Consider it a mini-trend in this column thus far for the new year. We kicked off ’09 covering a project outside the spotmaking world that is near and dear to director/editor Larry Bridges of Red Car–a series of video conversations with leading authors as part of the National Endowment of the Arts’ Big Read initiative (SHOOT, 1/30).
This time around we explore a project that director Danny Levinson of Moxie Pictures describes as being “close to my heart”–Uneven Fairways, a documentary that he wrote and directed, and which recently debuted on The Golf Channel with repeat airings scheduled. Pete McDaniel (who is author of the book Uneven Lies) was a co-writer of the documentary which tells the story of African-American golfers who were not allowed to compete in PGA tournaments so they went off on their own and formed the United Golfers Association with competitions on mostly tattered municipal courses. Sponsorships were non-existent, there was little or no prize money yet these players, mostly men but some women as well, golfed for the love of the game.
In many respects there are parallels to baseball’s now legendary Negro Leagues, particularly in terms of many of the players having the talent to compete at the highest professional level but not permitted to do so because of their skin color.
Levinson interviews many of the forgotten African-American pioneers of the game, as well as today’s greatest star, Tiger Woods, who credits his very career to the players who proceeded him by decades, including Charlie Sifford, James Black, Pete Brown, Charles Owens and untold others.
Woods observed that if not for them, his father would likely have not had access to the game, meaning that Tiger in turn would never have gravitated towards golf.
Uneven Fairways not only interviews these unsung sports heroes but captures stories of others who helped to break the color barrier on the links, including California Attorney General Stanley Mosk who played with Sifford at the Hillcrest Country Club. Mosk saw Sifford’s talent and said that if the golfer played that well at an upcoming PGA tourney at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles, he’d have a chance to win.
Sifford informed Mosk that the PGA has a Caucasian-only rule which prohibited him from competing. Mosk contacted the PGA and said if they continued to enforce that rule, they would have to move the tournament out of the state. At first the PGA planned to do just that but the public attention brought the NAACP and others into the fray. Sifford got to compete in the California tournament and holds the distinction of being the first African-American to receive a Tour Card. He became known as the “Jackie Robinson of golf.”
Moxie Pictures produced Uneven Fairways, which was executive produced by The Golf Channel.
From a business standpoint, said Levinson, the project also represents a bit of a breakthrough as commercial production houses look to diversify. Moxie and The Golf Channel are sharing revenue, partnering on distribution and can feel gratified about shining the spotlight on an important, otherwise overlooked part of civil rights history.
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More