The pioneer in Augusta that Tiger Woods exists for

The pioneer in Augusta that Tiger Woods exists for

The four days of April 1997 that marked a before and after for golf would never have been such if it had not been for a barely recognized figure. For Tiger Woods to win the Augusta Masters 25 years ago there had to be someone who broke racial barriers first. The shock of seeing a black golfer in 1975 play the Masters, an openly racist and exclusionary tournament for so many years, stirred consciences and opened a path to openness that has not yet reached other spaces in society. The name of that golferwho died last November at the age of 87, was Lee Elder, and his story of overcoming deserve to be narrated.



At nine years old, he and

his nine brothers

are orphaned

At the age of 12 he moved

to Los Angeles with her aunt,

where do you start working

as a caddy

Clifford Roberts founded that

same year the Masters of

Augusta and leave this sentence:

1649336584 164 The pioneer in Augusta that Tiger Woods exists for

At nine years old, he and

his nine brothers

are orphaned

At the age of 12 he moved

to Los Angeles with her aunt,

where do you start working

as a caddy

Clifford Roberts founded that

same year the Masters of

Augusta and leave this sentence:

1649336584 696 The pioneer in Augusta that Tiger Woods exists for

At nine years old, he and his nine

siblings are orphaned

At the age of 12, he moved to Los Angeles.

with his aunt, where he begins to work

as a caddy

That same year Clifford Roberts founded the Masters of

Augusta and leave this sentence:

Lee Elder’s life up to that Augusta Masters was full of obstacles. It was a fight for survival and against racial prejudice so entrenched in the American community. He started golf like so many other players from humble families did. He caddyed at a Los Angeles club and that allowed him to get in touch with the game.



1649336584 523 The pioneer in Augusta that Tiger Woods exists for

Elder builds his game while watching customers play and plays when he can. After playing a match against the boxer

joe louisLouis’s golf instructor, Ted Rhodes, he takes Elder under his wing for three years. A great boost for his career.

He is recruited in 1959 and sent to Fort Lewis, Washington, under the command of Colonel John Gleaser, a golf fan.

This assigns him to a special services unit that allows him to continue playing.

In 1961 he joined the United Station Golf Association (UGA) for black players.

The PGA only accepted Caucasian members.

1649336584 783 The pioneer in Augusta that Tiger Woods exists for

Elder builds his game while watching customers play and plays when he can. After playing a match against the boxer

joe louisLouis’s golf instructor, Ted Rhodes, he takes Elder under his wing for three years. A great boost for his career.

He is recruited in 1959 and sent to Fort Lewis, Washington, under the command of Colonel John Gleaser, a golf fan.

This assigns him to a special services unit that allows him to continue playing.

In 1961 he joined the United Station Golf Association (UGA) for black players.

The PGA only accepted Caucasian members.

1649336584 373 The pioneer in Augusta that Tiger Woods exists for

Elder develops his game while watching the players play.

customers and play when you can. after playing a game

against the boxer joe louisthe golf instructor of

louis, ted rhodestakes Elder under his wing

for three years. A great boost for his career.

He is recruited in 1959 and sent to Fort Lewis, Washington,

under the command of Colonel John Gleaser, a golf fan.

This assigns him to a special services unit that

allows you to continue playing.

In 1961 he joined the United Station Golf Association (UGA)

for black players. The PGA only accepted members

Caucasian.

Elder had to face a context of great social division and He suffered various episodes of discrimination during his sports career. From blatant insults to acts of sabotage when playing. The racist stain reached the United States and that breeding ground activated the African-American reaction in all areas of society. Elder’s contribution to his sport paved the way for change.



1649336584 1 The pioneer in Augusta that Tiger Woods exists for

Separated but equal “Separated but Equal”

Since the states could not eliminate the rights of blacks guaranteed in the constitution, “segregation” is used instead.

Removed from the statutes the obligation that

the caddies are colored

Black Power movement emerges, African-American activism against racism

The PGA breaks its color barrier, for the first time not

only whites could become members

Elder enters the circuit

American

At the Mexico Games, two black athletes, Tommie Smith and Jonh Carlos

they raise their fists with black gloves on the podium; by his side peter norman

listen to the US anthem without moving a muscle

Black Power move ending

Win the Monsanto Open, which opens the doors

of Augusta

First black golfer at the Masters

He receives death threats and has to rent

two houses, continuously moving from one to another

The ball disappears after the first hit, stolen by

fans who don’t like to watch him play

In some Elder clubs you must change at the

car, since they do not let him enter the locker room

During the trip to Augusta, he has to avoid areas where racism endangers his safety.

Always travel by day and accompanied.

Black partners allowed

TIGER Woods wins with a white caddy

1649336584 974 The pioneer in Augusta that Tiger Woods exists for

Separated but equal “Separated but Equal”

Since the states could not eliminate the rights of blacks guaranteed in the constitution, “segregation” is used instead.

Removed from the statutes the obligation that

the caddies are colored

Black Power movement emerges, African-American activism against racism

The PGA breaks its color barrier, for the first time not

only whites could become members

Elder enters the circuit

American

At the Mexico Games, two black athletes, Tommie Smith and Jonh Carlos

they raise their fists with black gloves on the podium; by his side peter norman

listen to the US anthem without moving a muscle

Black Power move ending

Win the Monsanto Open, which opens the doors

of Augusta

First black golfer at the Masters

He receives death threats and has to rent

two houses, continuously moving from one to another

The ball disappears after the first hit, stolen by

fans who don’t like to watch him play

In some Elder clubs you must change at the

car, since they do not let him enter the locker room

During the trip to Augusta, he has to avoid areas where racism endangers his safety.

Always travel by day and accompanied.

Black partners allowed

TIGER Woods wins with a white caddy

1649336584 220 The pioneer in Augusta that Tiger Woods exists for

Separated but equal “Separated but Equal”

Since the states could not eliminate the rights of blacks

guaranteed in the constitution, “segregation” is used instead.

Removed from the statutes

obligation that the caddies

be colored

The Black Power movement emerges,

african american activism

against racism

The PGA breaks its color barrier

Elder enters the circuit

American

At the Mexico Games, two black athletes,

Tommie Smith and John Carlos raise their fists with

black glove; next to him Peter Norman listens

the US anthem without moving a muscle

Black Power move ending

Win the Monsanto Open, which opens the doors

of Augusta

elder first golfer

black in the Masters

The ball disappears after

the first strike, stolen

by fans to whom

they don’t like to watch him play

He receives death threats and has to rent

two houses, continuously moving from one to another

During the trip to Augusta, you have to avoid areas

where racism endangers their safety.

Always travel by day and accompanied.

allowed to admit

black partners

TIGER Woods wins with a white caddy

Elder’s participation in that Augusta Masters transcended the boundaries of the sport. It was very difficult for him to play and concentrate. Every appearance in tee he had rigged the buzz around him. He did not make the cut, although over time the fact of his participation is valued more than what happened in the field. But Elder was also a good golfer, as his career has shown. “I don’t want to be remembered just for this. I want to be remembered, if I am remembered, for being a good golfer,” he said in 2019.

Augusta’s racism, which still lives on in many layers of society, was at least stigmatized after Elder’s time in the tournament. Little by little the tournament left behind other barbaric customs that shudder just to be read. Until 1983 Augusta did not allow golfers to bring their own caddies and they all had to be black, they did not admit black members until 1990 and they did not accept women members until 2012. Elder’s contribution was decisive at the time and recognized by Augusta shortly before her death with a tribute in the tee from 1, along with Nicklaus. “This belongs to all of us,” Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer of all time, wrote on social media that day. For Tiger to exist, Elder had to do it first. “Which big would you like to win?” Tiger was asked when he was a kid. “The Augusta Masters because of how black people have been treated there.” He won it five times. He just entered the Hall of Fame and his speech during the ceremony is the testimony of something that should never have happened and that, unfortunately, still happens too many times. Despite Tiger… and Lee Elder.

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