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First Black PGA Golfer Charles L. Sifford Earns Presidential Medal of Freedom

By goodblacknews on November 18, 2014
Known as the “Jackie Robinson of Golf” because of his strides in breaking through golf’s stiff racial barriers, Sifford provided counsel to Robinson during his climb up to fame. His words of wisdom came from walking a path of resistance from showing interest in goals as a young boy in Charlotte, N.C.
Caddying while practicing his skills, Jim Crow laws prevented Sifford from advancing beyond gopher status. His determination to make golf dreams come true garnered death threats even after the PGA banned its Whites only clause. Today, Sifford boasts a Honorary Doctor of Law Degree by the University of St. Andrews given to him  in 2006. And he is the third golf pro to receive the Medal of Freedom after Arnold Palmer in 2004 and Jack Nicklaus in 2005. Sifford was voted in by a panel of sporting who’s who including congressional politicians and athletes like Tiger Woods, Alonzo Mourning, Bill Russell and Jim Brown.
“The PGA of America joins our friends throughout sports today in paying tribute to Dr. Charles Sifford upon receiving this prestigious honor,” said PGA of America Interim President Derek Sprague. “The hard-fought efforts and perseverance of Dr. Sifford continue to inspire our industry to evolve and elevate all efforts in diversity and inclusion. We must be mindful and proactive in creating meaningful opportunities for everyone to participate in this great sport.”
article by Raqiyah Mays via blackenterprise.com

Michael Sam is One of GQ's Men Of The Year For 2014

By goodblacknews on November 17, 2014

1415727997651_michael-sam-gq-magazine-december-2014-moty-coverMichael Sam might be currently looking for another opportunity to prove he can play in the NFL after being released from the Dallas Cowboys’s practice squad last month. But the 2013 SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and former All-American at the University of Missouri has nonetheless nabbed another huge honor: being named one of GQ’s Men of the Year for 2014.
Sam’s interview with the magazine will be rolled out later this week.
Sam, who became the first openly gay player to be drafted by the NFL last spring, graces one of six GQ covers released as part of the Men of the Year rollout. The 24-year-old shares the honor with “Guardians of the Galaxy” hunk Chris Pratt, Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley of “The Fault in Our Stars”, comedian Dave Chappelle, and “Foxcatcher” star Steve Carell, among others.
article by Curtis M. Wong via huffingtonpost.com

Little League Star Mo'ne Davis to Release Memoir in March 2015

By goodblacknews on November 17, 2014
Mo'ne Davis, the 13-year-old girl who made history as the first girl to pitch a shutout game in the Little League World Series, is taking her inspirational story from the plate to the page.
(Kyle Terada/USA Today Sports)

Everyone’s favorite Little League pitcher, Mo’ne Davis, landed a deal with Harper Collins Children’s Books and will release Mo’ne Davis: Remember My Name on March 17, 2015.  In August, Davis became the first girl ever to pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series.

The 13-year-old from Philadelphia went on to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated, star in a Chevy commercial, and donate her jersey to the Baseball Hall of Fame to commemorate the historic achievement.

On the book, Davis said, “I hope it encourages people to take a chance and play the sports they want to play and not just the ones people expect them to play.”  Below is an early peak at the cover and jacket copy via harpercollins.com:

Harper Collins Children's Books will release Mo'ne Davis: Remember My Name on March 17, 2015.

An inspiring story of a courageous young girl who learned to play ball with the boys, only to outshine them on the national stage in the most watched Little League World Series of game of all time. Mo’ne Davis’s story is one that will encourage readers to reach for their dreams no matter the odds, young girls to play ball with anyone, and add a new chapter to the rich history of women in baseball.

article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)

#AOLSportsSearch: Try Out for Chance to Become AOL Sportscaster

By goodblacknews on November 14, 2014

AOLsportssearch
Ever dream of becoming a sportscaster? Well, AOL wants to give you that chance. On Monday, November 17, AOL Sports is holding try outs for its new show.
WHAT AOL NEEDS …
A video of you that shows your personality, knowledge and passion for sports. Cover any sports topic you’d like to –- just make sure it’s entertaining!
HERE’S HOW …
In person: On Monday, November 17, go to AOL Studios in New York or Los Angeles at 9 a.m. ET/ 6 a.m. PT. We will close the doors to auditions at 12 p.m. ET/ 9 a.m. PT.
OR if you can’t make it: go on Twitter, Instagram or Vine and submit your video by using hashtag #AOLSportsSearch.
Those chosen that are based in Los Angeles will enjoy a free flight that night to New York for a Tuesday appearance in studio. We will fly in top contenders with winning social-media submissions if not based in New York for Tuesday’s in-studio session.
AOL’s new sportscaster will be announced on Wednesday, November 19 on aol.com/sports.
For additional information, email AOLSPORTSSEARCH@teamaol.com or tweet to @AOLSports.
#AOLSportsSearch Live Auditions
Live Casting Call: Monday, November 17th
New York City
9 a.m. EST- 12 p.m. EST
AOL New York Studios
770 Broadway
New York City
*Doors close at 12pm, First come, first serve
Los Angeles
6 a.m. PST- 9 a.m. PST
AOL Los Angeles Studios
331 North Maple Drive
Beverly Hills
*Doors close at 9am, First come, first serve
Terms and Conditions | Contest rules
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

NFL: Bengals Give $1.3M to Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Leah Still's Name

By goodblacknews on November 7, 2014

Screen Shot 2014-11-07 at 1.48.17 PM
CINCINNATI — The star of the Browns–Bengals game Thursday night was Leah Still, the courageous 4-year-old daughter of Cincinnati defensive tackle Devon Still.  Fans at Paul Brown Stadium roared between the first and second quarters as the Bengals honored Leah, who’s battling Stage 4 pediatric cancer.
The Bengals announced a $1.3 million donation to Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital and Medical Center in Leah’s name, and the giant video screen played a montage of Leah and Devon set to the song “Brave” by Sara Bareilles.

Leah Still
Leah Still watched her father, Devon, play for the first time live since he debuted in the NFL in 2012. (Andrew Weber/USA TODAY Sports)

The Browns won the game 24-3, and Devon had three total tackles.

“I would describe it as an emotional roller coaster,” he said afterward. “Seeing my daughter in the pregame with all the excitement and then seeing her on the field receiving the check and just seeing the joy in her face, I was just so proud of the perseverance she showed to raise that money.”
Leah’s story has touched millions through social media. She wore a bedazzled Still jersey and a pink-flowered headband while flanked by family members in a suite pregame.
On a night filled with touching moments, Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer made a point to embrace Devon Still during the ceremony.
“Being a parent myself, I couldn’t imagine what he’s going through, especially how demanding this job is,” Hoyer told NFL Network after the game when asked what he told Still. “That gives you goose bumps. I just went over and told him I respect him and I pray for his daughter and him and hope everything gets better.”
After the ceremony, Leah’s grandmother carried her off the field and through the tunnel, where she was emotional.  “Because everybody loves you,” the grandmother was overheard saying to Leah, minutes after chants of “Leah, Leah” trumpeted through parts of the stadium.
“Seeing her picture on the scoreboard made me emotional, but somehow I was able to play the game,” Devon Still said. “The most emotional I got was when I looked up and saw her and Lauren Hill and saw they got a chance to meet.”
A member of the family said of Leah as the group was walking toward the elevators and back to the suite: “She’s taking it all in. She’s been really into it.”
Fans, TV producers and even local police donned a No. 75 patch or jersey in honor of Still. Devon Still wrote “Leah Strong” on his eye black strips.  She watched her father play live for the first time since he debuted in the NFL in 2012 as a second-round pick of the Bengals.
Leah is battling neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer that typically has a 50-50 chance for survival. Surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from her abdomen was considered successful, but rounds of radiation, chemotherapy and stem-cell treatments await her before doctors can determine whether she’s cancer-free.
article by Jeremy Fowler via espn.go.com  (ESPN.com Browns reporter Coley Harvey and The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

President Obama Welcomes the Jackie Robinson West All Stars to the White House

By goodblacknews on November 7, 2014
President Barack Obama welcomes the Jackie Robinson West All Stars to the Oval Office
President Barack Obama welcomes the Jackie Robinson West All Stars to the Oval Office, Nov. 6, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) 

Yesterday the Jackie Robinson West All Stars — the U.S. champions in this year’s Little League World Series — stopped by the White House for a visit with the President and the First Lady.
Hailing mainly from the South Side of Chicago, Jackie Robinson West captured the world’s attention this summer on their extraordinary run through the Little League World Series. Along with being the first Chicago-area team to make it to the Little League World Series in 31 years, Jackie Robinson West also made history as the first all-black team to win the U.S. title.
Before the world championship game against South Korea, the President tweeted that “we’re all so proud” of the team. Even though South Korea won the final game 8-4, Jackie Robinson West had already secured a special place in the hearts of Americans across the country.
The young players’ victorious run held even more meaning, however, for the city that they came from. Chicago has grabbed headlines nationwide for its increased gun violence and high murder rate, and many of the Jackie Robinson West players come from neighborhoods suffering from this violence as well as disproportionate levels of poverty. But the team’s run this summer helped provide a respite from some of the city’s troubles, with the players’ hard work and upstanding example ultimately bringing hope, inspiration, and unity to their community.

article by David Hudson via whitehouse.gov

NFL Network And Popeye Spinach Donate to Los Angeles Food Bank and Score for NFL AM

By goodblacknews on October 29, 2014

article by Lesa Lakin

Screen Shot 2014-10-28 at 6.16.44 PM
Left: NFL AM’s Erin Coscarelli, Rhett Lewis, LaVar Arrington & Terrell Davis

Spinach might just be the coolest vegetable in the game right now. Did you know October is Spinach Awareness Month? Yeah, neither did I… but the NFL Network and Popeye Spinach sure did and they’ve done something pretty cool.  As part of a fun segment for NFL AM, Popeye Spinach supplied 400 cans of spinach to create a motivating backdrop while hosts Erin Coscarelli and Rhett Lewis discuss the best players of the week with analysts Terrell Davis and LaVar Arrington. Rhett, LaVar and Terrell give their picks (the players that have clearly eaten their spinach and performed well and those who may need to well… eat a bit more). It’s engaging and super fun… well maybe not so much for the players who have had a rough week.
Check it out…it makes for some interesting weekly recaps:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioTXf-boUMM&w=560&h=315]
Allens Popeye Spinach and the NFL Network donated the cans to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. The LA Regional Food Bank is dedicated to mobilizing resources to fight hunger in the community.
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Eli Lipmen, Director of Marketing & Communications at the LA Regional Food Bank

 

NFL: Jacksonville Jaguar Red Bryant Tackles Learning Disabilities By Sharing his Story with Students

By goodblacknews on October 27, 2014

Jacksonville Jaguar Red Bryant Speaking to R.L. Brown Elementary School’s GRASP Choice Academy
Jacksonville Jaguar Red Bryant speaking to R.L. Brown Elementary School’s GRASP Choice Academy

Red Bryant is giving back in the best way possible… a meaningful one. The Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end is speaking to students not about his battles on the football field, but about his personal battle with dyslexia (a medical condition that causes difficulty in language processing and reading), inspiring and empowering students with learning disabilities along the way.
Diagnosed by the third grade, Red had to overcome his own frustrations and challenges as a student to make it to college and eventually the NFL.  Fortunately for Red he had a mentor in his high school teacher, Sue Brooks.  Sue played a pivotal role in Red’s life and was one of the first people that helped him realize just because he learned differently didn’t mean he was not intelligent.  It’s a powerful message that children and adults with learning disabilities need to hear.  He shared this message when he visited students at R.L. Brown Elementary School’s GRASP Choice Academy, a program in the Duval County school system that focuses on children with learning disabilities. Red spoke about his personal challenges with dyslexia.

“I just wanted to let these kids know that it’s okay to learn differently and that just because you’re a different learner than everyone else, that doesn’t mean that you aren’t smart,”  Bryant said.

He feels that this program in the Duval County school system is giving children the necessary tools to be successful in the classroom.
Bryant’s own connection to the education system runs deep. Sue Brooks had an incredible impact on his life and now he is giving back.  The story is a fascinating one.  When one person takes the time and energy to lift, push, encourage and nurture a child the effects can be life altering and astounding.  Sue and Red had a bond that led her to help him not only during the recruitment process, but with getting to college and the ACT test.  Sue figured out a way to verbally administer the test by getting the clearance to read it to him after several traditional tests had negative results that weren’t indicative of Red’s academic prowess.  She was an integral part of Red’s success and always encouraging education and inspiring him to pay it forward.
Bryant plans on making frequent stops by the classrooms to monitor the children’s progression throughout the school year.
To watch the engaging Red Bryant speaking to students, click here:
http://www.jaguars.com/media-gallery/videos/Red-Bryant-in-the-Community-/bda579f5-7279-4bd5-ba01-5199c59bf3e5 
Did you know….
Dyslexia is the most common learning disability and that one in five people suffer from it. Learn more:
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-dyslexia
For more information about the GRASP Choice Academy program:
http://www.duvalschools.org/grasp

by Lesa Lakin GBN Lifestyle/Sports Editor
by Lesa Lakin
GBN Lifestyle/Sports Editor

 

Little League Pitching Sensation Mo'ne Davis Throws out 1st Pitch at World Series

By goodblacknews on October 25, 2014

Mo’ne Davis, the first female pitcher in Little League World Series history to pitch a complete-game shutout accompanied by players from the Jackie Robison West Little League team, throws out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4 of baseball's World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Mo’ne Davis, the first female pitcher in Little League World Series history to pitch a complete-game shutout accompanied by players from the Jackie Robison West Little League team, throws out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4 of baseball’s World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Cameras flashed, the crowd rose for a thunderous ovation and Mo’ne Davis did exactly what she was expected to do — fire a strike right down the middle.  From Little League phenom to the star of her own commercial to World Series celebrity, the 13-year-old Davis has been on quite a ride these past few months.
She continued her remarkable journey on the biggest baseball stage of all when she threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4 of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals on Saturday.
“Just to be at the World Series is pretty cool,” Davis said. “If I didn’t throw a strike, I don’t know what I would do. Throwing a strike was probably the best part.”
On a night when the attention of the sports world was focused on AT&T Park, Davis managed to stand out.  She paused to take photographs with fans, munched on a vanilla-and-chocolate sundae in the press box and managed to squeeze in some face time with Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson.
The eighth grader even got a phone call from her favorite player, Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley.  “I think that tops it all,” Davis said with a grin.
Academy Award nominated filmmaker Spike Lee, who directed the television commercial for Chevrolet that stars Davis, was also in attendance to watch the young pitcher.
Davis has been on the cover of Sports Illustrated and appeared on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon. Throwing out the first pitch at a World Series game seemed like the natural next step.
“When I found out that the commissioner was going to have her throw out the first pitch tonight, I said, ‘I’ve got to be here,'” Lee said. “She’s amazing … and she’s on the honor roll, too. And she’s only 13 years old.”

Dallas Cowboy DeMarco Murray Sets Rushing Record by Running at Least 100 Yards in Seven Straight Games

By goodblacknews on October 24, 2014

635493464113730006-2014-10-19-Demarco-Murray2ARLINGTON, Texas —DeMarco Murray may have eclipsed former Cleveland Browns icon Jim Brown as the first back in league history to start a season by running for at least 100 yards in seven straight games.
But the fourth-year Dallas Cowboys workhorse knows he has a long way to go to reach the Hall of Famer’s elite level after his 128-yard, one-touchdown performance keyed a 31-21 defeat of the New York Giants Sunday.
“He’s probably one of the greatest running backs to ever play, and I have a lot of respect for what he’s done,” Murray said. “In no way am I trying to say I’m on his level by any means. He’s a great guy, a great activist in the community, a great player and a great person. And I’m not even in that category.
“I’m blessed to be mentioned.”
Murray, who leads the league in rushing with 913 yards and seven touchdowns, made history with his 1-yard run on the first carry of the fourth quarter, shaking off a gimpy right ankle that buckled on him late in the second quarter. He gave credit to his offensive linemen who kept prying open lanes against a Giants defense that stacked defenders in the box.

“What an accomplishment,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “Anybody who knows how he got them, knows he got good help from his teammates. But I don’t know how you could have in this game of football, any more of a personal accomplishment to the will that it takes to get that won.

“That kid has had ‘professional’ written all over him since the day he walked in. He stepped back in there after wrenching his ankle and competed.”
And he’s the engine who makes these 6-1 Cowboys go.