
HEADED BT DIXIECRATS
CHICAGO (ANP) Boxing is
the richest, most exacting mo
most controversial of American
competitive sports, and yet is the
one most lacking of protect] m.
Today's pugilists, particu
larly colored fist fighters, need
protection badly and urgently
not only against exploitation
from hoodlum elements, but
also against the bombastic
and autocratic actions of such
self-styled, supervisory ring
groups as the World Boxing
Association.
But an exploitation and dlcta
tton ofrthe fight game comes ,rom
within and without, so, too, must
protection be affected freon
within and without.
There is no question but that a
federal boxing commiscioncr is
sorely needed to supervise and
govern the sport, and to make
such arbitral? and auda.ious
groups, such as the WBA, unnec
ecessary. But because of political
complications, such an appoint
ment is not likely to come soon.
What can and should be Im
mediately affected, however, is
organization of the prizefighters
themselves for their own protec
tion. A group uuch as a Boxers
Protective Association Is sorely
neeed to give them bargantng
rights and protection against a
buses and domination.
Once this is done, the WBA
or any other group not offici
ally or legally appointed.
REAL GUSTO
IN A GREAT LIGHT BEER
B
would be unable to even at
tempt te browbeat a champ
ion into doing Its biddings by
threatening to lift his title, as
in the case of Cassius (Mo
hammad AI1) Clay, the cur
rent world champion. The list
fighters would simply ban to
gether to fight such usurpa
tion.
In my column recently. I sug
gested that the belated banboxing
drives might be motivated by pre
judice and Jealousy against col
ored boxers, who are now the big
gest money earners in the sport.
The WBAs action last week has
strengthen my suspicion.
In this case, though, I suopect
religious prejudioo against Clay,
because I don't buy the WBA's
contention that Clay's conduct is
detrimental to boxing. What has
the “Lip” done besides brag about
himself end his Muslim religion!
What's wrong with that?
Besides, I can’t see why Clay
ihould be singled out for punish
ment for signing d pre-title-fight
contract, when other champions
before him did it without being
even reprimanded. The WBA
made much of the fact that Clay
was paid 150.000 by Intercontinen
tal Promotions Ccrp., which Son
ny Liston heads, for the firm's
rirht to promote Cassius' first
title defense. I frown on the mon
ey angle, but I don't think the
contract Is as binding as thoee
which gave other champions the
right to return bouts. In ease they
lose. Clay’s contract with Liston
did not give Sonny a return oeut
guarantee; only the right by the
15
firm to promote Cassius’ first tilts
light.
Evidently, the WBA was try
to exploit the fact that Clay's
Muslims ties brought him in
to disfavor with the Intrepid
masses, particularly the white
public for whose blood the fol
lowers of “The Honorable'*
Elijah Muhammad art sup
posed to bo screaming.
Some people who do not snare
Clay's affection for Muslim’s as a
religion have evidently fallen for
the WBA's line that Cassius’ con
duct Is detrimental to boxing, but
not I. As far as I am concerned.
Clay has done nothing detrimen
tal to boxing. Moreover, hie relig
ion Is his own business and his
constitutional right.
He has boasted, yes. So wnat?
So have two-ton Tony Qahmto
and Herr Max Schmeling, who
joined ex-dictator Adolph Hitler
in screaming racial epithets at
then heavy weight champion Joe
Louis. When thoso men bragged,
sometimes In the most distasteful
manner, the powers-to-be consid
ered it a big joke. When Clay, a
black man. does the same, he is
accused of unbecoming conduct
and deemed liable to unlehment.
Giants’ Scout
SaysMcCovey
Top Slugger
MESA, Aria. (ANP) ~WUHe
Maya !e the great all-around star
who can do everything and Or
lando Oapeda to a dangerous hit
ter, too. But when it comes to
sheer, raw power you ham to take
McCorey.
That was Hank Saw. the
Saa rteiietoie file ate sirs'.
extoOng the pawer-httttag et
left fielder WEb MeCavey.
the TTetf trial League's hemo
run ee shsasplea last year.
Bauer sold last week that Mo-
Covey is one of the chief reason*
he ooneiden the Olante the moot
expkatve team In the NL in 24
yean. He eald that with Mays'
MoCovey and Oepeda. plus other
lew heralded tout potent swingeri
In the lineup, the Olante outrank
the Dodgers of the late 40’s, with
Roy compendia, Duke Bolder and
Jackie RoMneon. In the power de
partment.
Ester alar la MeCevey. Bau
er said the sisat outfielder
hHe the baß sa hard that Ts
M ever hit the ptteher ta the
head, he’d he a guacr.”
Bauer ought to know, ho was
one of the NL’s leading sluggers
while playing with the Chicago
WHET WILDCAT*
BLAST GRAMBUNO
GRAMBLING. La. (Apodal)—The
serenely confident Whey Wildcats
Moated Grumbling Tigers out et
first place hi the Southwestern Ath
letic Conference base ball race last
Tuesday with two emberraastag
shutouts
Wiley edged tbs Tigers 1-0.
Boycott Os
Olympics
Advocated
NSW TOSX (ANP)—Tormar 0>
lympie 100-mater* goM medal win-
Mr Hal WhitfiaMU in an artlcls to
Ebony Mags sin*. oallad upon color
ed athlctaa to boyoott the coming
Olympic Garaoa in Tokyd'ln Octo
ber it they hoc* not boon guoron
teed “full and equal right* as firot
class citiscns" by that time.
Whitfield, who was the 800-ma
tors gold modal winner ter the
United States In tee IMS and *Bl
Olympics, argues that colored ath
lete* hare a reeponslbillty to help
spur the civil rights tight end there
fore should not represent a nation
that is not fully tree.
1 think every athlete and
every eoech shoaM bo dedicat
ed to the tree! perpsss of go
ing abroad to represent a “free
country* - Whitfield stated.
“We are net representing a
tree country* when we do not
stand far equal rights,**
Why Is Whitfield suggest
ing such drastic action?
Because, he explained, “We
now taco a period whoa action
Is needed—not mere waiting
and filibustering. ...
athletes will constitute about
2S percent of the V. ». Olympic
team persenneL
If tan athletes boycott the Games,
the U. S. would have no chance for
victory.
A spokesman for the U. S. Olym
pic Committee, meanwhile, disa
greed with Whitfield and urged that
he think “this thing through.**
High School
Athletics
‘Mix’ In Fla.
GAUGES VILLI, Fl*. (ANF)-
Negro and white high schools in
Dade County (Miami)—will be
allowed to compete against each
other in athletics next mIL
The executive committee of the
Florida High School Activities As
sociation, masting Here Saturday,
approved a request from Dade
County school superintendent. Dr.
Joe Hall, to allow all 22 county
high schools to schedule each other
in athletics.
There are five Negro schools in
Dade County. The ruling was the
second special dispensation given to
Dade the past yaar in tha question
of Negro schools competing with
FHSAA members.
Last fall, the FHSAA approved a
countywide track meet in which
Negro and white high schools would
, compete as teams for the county
championship. The meet will be at
i tha Miami-Dud* Junior College
track.
Dads has been tbe only coun
ty to request participation be
tween white and Negro schools.
FHSAA approval is required
on all such requests, since
Negro schools are members *f
the Florida Interscholastic As
sociation. (FHSAA by-laws pro- -
hlblt Member teams from parti
cipating to athletic* eralmt
non-members without associa
tion approval.)
“The executive committee's de
cision is in effect saying that high
schools in Dade County are free to
schedule anyone they desire," said
r*HSAA Executive Secretary Floyd
Lay.
Lay, said, however, teat he had
not received any application from
FHSAA membership.
CASSIUS AT EASE! Drewad in hu lounging robe and in the environment ol hie home Ca»-
eiue Clay, the now Heavyweight Champ etill wave* hit arm* frantically aa he tpeake. The much
talkod-about champ woe pictured “at eatp," in hit LouievUlo home. (UPI PHOTO).
AFTER THE SHOUTING Kansas City, Mo.: All-American guard Walt HaMMard—rtont
ad and held aloft by teammates— o/ tha University <?l California at Lot Angfile* (UCLA) n/*
net from goal after Ms tram, the Bruins, defeated Duke University 98-83 in the National Collegiate
Atheistic Association basketball Toufnmment finals here March Und. The UCLA Bruins, the new
NCAA champs, won their 30 th consecutive game this season and became tha third team in i o
years to go undefeated all tha way to the national-title. (UP/ PHOTO), .
—BEATING THE GUN —
CHICAGO (ANF>—Down at th#
Detroit Tigers' training camp In
Lakeland, Fla., there la a bit of
drama unfolding. It surroiindi the
bid of Gates Brown to stick with
tha American League team.
Wha is Gates BrSwnT Welt
bluntly, ha's an ex-convict.
Bat, despite hi* past misfor
tune, ha Is ana of the most like
able of the Tiger*.
Brown is not new to the club. He
was called up last season after
Charlie Dretsen took over the then
foundering Tigers. Brown was in
several games as a sufb left fielder
and frequently was called on when
a left-handed hitting pinch batsman
was needed.
But right now ha is getting his
first full-fledged shot at a varsity
Job. And competition is pretty stiff.
Th* Tigers have A1 Kaline and
Billy Bruton, both tested veterans,
and Don Demeter, acquired in a
costly trade, slated for regular slots.
Then, Willis Horton, a highly prized
rookie, is bidding for recognition. It
seems likely that if he makes it.
Brown will again be relegated to
duties.
There Is one man, however, who
is yearning to see Brown make It.
He is Pat Mullin, a star outfielder
for the Tigers in the 1950*. Pat is
now a team coach and was the
rcout that signed Gates when h*
was an inmat* in th* Ohio Reform
atory at Mansfield. H# had been
sentenced en a breaking and enter
ing charge in hi* hometown of
Crestline, a atop on tha Pennsyl
vania Railroad.
Maton realised teat ha was
■ticking hla aack eat and per
haps jeopardising bis future
with the Tiger* when h« recom
mended that tbs team sign
Brown.
"We still had a lot of owners on
the Tigers in those days, and If]
things didn't work out with Oates,
you could almost hear one of the
owners ask, 'Who was ths scout
that signed that boy out of pri
son?'” Mullin said.
Mullin heard of Brown through
one of th# Tigers' parttime scouts
who had a friend who was s guard
at the reformatory. Pat took a look,
and he picked the right day. He saw
Brown play two games and hit
four home runs off th# wall of tha
mess hall.
Chicago White Sox and Cleveland
Indians also were Interested in
Brown, and Hoot Evers, a former
Mullin teammate and now farm
director of th* Indians, had been
down to take a look. This wss In
1959, and the Tigers offered a |6,000
bonus to Brown and he was re
leased six month* ahead of the end
of his two-year sentence.
Brown led the Carolina Lea
gue In hitting with a XIA
average in 1961. He baited .10#
the next season at Denver and
was hitting in the -2? r» when
along with southpaw Willi#
Smith, last season from Sy
racuse In tho International
League.
In his first time at bat for the
Tigers, Gstes a pinch-hit
home run.
He had a good day In Los An
geles. going four-for-four and
being declared tha atar of tha game.
This meant *n Interview on e Loi
Angeles radio station.
When the proßram was turned in,
Kaline, tea star of tea team, told
everyone In the dressing room to
quiet doom.
•“Gates Is on." h* said, “totfs
listen."
Another testimony to his popu
larity with his teammates was men
tioned ths other day by Mullin.
•'After a pm# in Detroit, Gates
came in and took off his uniform.
Guess who** undershirt ho was
wearing? Whit*y Hwang's Now you
don't do things like that unless you
really lik# a guy.”
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WESTCOAST 1 "
SPORTSLIGHT
LOS ANGELES (AMP) — ‘ Las
weekend I took off tor Pal*
rx'rwrcs'js
with the Los Angelas Angels this
sight arv Chart* Dean. Pic*
Sim peon, Felix Tssvaa, Julio Na
varro, Vie AntenoMp, Bob Parry,
Charlto Vinson and Denny lives.
I wouldn't bo surprised If tour ft
the group made tea final out KWk
likely prospects at th* moment asp <
Dam, Navarro, Stmpeoo and Rivet
Vinson th* lint baseman tea An
gola acquired from tea New York
Yankee** Richmond tom dub, to
a real comer, too. Writer* covering. _
th* Angela on a dally basis have In- - - *
dies tad however, that Vinson might
be e year away.
During two “ulcer season" games
against Seattle and USP Coach
Johnny Wooden's unbeaten UCLA
Bruins made me mighty mad ad
limes. But you can’t knock team
when they fight back like the true
champions they really are, and go
on to becoma tha NBA champion*, -
By th* way. where Is teat ereap
who was out her* to cover tea I*A«
Basketball classic and was putting
the bad mouth on Walt Hasserd as
an all-American candidate? If Walt
hasn't proven himself an all-Ameri
can. (her* never was on*. The
standing ovation given him in tee
•Inal gam* against Duke waant be
cause he was a good player,—it was
>ecaua* he was a great on*.
SPORTS PICKUP:
Leon Wagner continues to try to
lean up teat blast be took ut 'Loa -
galas Angsts General Manager •
‘'red Haney a few days ago .
The latest quota by Daddy Wmc
"1 mim their (Angels) flrst smm
>P*ratton." Willi* Brown is bitting
tha ball at Ov yrotty good clip tor
the USC nine . . . Going into tea
weekend series. Brown was four
i for slsven and had stolen tour hasps
, ... Can Tommy Davt* bacomr top *
1 first player since T s Cobb tb~*£
' tha major league batting title for
• three Consecutive years? Cobb' d}d
it way back in HIT-U-19. Tommy
• Da teammate Maury Will* busted
Cobb's old stolen boas record With
a 104 performance la VS. Why can't
Tammy D replace Cobb's bottom
title mark, teat ... Whan Cobh *c
. hi* mark. Toaamy D*s lato dad wa>
1 only two.
i I have yet to read any rap* ir
tha press against the Son Dtagr
. Chargers' great flank* Lane* Ai>
1 worth Oar supporting Arkansas: tn .
famous Gov. Oml Fnubus or th
* Buffalo Bins* jam Kao* who-1- -
* “telling *U who will toten atom •«
tha virtue* of Sen. Barry Ooldwo
' ter.” But tea* press and radio bU
- away dally about Champion Caeait
i x and bis BM religion.
1 Emmett Ashford is tea first Nc
1 gro to umpire to the South for ttu
Major-Minor league teams. We’r<
looking forward to tea Mm# we
will report aa tha flrat Nam* to
umpire to the Malar Uafto