‘The Jackie Robinson of golf’: the forgotten story of Black pioneer Ted Rhodes
Summary
Ted Rhodes was a pioneering Black golfer who competed at a high level despite widespread racial segregation. A new book by Dan Taylor highlights Rhodes’s role in breaking golf’s color barrier and his influence on later Black golfers like Lee Elder and Tiger Woods.Key Facts
- Ted Rhodes was the first Black player in the modern era of the 1948 US Open.
- He finished the first round of that tournament just three shots behind the winner, Ben Hogan.
- Rhodes faced racial segregation in golf, including a PGA policy that limited membership to white players until 1962.
- Rhodes was part of a 1948 lawsuit challenging the PGA’s racial restrictions.
- PGA tournaments became “invitational” after the lawsuit, which maintained racial exclusion through membership rules.
- Rhodes taught golf to notable figures such as boxing champion Joe Louis and tennis star Althea Gibson.
- Sports historian Dan Taylor wrote a book about Rhodes, emphasizing his impact and struggle against racism in golf.
- Tiger Woods honored Rhodes and other Black golf pioneers in his 1997 Masters victory speech.
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