European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 23, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Sports Blacks in sport More barriers to overcome by Roy s. Johnson new York time it is i Isy to see at first glance just Haw far Blacks hot dim1 since Robinson shattered baseball s color Barrier four decades ago. The proof is on i he playing Fields and in the Arenas. In major league baseball More than 25 percent of i lie i slavers Are Buck. In the National font Bunji league i lie figure is More than 40 percent. And in it National basketball association Black players make up nearly to percent of the athletes. As Muth As Black athletes have achieved their role in professional sports has evolved into a new struggle. New the Halulu is to shatter the barriers thai have kept minorities from winning Success is managers coaches and in the front offices and Board rooms. The exist once of those barriers was reinforced april ill. Al Campanis a dodger vice president and 3 member of the for More than 40 years. Turned a a Lionel television audience by saying he believed the to ugh of Black executives in baseball was due to the1 fact that they licked the necessities for front office positions. It was the first of several similar sule ments by Campanis that touched off an Sukry from athletes past and present executives owners and politicians. It also resulted in the resignation of Campanis under pressure from the dodgers. Ii brought a Promise from Peter Ueberroth hit baseball commissioner Rhal he would do Al he could to see Blacks were Given greater opportunities in decision making positions. Now tomes the most difficult phase devising a strategy for change. Ownership is the key said Herbert p. Douglas. To 1145 he in line the first Black football player at the University of Pittsburgh and won the Bronze in the Long jump it the 1948 olympics. Ii is the Reily we can expect major changes. If we keep wailing for someone else to hire the Black coat lies general managers attorneys or whatever Oiler positions might be filled with qualified minorities we Toul wait Douglas recently retired from sch Efferin & co a new York where he was the vice president for Urban Market development. He is Only of Many minority business executives a group that includes several athletes working toward owning a major league sports Hist. Thomas Lewis chairman of inner Urban . In Chicago purchased the class a Savannah a cardinals in december 1985 for $1h5,ikx1. He Hopes to someday buy an nil of in. So dues Waller Peyton pro football s career Rushing Liadi a who said recently that he will retire Al the uni i of next season to pursue his dream of owning in i my. Reggie Jackson the longtime slugging specialist will soon become a minority owner of his team the Oakland athletics. Others tilth is will Chamberlain Are hoping for Inori Rourl sell Avion among the Power brokers of the nil National basketball association and major league baseball representation that will enable them to Influent e the of management in professional .pnrr.s. Lit a voice in its future and to share in tin1 profits As Well slum people i Liivik in s ego said Chamberlain Tiivi a r Vulf Lull team and one of a group tit trying to bring the game. Dut Withful going into it i in Iii is line Ilu a liar edition is needed. They seem to been nuke in in Terr fur ill to Mornod we the elude Prus Ress. Guys Are making zillions. Bui i d list in lie in the position where the Buik k Avih a shop in spurs is not new but it is limited. Mn-,1
