Curating History
“The Angry Black Athlete” High in the LA Coliseum stands, Tommie Smith stood in a huddle of friends.  Smith, the sprinter who holds ten world records, had just won a 200-meter dash that was one of the most important of his life.  A radioman thrust a long microphone toward him and began, “Tommy, you ran with real power out there…”  Call it black power” said Smith.  End of interview. Newsweek  July 15, 1968

“The Angry Black Athlete”

High in the LA Coliseum stands, Tommie Smith stood in a huddle of friends.  Smith, the sprinter who holds ten world records, had just won a 200-meter dash that was one of the most important of his life.  A radioman thrust a long microphone toward him and began, “Tommy, you ran with real power out there…”  Call it black power” said Smith.  End of interview.

Newsweek  July 15, 1968



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"When i went to bed Thursday night I had made up my mind to accept the offer. So at least my wife got to sleep with a millionaire for the night, anyway."

—

Joe Paterno on turning down a $1 million contract to become head coach and general manager of the New England Patriots.

Newsweek  January 22, 1973



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Frazier insists he’s ready to tackle anyone.  What about Clay [Ali]?  ‘If Muhammad comes back,’ Frazier says reverently, ‘I’ll be here waiting for him.’ Newsweek  July 31, 1967 And so he did on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden, winning a unanimous decision over his great nemesis Muhammad Ali after 15 rounds of devastating, patented left hooks.    Joe William Frazier 1944-2011 Photo: AP

Frazier insists he’s ready to tackle anyone.  What about Clay [Ali]?  ‘If Muhammad comes back,’ Frazier says reverently, ‘I’ll be here waiting for him.’

Newsweek  July 31, 1967

And so he did on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden, winning a unanimous decision over his great nemesis Muhammad Ali after 15 rounds of devastating, patented left hooks.    Joe William Frazier 1944-2011

Photo: AP



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On November 7, 1991 Magic Johnson announced he was HIV-positive and  retired immediately. Click here for more.

It was an event that evoked the old Kennedy assassination question: where were you when you heard the news? Word that Magic Johnson had tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, whipped around the country last Thursday like a palm-stinging Magic Johnson pass. The stages of grief in America now move quickly, it seems, from denial to CNN. A few hours after the first news leak, the 32-year-old superstar appeared at a televised press conference, saying, “Because of the HIV virus I have obtained, I will have to announce my retirement from the Lakers today.” He admitted having been “naive” about AIDS and added, “Here I am saying it can happen to anybody, even me, Magic Johnson.”

Newsweek November 18, 1991



aids basketball hiv magic johnson sports 1990's

Ruffian Tragedy Part II The blow came with such sickening suddenness that it took several gasping moments to absorb its impact - and its cruel lesson in the fragility of thoroughbred racehorses and of the dreams built around them.  At one point last week, the magnificent filly Ruffian was the flamelike fulfillment of generations of planning and dreaming: a huge, nearly black three-year-old with rippling muscles and those rare champion’s eyes that seemed to know that she couldn’t be beaten or even seriously challenged.  Then, as she raced alongside the colt Foolish Pleasure in an eargerly awaited, nationally televised match race at New York’s Belmont Park, Ruffian thrust her 1,125-pound body forward onto her delicate thoroughbred legs for the final graceful time… Read on Newsweek July 21 1975

Ruffian Tragedy Part II

The blow came with such sickening suddenness that it took several gasping moments to absorb its impact - and its cruel lesson in the fragility of thoroughbred racehorses and of the dreams built around them.  At one point last week, the magnificent filly Ruffian was the flamelike fulfillment of generations of planning and dreaming: a huge, nearly black three-year-old with rippling muscles and those rare champion’s eyes that seemed to know that she couldn’t be beaten or even seriously challenged.  Then, as she raced alongside the colt Foolish Pleasure in an eargerly awaited, nationally televised match race at New York’s Belmont Park, Ruffian thrust her 1,125-pound body forward onto her delicate thoroughbred legs for the final graceful time… Read on

Newsweek July 21 1975



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