All-Star boycott has precedent

I always get a kick out of people who express outrage that they might find so-called political or social content in a sports section. As if this were 1950, when hard news was separated from fun and games with something akin to a journalistic anti-immigration fence. As if the real world didn't always encroach upon sports coverage anyway, from Jack Johnson to Jackie Robinson, from Curt Flood to Muhammad Ali, from a black power salute at the 1968 Summer Olympics to a terrorist attack on the 1972 Games to the multinational boycotts of the 1980 and '84 Summer Games, from Babe Didrikson to Billie Jean King to Janet Guthrie and beyond.

Maybe you've heard there are human rights groups trying to pressure Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig to move next year's All-Star Game out of Phoenix as a symbolic protest over Arizona's draconian anti-immigration law. Maybe you've read that Selig has ignored such calls for activism, or even discussion.

Allow a brief history lesson.

Following the 1964 season, the American Football League All-Star Game was to be played on Jan. 16, 1965, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. At the time, New Orleans didn't have a team in any major professional sport, but some of its bigwigs were publicly pining for pro football. Up to that point, the AFL's previous three all-star games had been played in San Diego, which caused nobody to make a stir.

But six days before the game, when the African American AFL All-Stars were refused taxi service from the New Orleans airport, among other indignities, they voted to boycott the game. Among those black all-stars were two Oakland Raiders: wide receiver Art Powell and running back Clem Daniels, and two future Raiders — defensive backs Dave Grayson of the Kansas City Chiefs and Willie Brown of the Denver Broncos.

San Diego Chargers offensive lineman Ron Mix, one of the white All-Stars, tried to talk them out of it, not because he thought they didn't have just cause but because he thought it would be a stronger statement to stay and publicize New Orleans' racism, to embarrass the city into joining the civil rights era, to in fact obey the Civil Rights Act of 1964. When he failed to persuade them, Mix, a future NFL Hall of Famer, supported the boycott. As did another white all-star, Buffalo Bills quarterback Jack Kemp, a future Republican congressman and vice presidential nominee. All the white players followed, uniting with their black brethren.

Joe Foss, the AFL commissioner and a World War II fighter pilot, was quick to act — not in a reactionary or defensive way but in a progressive way. He went on record as understanding the grievances of the black all-stars, then quickly and efficiently moved the game to Houston.

Commercially and competitively, the game wasn't much. With short notice, fewer than 16,000 fans showed up to see the West rout the East, 38-14.

But make no mistake. The boycott was a milestone, and the AFL All-Stars gave notice that professional athletes could peacefully but actively respond to society's injustices.

Yes, the 1965 AFL All-Star Game and the 2011 MLB All-Star Game are apples and oranges. There's a lot more money, a lot more social-cause apathy today among professional athletes, compared to 45 years ago. And certainly nobody will refuse any of the baseball all-stars cab service or any other service next summer in Phoenix.

Still, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has said he wouldn't participate in the 2011 All-Star Game if it remains in Arizona. And the players union has condemned Arizona's new law. So, it's refreshing to see such fearless public stands being taken in the name of human dignity. It's disappointing, though, that more big-league players, especially among the large numbers of Latinos, remain silent thus far.

Maybe all they need is inspiration. Maybe the inspiration can come from the knowledge that an all-star game boycott has precedent.

Robert Rubino can be reached at robert.rubino@pressdemocrat.com or 521-5261.