While growing up in the lovely Greater Boston area, I had the displeasure of reading newspaper accounts of Cambridge Rindge & Latin’s standout C Patrick Ewing being taunted by rival fans with signs proclaiming “Patrick Can’t Read”.
To this day, no one has been able to explain to me how this was funny on any level. Much as I’m wondering how much courage was required to run a photograph of Mike Tyson underneath the headline “Tyson Most Likely Celeb Who Can’t Read”.
perhaps my first introduction to racism was at high school tourney game in 80 or 81 where rindge & latin beat andover high. suburban douchebag kids made simian noises whenever ewing got the ball. left a bad taste in my mouth.
Mine was the vicious verbal abuse, racial epiteths and small projectiles hurled towards Richie Allen at Phillies games circa 1967-8 at Connie Mack Stadium. I was very young and would get very upset and confused as I thought Richie and his mammoth HRs were the bomb and I couldnt understand why the big kids adults all hated him so much.
I have never witnessed anything like this in my life and am puzzled where this really occurs. The football hero on my high school team was Korean- The Deadly Ed Lee!