Black History Month: Willis Ward
Someone posted a wonderful BHM remembrance of George Jewett last week. Along those lines, let's take time to remember the great Willis Ward. If you aren't familiar with his story and his role in the 1934 Georgia Tech game, you really need to see the superb documentary "Black and Blue," which came out a few years ago.
Mike Lopresti of USA Today also wrote a great column about it that explains the story well:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2012/10/19/michigan-wolverin…
When I was at U-M, I had never heard about Willis Ward, but what a remarkable guy. He not only had to endure what happened against Georgia Tech, but he was of the greatest all-around athletes we ever had. I mean, he beat Jesse Owens - TWICE! Then he went on to have an incredible career later in life. Oh, and his best friend at Michigan was a future president.
Hail Willis Ward!
February 9th, 2015 at 10:26 AM ^
Speaking of Black History Month, it's probably worthwhile to talk about Branch Rickey, a Michigan Law alum. He was a white dude, but very influenfial in the breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball.
From Wiki: Wesley Branch Rickey (December 20, 1881 – December 9, 1965) was an innovative Major League Baseball (MLB) executive elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967. He was perhaps best known for breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing African American player Jackie Robinson, for drafting the first Afro-Hispanic superstar, Roberto Clemente, for creating the framework for the modern minor league farm system, for encouraging the Major Leagues to add new teams through his involvement in the proposed Continental League, and for introducing the batting helmet.
February 9th, 2015 at 10:33 AM ^
All Hail BHM!
February 9th, 2015 at 10:41 AM ^
I certainly get the blame UM took for bending Ward. They kind of poo-pood Tech's role, you know, "well every school in the South was doing it." Eff them. They threatened a breach of contract lawsuit, and that worked. (The more things change...) And worse, there were actual worries that Tech players would do grave harm to Ward if he played.
My footnote to that story is, IIRC, I think that UM stopped scheduling Southern schools for regular season games... for decades. I believe the next true "Southern" school UM played, after 1934, was the road game at South Carolina in 1985 -- over fifty years later. UM crushed the Gamecocks 38-3 or so.
February 9th, 2015 at 11:12 AM ^
That's Willis Ward, Michigan Man.
* Apparently EastUGoBlue doesn't like Willis Ward. It's interesting that somebody who works "at the headquraters of a major sporting goods company" would neg a simple post about a famous Michigan player without having the stones to say why.
February 9th, 2015 at 11:19 AM ^
My downvote simply reflects my displeasure with this article from 2012 being posted and labeling it BHM. We shouldn't need it to be February to cleberate African American greatness at our university. I very much respect Willis Ward and remember seeing this article when it was published. Also, I'm not sure what my occupation has to do with anything nor why my vote has sparked an attempt at a public shaming.
February 9th, 2015 at 11:54 AM ^
Seriously? That's the reason you negged the OP?
How you get from the blindingly obvious point that we should be aware of the contributions of African Americans in months other than February to effectively criticizing somebody for posting an article about Ward specifically because it's now Black History Month is bizarre and more than a little disingenuous. It's almost as though you're trying to provoke something.
Do you neg all comments on St. Patrick's Day? After all, we shouldn't need March 17 to celebrate Irish culture. Let's neg people who post articles about Gerald Ford on President's Day—we don't need President's Day to celebrate famous Presidents, right? Let's not hear any celebration of Italian-American culture on Columbus Day, either—that should be year 'round. Hell, buying gifts for family members on their birthday is stupid, since they should be celebrated all year.
As for your whining about "public shaming," you created the situation yourself first by negging a completely uncontroversial OP about a famous Michigan athlete, and then declining to explain why until you were criticized for it. As for your occupation, presumably you're in that business in large part because you love sports, which makes your comment especially strange.
As your commenting history shows, you have no hesitation in calling other MGoBloggers morons or idiots or other caustic terms. If you're going to dish it out like that, you can't complain if the criticism comes back at you.
And no, I don't think you should be banned.
February 9th, 2015 at 11:58 AM ^
I have no skin in this game per se, but should all voters explain every downvote? just curious.
February 9th, 2015 at 12:54 PM ^
I'm not surprised because of the permanent high horse you're on, but that completely went over your head. The poster is suggesting that achievements like this should be celebrated year round, not just this month.
February 9th, 2015 at 12:58 PM ^
the article is over 2 years old. Not exactly breaking news.
February 9th, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^
...is it necessary to downvote the OP, especially since it was a follow up to a previous post that was generally well accepted? I don't get it either, but I don't believe in turning any posts, especially harmless posts, into an opportunity to make a political or social statement when it's not needed.
February 9th, 2015 at 11:03 AM ^
I hope you get banned.
February 9th, 2015 at 11:14 AM ^
Thanks for the post! While I'm not a huge fan of the Legend jerseys concept, I think number Ward's number 61 should certainly qualify.
February 9th, 2015 at 11:36 AM ^
The article really doesn't go as much into detail as the one from the Daily here - LINK
The documentary "Black And Blue" is actually a very good look at the friendship between Ward and Gerald Ford and that 1934 season, focusing a long segment on the Georgia Tech game and the events on campus leading up to that game. Willis Ward was also a successful attorney and Wayne County Probate Judge later on, as well as the chair of the Michigan Public Service Commission, an entity I know well from my own work.
February 9th, 2015 at 11:41 AM ^
Thanks for posting! Hail Willis Ward!
February 9th, 2015 at 11:45 AM ^
...while at U of M. I find it interesting since I took the History of UM class and a couple African American studies classes. I don't care if this is a reposted article or if it's BHM. There are people who are new to the blog and my not have heard of these men.
And while I'm also black, I don't find it offensive if someone celebrates Branch Rickey, Gerald Ford or any other non-blacks during BHM. It's about time people realize that all people have been interwoven throughout history, so celebrate those good times.
February 9th, 2015 at 1:52 PM ^
Someone posted there that he had no idea Michigan had black athletes before 1960. He was negged a bit, but I think it's great that he made the admission. The thread obviously opened his eyes, and if nothing else that's a reason to post things like this periodically for those youngsters who aren't aware of this history.
February 9th, 2015 at 12:16 PM ^
February 9th, 2015 at 12:28 PM ^
John Behee wrote a book called Hail to the Victors! Black Athletes at the University of Michigan. Hard to find(from 1974), but if you live in SE Michigan, it's available at the Romulus Public Library.