His Dream, In Sports

Each January 17th we celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In sports, his dream is revisited, and certainly celebrated, each and every day. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made it possible for African American athletes to share their talents on the local, national, and global stage, thus changing the sporting world forever. With the opportunity given to them by MLK, African American athletes raised the bar in sporting competitions on all levels. Without MLK, Babe Ruth would be the MLB Home Run King, John Havlicek would be the NBA All-Time points leader, and John Riggins would be the NFL leader in career rushing yards. Without African American athletes, NBA games would sit in the half court, the West Coast offense would be the only offense in Football, and sheer speed and agility would be a rare treat on an MLB baseball field. On behalf of those that live for the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat; the intensity and passion that is poured into High School, Collegian, and Professional sports, I would like to thank Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for shaping the modern sporting world; giving those the chance they well deserved, to make it just the way we like.

JD