Menu

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


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:

David Teel: Jim Phillips’ competitive fire burns at ACC Kickoff
In the increasingly transactional world of college athletics, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips remains incurably, unapologetically and, most important, genuinely relational. Conversations begin, and close, with...

Darian Mensah unfazed by critics after controversial move from Duke to Miami: 'Why would I worry?'
The ACC kicked off its three-day football media days with a banger: its most talented team and reigning national championship runner-up, Miami, parading the league's...

'North Wilkesboro is back': What return of NASCAR points race means to family of track's founder
For the first time in 30 years, a points race is back at North Wilkesboro Speedway — this weekend's Window World 450. Fans are ecstatic...

ACC looks to corporate sponsorships as a way to boost the bottom line of league revenue
Jim Phillips has spent his five-plus-year tenure as Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner trying to generate more revenue for a league facing financial pressures even with...

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