? *?
In golf, as in life, extreme pressure must be overcome to succeed
Ralph
Gaillard
Golf-N
Around
The last round of The
Players Championship this
past weekend was something
?Jo behold. Several relatively
Jmknown pro golfers demon
strated the true magnificence
of golf.
? These young men playing
in the final round of the rich
est golf tournament in the
world were not expected to
even be on the leader board.
They gave us an upfront and
somewhat personal glimpse
of the emotion and pressure
involved in playing profes
sional golf. As in life, they
did their best and overcame
adversity, and the naysayers.
The winner. Craig Perks,
made seven bogeys, five
birdies, and one eagle, post
; ing a round of 72, and put
$1.08 million in his bank
account. It was not his best
golf and more than once he
almost blew his chances to
win. However, he did over
come and made golf history.
He is the first player to make
this prestigious tournament
his first win on the PGA
Tour.
As I watched the final
round of the tournament, I
? began to reflect on the first
African-American golf pros,
such as Charlie Sifford, Lee
Elder, Jim Dent and another
man who overcame extreme
pressure, emotion, adversity,
and blatant racism. The
other man I was thinking
about was Charles Lewis. He
preferred to be called Chuck.
Chuck Lewis was one of
the first African Americans
hired by R.J. Reynolds
Tobacco Co. as a sales repre
sentative. Lewis began his
career in the early 1950s,
selling Reynolds products
on the Southside of Chicago.
Lewis was the first African
American promoted to man
agement in Reynolds' field
sales organization, and the
entire tobacco industry. In
1971, RJR promoted him
again and brought him to
<3
| Winston
Salem,
where he
became
the first
African
Ameri
can man
ager in
the home
office sales department.
Lewis attended Tuskegee
Institute and graduated from
George Williams College in
Chicago. He served as a
truck driver during World
War II with the famous all
black "Red Ball Express" in
the U.S. Army.
Lewis was a natural
teacher and coach. Before
going to work for Reynolds,
he taught and was the foot
ball coach at St. Elizabeth
Catholic High School in<
Chicago. He had all the gifts
and used them. Within five
minutes of meeting him, it
was as if you had known him
all your life.
He was a student of life
and his fellowman. Proud to
be a Christian, he possessed
great wisdom, knowledge,
personality, character, and
love; he had the whole pack
age.
He had the God-given
talent of looking beyond
adversity and even racism.
He was one of the most pos
itive individuals you ever
met. He always turned the
negative into positive.
He had the unique verbal
ability to put things into
context and perspective. One
of his most memorable say
ings was, "When having a
conversation with an idiot,
make sure that he or she is
not doing the same."
Another one that comes
to mind is, "When you settle
for mediocre work, you're in
the middle of the pack.
When you are in the middle
jof the pack, you are as far
from the top as you are from
the bottom. Don't just be
good at what you' do; be
great at what you do."
If you had the great
honor of knowing and work
ing with Lewis, you knew in
an instant that he was great
i
at everything he did. Count
less young African Ameri
cans and other minorities
began their careers, were
and are successful at RJR
and other major corporations
because of folks such as
Lewis. He took it all and
despite it all stayed the task
and overcame the naysayers,
adversity and racial discrim
ination. RJR and other cor
porations are better because
the Chuck Lewises of the
world were in their employ.
Likewise, you are a bet
ter person if you knew
Chuck Lewis. He was and
still is one of my best friends
and heroes. I miss him every
day.
This week is the most
important week of Christian
ity. Jesus died, was buried,
and rose from thg. dead to
save us all. Get to church on
Sunday and every Sunday.
Like Chuck Lewis, you will
be blessed in your life if you
do.
Until next time, keep it in
the fairway.
Lewis
The Motor Works
Exceptional Service for You & Your Car
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Rick W. Banasik
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Phone: 336/759-9714
William Whitcomh
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o
Forsyth ?BM
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Near Wake Forest Univ. at
4021 Brownsboro Road
Winston-Salem, N? 27106
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Hanes Hosiery
from page HI
olds faced a physical Zehulon
team in the semifinals. But the
Hosiery showed a lot of intes
tinal fortitude in grabbing the
lead and holding on down the
stretch.
In the championship game,
Hanes Hosiery came out strong
in the beginning of the game
and took a lead to the locker
room at intermission. However,
the scrappy Washington team
fought back in the second half
and finally took the lead mid
way through and beat back
Hanes Hosiery's advances in
the final minutes.
Hones Hosiery 16's All-Stars
Womble Carlyle is proud to salute our partner
in education, R.J. Reynolds High School, and
to congratulate the Black Demons on their
third 4A Basketball Championship in a row.
WOMBLE
CARLYLE
OUR LAWYERS
MEAN BUSINESS
Womblc Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC ?2002
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