Bill Bradley: Citizen-Athlete

This is a passage about one of the first basketball players to ever set foot on a basketball court. He was a great hero during the Civil Rights Movement.

Bo Jackson, a man with god-given abilities and athleticism like the world had never seen before, captivated the world of sports into a state of awe in the late 80’s and early 90’s. “In 1989, Nike built a campaign with a series of commercials centered on Jackson’s athletic versatility—“Bo knows football. Bo knows baseball. Bo knows basketball. Bo knows tennis.” One after one, the greats of each sport attested to Jackson’s God-given, all-around athletic prowess” (Ellis). Nike’s campaign exemplified Bo Jackson’s un-earthly athletic ability, and propelled him into being the most well-known athlete on the planet. Bo became this figure of myth through a life structured on him working hard for his family and having the right people around him and at the right times to see him and expose him to the world stage. Bo broke records in high school, college, and beyond en route to becoming an athlete the world could never possibly forget. Bo Jackson is the most mesmerizing athlete of

As Jackie Robinson once said “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives”. There is no doubt that Jackie Robinson has been one of most impactful baseball players to ever play the sport. For reasons such as pushing himself to reach his goals, facing many hardships, and being the first African American to play in the MLB, he has shown perseverance and been a role model to everyone.

Baseball is one of the most well-known sports to the American people and has a major impact on our culture. Baseball brings friends and family together for great times, and competitiveness. Who would have thought that one man made baseball what is today, and that man is Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play in the major leagues and at the time, it shocked America because there were still some segregation issues going on at the time. Jackie Robinson had one goal, and that was to show America that African Americans can play the game of baseball just as good and that they should not be judged by the color of their skin. He stood up for what he believed in even though he knew the risk and the problems that may

When most people think about Michael Jordan, they think about him as the greatest basketball player who ever played. However, Jordan was not only a basketball player, but someone who influenced the American culture and society. Jordan’s influence was one that had never been seen before. Whether it was through basketball or his own brand, Jordan was making everyone want “to be like Mike”. Through Michael Jordan’s athletic success on the court, he was able to make himself and his brand into a cultural icon, which had a great impact on the game of basketball, fashion, marketing, and the economy in America.

The screaming cuss-words coming from the stands while the civil rights leader Jackie Robinson is on the baseball diamond was what they thought was the right thing to do at the moment. But, what the fans didn't realize was that they were criticizing one of the best baseball players to play the game.

“I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me… all I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”-Jackie Robinson (Lorber) Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson change the world in many different ways. Jackie wasn’t just any baseball player he was also a civil rights leader. Jackie Robinson showed his perseverance by being the first ever African American baseball player by doing that he showed courage and perseverance.

An icon is a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of something. This man was not only an Icon in baseball, but a civil rights leader, a father of three, and a role model for all young adults. Jackie Robinson was a small town boy who had big-time dreams. He was from a small city in Georgia and always had outstanding athletic abilities. Not only was Jackie a baseball player, but he also played a major role in breaking the color barrier. Jackie Robinson has lived a successful life due to his determination to break color barriers, his determination to prove people wrong, and his outstanding athletic abilities.

Jackie Robinson is remembered as the African american that broke the color barrier for the Major League Baseball. Many words can be used to describe him, such as hero, powerful, stupid, anything of that sort, not all good, but not all bad. Keeping a cool head was key to his success, dealing with many racist names that he was called as he stepped up to the plate. With pitchers aiming at his head, he still became a very accomplished athlete in as many fields imaginable. Jackie didn’t pay attention to what people thought or said about him, just knowing he was going to get on base the next pitch.

Football and baseball super star Bo Jackson, had a life that was anything but ordinary. As a young man, he had an almost super human strength to him that no one else had seen before on a kid. He excelled in multiple sports because of his strength and speed, but where he really shined was baseball and football. Bo ended up being one of the best known American athletes because of his capability of great strength, humility, and national heroism.

Jackie Robinson not only made impacts on the field that were monumental, but he made impacts off the field that were equally as important. Jackie helped presidents get elected, get kids off the streets and into the most prestigious schools there is, and most importantly he broke the black color barrier in baseball. Jackie Robinson is one of the most influential people to ever live, he did things that people would dream about, he stood up for what he believed.

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” (Jackie Robinson).

American basketball star Michael Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. Jordan left college after his junior year to join the NBA. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he helped the team make it to the playoffs. For his efforts there, Jordan received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. With five regular-season MVPs and three All-Star MVPs, Jordan became the most decorated player in the NBA. The effect of Jordan’s game was so profound that the league changed its rules to make the games more enjoyable. This translated in outlawing defensive contact when a player is in the perimeter, which in turn allowed players to relentlessly attack the lane and score on spectacular layups or dunks in a manner similar to what Jordan popularized.

Struggle; segregation; hard work; a few of many words that reverberate throughout your head when you think of, Oscar Palmer Robertson. Perhaps the most significant, valuable, and crucial word that comes to mind though, basketball.The “ How good is Oscar Robertson?” Red Auerbach - a highly respected NBA coach for many years- once said, “He is so good he scares me.” His sheer talent and dedication got him to the National Basketball Association (NBA), but his, hard work and will to win kept him there. He was a marvelous player, and an even more spectacular person. He journeyed through life before, after, and during his NBA career, with a smile and determined look. Oscar, is truly an inspiration.

Another type of stereotyping that mentioned by Hartmann is the beliefs of excellent performance in sports are “inversely associated with intellectual and/or moral excellence” (Hartmann 237). People beliefs often build up by what they saw and heard. Thus, by looking at African American excellence in sports fields, this gives them the stereotype that this excellence produced are due to the lack of other area in which mentioned by Hartmann, the intellectual and/or moral excellence. This is what that gives them the impressions that black athletes are actually brute and savages with no moral and stupid to top it all. In the primary source, the black athletes actually denied this kind of stereotype. In the “Remember the Titans” movie trailer, it