Trailblazer Lee Elder, first Black man to compete in Masters, dies at 87

Posted Dec 1, 2021
Lee Elder, a golf pioneer who in 1975 became the first Black man to compete at the Masters, has died at age 87. Augusta National was one of the last racial barriers left in sports, and when Elder broke it in 1975 at age 40, the hatred he faced for simply showing up and playing was intense. He received tons of hate mail, with some letters threatening his life. (Yahoo! Sports)

Related: Other News

Val Ackerman retires: Big East commish caps one of most important executive careers in hoops history
The Big East was on the brink of power-conference dissolution. If one person was going to save it, Val Ackerman would be that protagonist. The...
Wed Apr 22, 2026

Inside Louisville’s Relentless Push to Keep Pace Amid College Sports’ Spending Spree
Louisville sits in the crosshairs of a financial conundrum as much as any school. Blessed with ACC affiliation and revenue but burdened by competing against...
Wed Apr 22, 2026

Florida State names Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels its starting QB
Ashton Daniels has been named Florida State’s starting quarterback. The school said Tuesday that the former Auburn Tigers and Stanford Cardinal QB would be the...
Tue Apr 21, 2026

Billy Donovan steps down as Chicago Bulls head coach on last day of college transfer portal
Billy Donovan has decided to step down as coach of the Chicago Bulls after six seasons. The Bulls announced Donovan's decision Tuesday, saying they wanted...
Tue Apr 21, 2026