Charlie Sifford & The History Of African American Golfers

Charles Luther Sifford aka Charlie Sifford (b. 6/2/1922, NC - d. 2/3/2015)

The colouring barrier inwards professional person golfing inwards the U.S. was broken yesteryear Charlie Sifford, the start African American golfer granted a Professional Golf Association (PGA) of America tour card. Sifford would maintain to win to a greater extent than than a 1 G k dollars inwards official prize coin as well as was the start African American golfer inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame inwards 2001. He died Tuesday, Feb 3, 2015, at historic stream 92. 

"His beloved of golf, despite many barriers inwards his path, strengthened him every bit he became a beacon for sort inwards our game," said Derek Sprague, president of PGA, inwards an AP report. "By his courage, Dr. Sifford inspired others to follow their dreams. Golf was fortunate to convey had this exception American inwards our midst."

Photo: Dr. Charlie  L. Sifford

Sifford, known every bit the "Jackie Robinson of golf",  received a tour bill of fare later on the PGA desegregated inwards 1961. Many others, however, chipped away at the history of racial segregation inwards golfing earlier Sifford. In improver to Charlie Sifford, men such every bit James Black, Jim Dent, Lee Elder, Pete Brown, Calvin Peete, Ted Rose, John Shippen, Bill Spiller as well as Jim Thorpe are amidst the many heroes of African Americans inwards golfing. 

The history of the African American golfer began inwards the caddy shacks of American golf game province clubs. By September 21, 1921, however, a grouping of prominent African American investors known every bit the Progressive Realty Company, Inc. purchased solid reason inwards Westfield, New Jersey. This collective established the Shady Rest Golf as well as Country Club, the nation's start African-American owned as well as operated province club. 

Shady Rest Golf as well as Country Club was the domicile course of teaching of John Shippen, the start African American golfer to play inwards the U.S. Open inwards 1896. In improver to trail-blazing every bit a domicile to African American golfers, the companionship became known for drawing legendary entertainment, such every bit jazz legends Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughn, Count Basie as well as Ella Fitzgerald. In fact, the history of the companionship is that white Americans sometimes gathered exterior its gates to request heed the legendary music. 

Photo: African American golfer John Shippen

By 1925 inwards Scotch Plains, New Jersey, the United  Golfers Association (UGA) was developed. The UGA was to golfing what the Negro League was to baseball game -- a fraternity of African Americans intent on participating inwards organized sporting events. The UGA tournaments were oft referred to yesteryear its golfers every bit the "Chitlin' Circuit", a term likewise used yesteryear African American entertainers to depict the limitation to segregated venues. 

The golf game courses the touring UGA was express to were primarily populace municipality courses that were non e'er inwards the best shape. Black people -- existence rattling resourceful where resources are express -- developed their ain golf game courses inwards the early on days of segregated golfing. This included such innovations every bit creating golf game courses close housing projects, golfing alongside tobacco sticks when clubs were limited, as well as making role of dogwood tree bark every bit putters.

Pete Brown, start African American to win PGA sanctioned event, 1964.

The UGA provided an outlet for African American golfers as well as offered those serious virtually playing the game of golf game an chance to win the purse that was collected for winners through entrance fees. The resources available to practise the UGA purses were oft limited. They were inwards no means comparative to the purses that the PGA raised for its winners. Comparatively, the purse was virtually 10 to 1. An average PGA purse inwards the 1920s as well as 1930s may convey paid $250.00, patch the UGA winner received virtually $25.00. It was no wonder why African American golfers were interested inwards competing inwards the PGA -- specially those who sought to brand a living from the sport, every bit other Americans were at the time. 

The pinch, however, was that the PGA constitution, every bit it read inwards the 1960s, contained a Caucasian-race alone clause. It arose from a heritage of exclusion -- the legacy of province companionship civilization inwards the United States. The UGA never had a racial exclusionary clause. In fact, golfers of Caucasian heritage began to participate inwards the UGA competitions early on inwards its history. 

Photo: Bill Spiller

Many of the swell African American golfers were forced to hold upwards caddies, carrying the bags of European Americans, exactly to brand a living because they were denied the chance to compete inwards the professional person tours.

In 1948, iii African-American golfing greats -- Bill Spiller, Teddy Rhodes as well as Madison Gunther -- filed a lawsuit against the PGA alleging damages for existence barred to participate inwards the PGA golf game tournament inwards Richmond, California -- exterior of Oakland.

The iii men had qualified the calendar week earlier inwards the L.A. open. The PGA wiggled out of this challenge to its racial segregation clause yesteryear changing the PGA designation from "opens" to "invitations". African Americans were never invited and, every bit a result, were express inwards their chance to hold upwards professional person golfers. 

Photo (R-L) Joe Louis, Teddy Rhodes, as well as  Bill Spiller.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 niggling known Black history fact inwards African American golf game history is that Joe Louis -- the 1938 heavy-weight champion who knocked out the German linguistic communication Max Schmeling -- likewise chipped at the PGA's colouring barrier at a 1952 San Diego Opening. The organizers of the opening allegedly didn't know at that spot was an PGA Caucasian-only clause. When they learned of it they challenged it nether a sponsor's exemption when Louis qualified for the tour every bit an amateur golfer. As an amateur golfer, he was the start African American to play inwards an PGA tour event. The struggle for inclusion became Joe Louis' cause. 

Lee Elders, inwards 1975, start Black to play inwards Masters.

By 1960, Stanley Mosk, hence attorney full general of the State of California, was amidst the express European Americans to back upwards African American golfers. Mosk called the PGA, which was planning about other tour inwards California, as well as said that if they did non opened upwards to African Americans they couldn't play inwards California. The PGA moved their trial to Pennsylvania. The NAACP became active inwards the cause. Eventually, the PGA was forced to withdraw its Caucasian-only clause. It was at this fourth dimension that Dr. Sifford was able to obtain a PGA tour bill of fare to compete alongside other professional person golfers. Today, at that spot is right away a Dr. Charles L. Sifford Golf Course at Revolution Park inwards Charlotte, North Carolina -- a swell homage to this legacy. 

References: Uneven Fairways, documentary written as well as directed yesteryear Dan Levinson, The Golf Channel, executive producer; Forbidden Fairways, mass yesteryear Dr. Calvin Sinnette.