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Historians have identified George Coleman Poage as the first African American Olympian. Poage won two bronze medals in the hurdles at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics. In that same year, the name of another potential Black Olympian, Joseph Stadler, appeared briefly in a few newspaper stories previewing the games. Stadler clearly competed in St. Louis, winning a silver medal and bronze medal in the now-archaic forms of standing jumps. Whether he should join Poage on the roster of pioneering African American Olympians, however, remains a mystery among Olympic researchers—as does his racial identity. Analyzing the historical record regarding these claims and employing new information from census data and other public records reveals that Stadler was most likely white. His "misidentification," however, reveals more than just a trivial episode about an inaccurate reading of racial identity from limited sources. The long history of narratives about Joseph Stadler's identity reveals important patterns about the social construction of race, illuminates the complexities of more than a century of seeking to depict the Olympics as a fulcrum of racial progress in American culture, and showcases the dangers of attempting to read "race" from historic photographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension (HTN) is common among athletes and the most recent epidemiologic data reports that cardiovascular (CV) sudden death is significantly greater in African Americans (AAs). Gut microbial dysbiosis (a poorly diverse stool microbial profile) has been associated with HTN in sedentary people but microbial characteristics of athletes with HTN are unknown. Our purpose was to differentiate microbiome characteristics associated with BP status in AA collegiate athletes. Thirty AA collegiate athletes were stratified by normal BP (systolic BP (SBP) ≤130 mmHg; n = 15) and HTN (SBP ≥130 mmHg; n = 15). 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on stool samples to identify microbes at the genus level. We did not observe any significant differences in alpha diversity, but beta diversity was different between groups. Principal coordinate analysis was significantly different (PERMANOVA, p < 0.05, R = 0.235) between groups. Spearman rank correlations showed a significant (p < 0.05) correlation between systolic BP and abundances for Adlercreutzia (R = 0.64), Coprococcus (R = 0.49), Granulicatella (R = 0.63), and Veillonella (R = 0.41). Gut microbial characteristics were associated with differentially abundant microbial genus' and BP status. These results will direct future studies to define the functions of these microbes associated with BP in athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the impact of W. P. Kinsella's novel "Shoeless Joe" and its film adaptation, "Field of Dreams," on baseball fans and the perception of the sport. The author reflects on their personal experience of reading the book and watching the movie, which led them to develop a nostalgic view of baseball's past. They argue that this nostalgia, popularized by Kinsella's work, created a community of purist fans who idealized the game's history and resisted its evolution. The article also criticizes the rise of analytics in baseball and suggests that Kinsella's influence contributed to the sport becoming less like a live event and more like the execution of a blueprint. [Extracted from the article]

Broadly, this article details the imbrication of a Black feminist qualitative researcher's onto-epistemology and data (meta-) analysis process. I theorize Black feminist memory work, then apply this method by returning to data I collected for a completed research project and meshing those data with a curated selection of thematically connected family photographs. By revisiting and reviewing textual and visual data, I demonstrate the function of Black feminist memory work as a visual research method with which to not only describe, analyze, and interpret evocative photographs, but also excavate and make meaning of the sometimes repressed and oftentimes emotion-laden episodic and autobiographical memories that inevitably surface when conducting qualitative research. I conclude by underscoring how this tool creates opportunities for qualitative researchers to address the ontological concerns that connect qualitative inquiry to Black feminists' humanistic hopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Jason Reynolds' Track Series, a compilation of young adult fiction novels that portray African-American youth athletes in track and field. The series explores themes of intraracial diversity, bullying reduction, and the role of coaches in mentoring urban youth athletes in addressing these issues.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between low energy availability (LEA) and nutritional content with high blood pressure (HBP) in African American Division I athletes. Twenty-three D1 African American pre-season athletes were recruited to participate. HBP was defined as >120 systolic blood pressure (BP) and <80 diastolic BP. Athletes self-reported nutritional intake using a non-consecutive 3-day food recall which was then reviewed by a sports dietitian. LEA was evaluated as total energy intake—total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), which was predicted. Additionally, micronutrients were evaluated. A statistical analysis relied on Spearman correlation (R), standardized mean difference with 95% confidence interval, mean ± SD, and odds ratios (OR). Correlation values were categorized: 0.20–0.39 = low; 0.40–0.69 = moderate; 0.70–1.0 = strong. A moderate relationship was observed between HBP and LEA (R = 0.56) with 14/23 having HBP. Of the 14 athletes observed with HBP, 78.5% (11/14) were calorically deficient (−529 ± 695 kcal) with an OR of 7.2. Micronutrient intake deficiencies were ubiquitous among the 23 HBP athletes: poly-unsaturated fatty acid −29.6%; omega-3 −26.0%; iron −46.0%; calcium −25.1%; and sodium −14.2%, amongst others. LEA and micronutrient deficiencies may contribute to HBP in Black D1 athletes, which has been shown to be the most common modifiable risk factor to decrease the risk of sudden cardiac death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two cultural narratives often purported within the American sports cultures of basketball and football. First, those participating within these sports are African American athletes from poor communities lacking educational and economic opportunities. Second, the meritocratic myth perpetuating American society feeds the notion no matter where an individual is from their talent will elevate them to the next level. There have already been a few studies who have challenged these myths. This study seeks to continue the conversation by collecting community data on 7,670 high school football recruits for the years 2000 to 2016. This study seeks to provide a broad overview of the interscholastic football landscape as well as determine production levels of schools. This study finds that while players are recruited from a diverse range of communities and school types, as a school becomes more productive they tend to be located within wealthier urban communities, have a diverse student body, and have a higher likelihood of being a private school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1983, the NCAA's adoption of heightened initial eligibility standards for incoming intercollegiate athletes was met with applause and criticism. Proponents lauded the measure as a legitimate means of restoring academic integrity within intercollegiate athletics. Opponents questioned whether seemingly racially neutral eligibility standards had a disproportionately negative impact on African American athletes. It is against this backdrop that the Article examines the racial implications of the NCAA's past and present academic standards. These standards consist of initial eligibility rules, progress-toward-degree requirements, the graduation success rate, and academic progress rate, the latter two of which comprise the NCAA's Academic Performance Program. Through these measures, the NCAA states that it seeks to increase the likelihood that college athletes will develop academically while participating in intercollegiate athletics and graduate from their colleges and universities. As was true of past academic reforms such as Propositions 48, critics question the success of these measures in achieving their stated goals. Legitimate concerns have also been raised in the past and present regarding the disproportionate impact of the NCAA's academic rules on Black Division I college athletes and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). In addition to examining the NCAA's past and current academic rules, the Article discusses the NCAA's likely adoption of a rule to eliminate the standardized test score component of its initial eligibility criteria for matriculating scholarship intercollegiate athletes. This measure is likely to be perceived as beneficial to Black athletes. Advocates for enhanced racial fairness within college athletics have argued in favor of eliminating standardized test scores as an eligibility factor and believe it will be beneficial to athletes from under-represented communities, particularly Black athletes. While thoughtful arguments can be made in support of the proposal, the Article examines whether the proposal could inadvertently exacerbate the academic marginalization of Black Division I intercollegiate athletes. The Article also examines other practices that erode the value of the educational opportunity afforded Division I intercollegiate athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The law allows college athletes in the state to hire agents and earn endorsement money related to their name, image and likeness and prevents the NCAA from declaring an athlete ineligible to participate in NCAA competition because the student athlete received NIL compensation. Keywords: public opinion; NCAA; race; racial resentment; ideology EN public opinion NCAA race racial resentment ideology 63 85 23 08/09/22 20220401 NES 220401 1 Introduction The last decade has seen a series of high-profile battles over the rights of college athletes take place in the nation's courthouses and state legislatures, and on the floor of the U.S. Congress. Three further expectations about public opinion related to NCAA reform follow from the overestimate of black athletes in the NCAA. In 2016, the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) announced an eight-year, $8.8 billion dollar extension to their existing fourteen-year, $10.8 billion dollar agreement with CBS and Turner Sports to broadcast the NCAA men's basketball tournament. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the historical aspects of negro (black) athletes in America from approximately 1890 until 1939, and it mentions the history of athletics in the U.S. featuring African-American sports stars such as heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis and Olympic Games track and field champion Jesse Owens. The roles that black athletes played in improving race relations in America are examined, along with black advancement strategies and the social aspects of sports in America.

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of two groups of Black male college athletes at a Division I historically White institution (HWI) to better understand the key contributors that influenced their academic performance levels, academic engagement, and the quality of their overall college experiences. Twofocus groups were conducted with 10 Black male college athletes enrolled at a Division I HWI and a demographic questionnaire was administered to ascertain a better understanding of their personal backgrounds, college academic experiences, and college athletic experiences. Role theory was incorporated as a theoretical lens to investigate the participants' identity salience, role commitments, and overall college experiences. Findings revealed participants from each group shared common experiences encountering role conflict. However, the coping strategies and academic performance outcomes varied between each group. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about Kobe Bryant has focused primarily on his outstanding achievements as an NBA player (81 points, 2 gold medals, and an Academy Award). In addition, since his death, January 20, 2020, focus on his role as a father, husband, and mentor has emerged in the spotlight. Collectively, these traits provide a framework for acknowledging, understanding, and questioning this legend from theoretical lens. There are few theoretical perspectives in the literature to explain his behavior. The purpose of this article is to provide a foundation to stimulate academicians to discuss Kobe's behavior and accomplishments by applying Adler and Adler's (1989) glorified self-theory. Kobe's accomplishments and challenges will be delineated utilizing Mead (1956 revised 2018) and Goffman (1959) as backdrop theories with DuBois (as cited by Outlaw, 2019) as the final 3-point hoop shot. Recommendations for academicians to move away from media articles in the classroom about Kobe and consider the need to encourage students to theorize utilizing classical as well as contemporary theories in their class discussions about Kobe. In this manner, the promotion of further discussion can continue in the academic arena and not only in the world of sports. As students are motivated in the academic environment, more empirical research is encouraged to provide answers to questions that many elite athletes need as they struggle with their dramaturgical self as argued by Goffman (Kivisto & Pittman, 2013). It is our expectation that future research will provide elite athletes' negative pressures, and challenges a chance to rise (Bryan as cited by Chang, 2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite excellent performance on the field and years of academic and social attention, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I African American male student-athletes continue to struggle to have an optimal and well-rounded college experience at predominantly White institutions of higher education. In particular, the first 2 years of college represent a difficult period during which this group would benefit from new ideas to support their multiple transitions. Mentoring, and more specifically constellation mentoring, provides great promise for aiding in the transition and success of this group (Kram, 1985). Mentoring, like other organizational transition management tools, focuses on helping people navigate a transition into a new setting (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2010). However, constellation mentoring can be simultaneously broad (in terms of range of needs addressed) and specifically tailored to individual needs. This study seeks to establish a framework for how mentoring may provide a valuable tool for addressing the needs of African American male student-athletes as they transition into the college sport, social, and academic atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of Black male student athletes who transferred from predominantly White institutions (PWls) to a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in the southeastern United States (U.S.). This qualitative case study involved a single focus group interview and two individual interviews with Black male transfer student athletes who were enrolled at a HBCU. Critical race theory (CRT) was applied as a theoretical framework to examine the impact of race and racism on the participants' experiences within different educational and sociocultural environments. The key research topics of interest included identifying the participants' reasons for transferring from a PWI to a HBCU and understanding their college experiences at the HBCU. Findings revealed participants' encounters with various forms of covert and overt racism at PWls resulted in negative college experiences, which motivated them to transfer to a HBCU. Using tenets of CRT and a thematic analysis procedure, the following two emergent themes were identified: "We Were the Outcasts" and "They Want to See You Succeed." Implications for policy and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networks have broad effects on health and quality of life. Biopsychosocial factors may also modify the effects of brain trauma on clinical and pathological outcomes. However, social network characterization is missing in studies of contact sports athletes. Here, we characterized the personal social networks of former National Football League players compared to non-football US males. In 303 former football players and 269 US males, we found that network structure (e.g., network size) did not differ, but network composition (e.g., proportion of family versus friends) did differ. Football players had more men than women, and more friends than family in their networks compared to US males. Black players had more racially diverse networks than White players and US males. These results are unexpected because brain trauma and chronic illnesses typically cause diminished social relationships. We anticipate our study will inform more multi-dimensional study of, and treatment options for, contact sports athletes. For example, the strong allegiances of former athletes may be harnessed in the form of social network interventions after brain trauma. Because preserving health of contact sports athletes is a major goal, the study of social networks is critical to the design of future research and treatment trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the academic experiences of nine African American male student athletes ' college experiences focusing on prior academic preparation and faculty expectations. Findings in this study illustrate significant heterogeneity and complexity among African American male student athletes, which challenges the current, over-simplified portrayal of their academic experience in higher education. Furthermore, this study highlights that facing racial stereotypes, African American student athletes found it essential to take charge of academic decisions (i.e. academic advising and facilitation of support services initiatives) and to build a team that supported their academic success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a single case study of identity crisis that unfolded in the cultural transition context. Our participant was 'Jenni' – a 26 years old female basketball player with the double (Scandinavian and African American) ethnic identity. In a series of life story interviews, she shared her story of migrating to the USA at the age of 16 for sport and study. Jenni's transition narrative was extracted and analyzed using several complementary theoretical frameworks, including the intersectionality perspective on identity. The analysis of the transition narrative revealed that in spite of the pre-transition high expectations about the transition success, Jenni experienced a crisis-type cultural transition with her identity crisis at its heart. Jenni's significant others voluntary or involuntary contributed to her identity crisis by problematizing and/or marginalizing layers of her identity. We conclude with recommendations for sport psychology practitioners and other stakeholders to help them support athletic migrants' identity negotiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines racial subordination facing class privileged African American athletes in the U.S., focusing on the cases of athletes Muhammad Ali and Colin Kaepernick. Topics discussed include a brief history of African American people in sports and the impact of professional sports on the U.S. society, the participation of athletes in activism like Ali and Kaepernick, and the myths of a post racial U.S.

This article traces debates about African American professional football players' protests during the national anthem. After reviewing over 400 media texts, we found that each side operates from mirrored ethical positions that lead to competing conceptions of patriotism. We use the term "patriarchal patriotism" for people opposed to the protests since they hold that institutions of authority protect citizens, and therefore citizens owe them loyalty and deference. We use "constructive patriotism" for protest supporters since they hold that citizens have an ethical obligation to oppose inequities and work on the nation through protest and dissent. Each position, however, operates as two sides of the same racial–patriotic coin. We argue that the strategic embrace of patriotism by protest proponents limits the radical, transformative potential of the protests by operating on a nationalistic political terrain that suggests the racial state can operate for racial benevolence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Andrew Sargent's "'Free of Your Own History': Implicating Students in Dutchman" focuses on presenting Dutchman as a play still relevant to students today since it warns that "it may be impossible to escape America's tortured racial history" (106). REVIEWS Johnston 105 Approaches to Teaching Baraka's Dutchman Edited by Matthew Calihman and Gerald Early Modern Language Association of America, 2018 When Amiri Baraka's play Dutchman was produced in 1964, it marked a moment of personal, literary, and social transition for the playwright and for society. The subsection "Cultural Interplays" largely involves comparative analyses of intersections of cultural features in the work in an effort to provide insight into some of the contextual elements framing Baraka's play. [Extracted from the article]

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition associated with repetitive traumatic brain injury (rTBI) seen in contact-sport athletes and military personnel. The medial temporal lobe (MTL; i.e., hippocampus, subiculum, and entorhinal and perirhinal cortices) memory circuit displays tau lesions during the pathological progression of CTE. We examined MTL tissue obtained from 40 male Caucasian and African American athletes who received a postmortem CTE neuropathological diagnosis defined as stage II, III, or IV. Sections were immunolabeled using an early (AT8) or a late (TauC3) marker for pathological tau and for amyloid beta (Aβ) species (6E10, Aβ1–42 and thioflavin S). Stereological analysis revealed that stage III had significantly less AT8-positive neurons and dystrophic neurites than stage IV in all MTL regions except hippocampal subfield CA3, whereas significantly more AT8-positive neurons, dystrophic neurites, and neurite clusters were found in the perirhinal cortex, entorhinal cortex, hippocampal CA1, and subiculum of CTE stage III compared with stage II. TauC3-positive pathology was significantly higher in the perirhinal and subicular cortex of stage IV compared to stage III and the perirhinal cortex of stage III compared to stage II. AT8-positive neurite clusters were observed in stages III and IV, but virtually absent in stage II. When observed, Aβ pathology appeared as amyloid precursor protein (APP)/Aβ (6E10)-positive diffuse plaques independent of region. Thioflavine S labeling, did not reveal evidence for fibril or neuritic pathology associated with plaques, confirming a diffuse, non-cored plaque phenotype in CTE. Total number of AT8-positive profiles correlated with age at death, age at symptom onset, and time from retirement to death. There was no association between AT8-positive tau pathology and age sport began, years played, or retirement age, and no difference between CTE stage and the highest level of sport played. In summary, our findings demonstrate different tau profiles in the MTL across CTE stages, proffering CA3 tau pathology and MTL dystrophic neurite clusters as possible markers for the transition between early (II) and late (III/IV) stages, while highlighting CTE as a progressive noncommunicative tauopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes how the mainstream media presented the June 22, 1938, championship prize fight between African American boxer Joe Louis and German boxer Max Schmeling to white American readers. It examines the perception of U.S. newspaper readers of the era, how newspaper journalists and editors attempted to interpret that perception, and public opinion. The article discusses African American social conditions in the 1930s, particularly stereotypical portrayals of African Americans in the popular press. It relies upon several academic studies of the era to conclude that Louis was not portrayed as an American champion against a representative of Nazi Germany and that white Americans mostly viewed Louis as a "Negro champion."

How individuals define themselves has considerable implications within the realms of sport. Considering the large proportion of African Americans participating in high profile college sports, matters of identity likely become quite relevant. This article addresses issues related to athletic and racial identity contextualized in the sport domain. The potential relationship between athletic identity (Brewer, Van Raalte, & Linder, 1993) and the conceptualization of African American racial identity are explored. The framework of the Multidimensional Model of Racial Identity (MMRI; Sellers, Smith, Shelton, Rowley, & Chavous, 1998) is used to investigate the potentially varied perceptions of African American collegiate student athletes' racial identities. Specifically, the salience and centrality of athletic identity, in addition, the roles that the multiple ideologies of the MMRI may play in sport are discussed. Directions for future research of the intersection of race and sport are forwarded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a generally accepted belief, affirmed in the media, that professional Black male basketball players from the National Basketball Association serve as role models for young Black males. Very little empirical evidence, however, is available about how the young men think about these relationships. Using the concept of role model from social learning theory as a lens, I analyze interview data drawn from a convenience sample of 19 young Black men who participated in high school basketball to investigate the idea of "professional Black male basketball players as role models." I find that young men do not necessarily accept the "good/bad" role-model dichotomy presented in the media, but rather, they are discerning in their acceptance and rejection of certain role-model attitudes and behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that coverage of the Kobe Bryant rape case illuminated bitter divisions in American society, because the allegations against Bryant brought forth tensions involving conceptions of Black masculinity, White femininity, and the role of sport and celebrity in public life. The divisions laid bare by the Bryant case involve long histories of discursive contests waged by social movements and state actors over the meanings of categories of race and gender. I argue that these struggles have influenced public understandings of history; that contemporary understandings of race, gender, and crime are very much indebted to rhetorical battles fought long ago; and that invocations of collective memory can help to determine how various audiences make sense of public dramas unfolding in the mass media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A consistent finding in studies surrounding sports commentary on white and black athletes is that (a) white athletes are frequently praised for their perceived "intellect" and "'leadership capacity," while (b) black athletes are often praised for being "naturally talented" (Davis & Harris, 1998). A mediated conclusion that one could derive from such findings is that black athletes are expected to succeed athletically; conversely, white athletes are expected to have an innate ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to accomplish their athletic stature. This study examined the broadcast commentary surrounding white and black athletes at the 2000 NCAA Men's and Women's Final Four College Basketball Tournaments. The content analysis of 1,118 descriptors embedded in commentator discourse revealed that, while black athletes continue to be praised for their athleticism and physicality, they also are receiving a greater number of comments about their intelligence and ability to lead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]