The First Athlete I am going to discuss is Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson was a barrier breaker for blacks in Major league baseball. He is world-renowned and will never be forgotten for his influences on the world today through simply playing the game. Jackie is most famous for his skill in America’s pastime, but his ability was not just for baseball at all. Jackie grew up in Pasadena, California where he played competitive baseball, football, basketball and track during high school.

When he graduated from high school he continued on for his higher education at the University of Cali

At this time, Arthur was considered the number one tennis player in America and he applied for a visa in South Africa to play in the South African Open. He was denied this visa by the South African Government based strictly on the color of his skin. After this Arthur called for the expulsion of South Africa from the tennis tour and Davis Cup play, he was highly supported by multiple organizations and prominent individual from the tennis and business world. This was a Major step in exposing the apartied government in South Africa to the world and in turn slowly help to begin the shaping and changing of the oppressive government that was in power there.

Willie O’Ree grew up in a small coal-mining town called Fredricton in New Brunswick, Canada. Willie starting skating as soon as he could walk as most of the Fredericton locals do, hockey is a way of life there. Willie was involved in is first league hockey play when he was five years old. Willie grew up as a black in an all white town and was constantly facing prejudice his whole life. When He entered his third year of high school he began playing for two junior teams that are roughly equated to college level play in America. The sports he played were the obvious hockey, but also baseball.

The Next Season Willie O’Ree joined his first pro team. They were called the Quebec Aces, they were a type of minor league team for the Boston Bruins. During his rookie year on the Aces, O’Ree helped to lead them to the league Championship. During the summer Willie practiced for a while with the Bruins in their summer camp, this was his first opportunity to show them that he had what it took to be in the NHL. Later that season the Boston Bruins rooster was completely depleted due an overload of unexpected injuries. This series of events paved the way for the impossible day that happened on January 18, 1958 when Willie O’Ree Took the ice in a Boston Bruins uniform, making him the first black hockey player ever to play in the NHL.

Willie O’Ree accomplished all of this with not one, but two major factors against him the first being legally blind in one eye and the second being a Black person. His tremendous strides helped to make change the face of hockey forever; Willie O’Ree put hockey into the future they were about tens years late for. That future was the integrated diverse playing field hockey is today. The NHL has honored Willie by naming an all-star game for Minority youth players in his name. The Willie O’Ree All star Game is held every year at the Junior World Championships of hockey, an event where Willie is remembered for breaking that color line in the National Hockey League.

The Canadians sent him to their minor league team where he played for two months before he was traded again. This time he was traded to the Los Angeles Blades of the Western Hockey League, he continued with them for the next six seasons. When Los Angeles lost their franchise Willie was traded to the San Diego Gulls, six years later the Western Hockey League closed and Willie retired. Four years Later Willie put his skates on for one last time playing for the minor league team the San Diego Hawks, This year he scored 50 goals and played 64 games in total.

When Arthur graduated from high school he attended UCLA on a tennis scholarship. There he helped the team win the National Championship as well as earning national titles for himself individually in 1965. Arthur finished college in 1966 graduating with a bachelor’s ion business administration. Then in 1968, Arthur was chosen to represent the United States in the Davis Cup. This earned him the title of being the first African American to represent the U.S. in the Davis cup or any professional national tennis team. He immediately became an inspiration for African American tennis players all across the country and world.

The next athlete that will be discussed by this paper is not only a great tennis lege

Some topics in this essay:
Jackie Robinson, Willie O’Ree, Arthur Ashe, , UCLA Jackie, Canada Willie, Quebec Aces, Hockey League, Milwaukee Braves, South Africa, jackie robinson, willie o’ree, league team, minor league team, minor league, davis cup, hockey league, arthur ashe, boston bruins, los angeles, african american, western hockey league, related american culture, national hockey league, breaking color line,