Diversity In Sport.

When you take a look a sports, there are many great awards for achievments on the field. But none deserve bigger accolades then the people who broke the colour barrier in their respective sports.

1. Jackie Robinson, Baseball
On April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers as the first African American to ever take the field in a MLB baseball game. There had be a "negro" league were all the black players played, but previous to Robinson, since 1880, a black man never appeared in the MLB until then. A sad commentary on racism in America, that in 67 years of pro baseball, at a time when in was "America's Game" black people where not allowed to play.

Notable Black Baseball Players. Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano

2. Willie O'Ree, Hockey
 The Fredricton, New Brunswick native was the first ever black man to take part in a NHL game for the Boston Bruins on January 18, 1958. Things were not easy for him when he first started, in one article, he talks about how people would yell slanderous things such as, go back to the south, or shouldn't you be picking cotton? He noted that the two Canadian cities the NHL played in at the time, Toronto and Montreal were much less vigilant towards O'Ree.


Notable Black Hockey Players-Jarome Iginla, Wayne Simmonds.

3. Charles Follis, Football

In a time long before the NFL was formed, 1902, to be specific, the first black man to take part in a professional football game was Charles Follis. Football was obviously less discriminatory then other sports, almost 50 years before African Americans were allowed in other leagues, they we're playing football. Interesting to note, that for the first 2 professional seasons of Follis' career he was not payed, an extension on slave labor. Now African Americans are extremely prevelant in football, there would Certainly be no NFL with them

Notable Black Football Players-Adrian Peterson, Chad Ochocinco
4.  Earl Lloyd, Basketball

It's hard to think that there was a time without african americans in basketball, but alas, there was one. On halloween 1950, Lloyd broke the colour barrier, in the NBA. He was technically the first, four days later Nat Clifton made his debut, obviously a huge year for black people and basketball. He won the NBA champisonship in 1955, and was inducted into the basketball hall of fame as a contributator.

Notable Black Basketball Players- Lebron James, Kobe Bryant.

All four of the major sports have huge African stars, but perhaps none of it would have been possible if it wasn't for their brave trailblazing seniors that broke the colour barrier in their resptive sports.