Wednesday, February 17, 2021 | General, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — It actually began as "Negro History Week."
The year was 1915, one half century after Abraham Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment. Historian Carter G. Woodson, the son of slaves freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, with a master's degree from the University of Chicago, Ph.D. from Harvard and on his way to becoming an icon on the campus of Howard University, chose the second week in February to commemorate and promote achievements of Black Americans and those of African descent because it coincided with the birthdays of both Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
The balance of the 20th century delivered a parade of pioneers in the world of sports. Men and women — Jesse Owens, Fritz Pollard, Jackie Robinson, Charlie Sifford, Althea Gibson, Bill Russell, Wilma Rudolph, Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ashe, to name a few — that excelled in the athletic arenas in the face of unfathomable adversity outside of it.
All because they were among the first to have the opportunity.
The University of Florida, of course, had its trailblazers, as well. On Sept. 15, 1958, George H. Starke Jr., became the first African-American to attend classes at UF. It would be 11 more years before Willie Jackson and Leonard George famously became the first Black players to represent the Gators on the football field. Jackson, from Sarasota, was the first to play in a game, while George, from Tampa, was the first to be signed to a football scholarship.
They heard jeers. They heard threats. Road trips were particularly difficult, yet they were undeterred, on and off the field, and paved the way for those to follow.
Top: George Starke Jr. becomes the first Black student enrolled at the University of Florida (1958).
Bottom: Leonard George (left) and Willie Jackson (right) were the first Black football players at UF (1969).
In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized February as Black History Month and called on the nation to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history." That was 44 years before the events of 2020 gave rise to a national awakening on the issues of social justice.
At the University Athletic Association, it gave rise to the Black Student Athlete Council, which meets weekly to discuss prominent issues within the intersection of race and collegiate athletics. Perhaps the names in the chart below — the Black trailblazers in each UF sport — will be a topic of discussion during Black History Month.
And gratitude.
On Thursday, as part of the organization's "Listen, Learn & Act Initiative," the UAA will host a webinar featuring George and a handful of others who were witness (and participants) to the era of college football when the color barrier was broken. The program will be posted on FloridaGators.com for viewing at a later date. As part of the run-up to that presentation, and in salute of Black History Month, here's a list of the pioneers in each of UF's sports.
CHARTING THE GATORS
These Black student-athletes were trailblazers for the Gators in their respective sports.
Jim Watkins (28), racing to first above in a game against Miami, still ranks second in UF history in career stolen bases and fifth in average.
Baseball
Jim Watkins (1978-79)
First Black baseball player at UF. 2-time All-SEC outfielder, No. 2 in career stolen bases (65, including 37 in '79), No. 5 in career batting average (.362).
Men's Basketball
Steve Williams (1970-74)
Averaged 8.0 pts, 5.2 rebs in 74 career games; 1973-74 co-captain.
Malcom Meeks (1970-72)
Played in 8 career games.
Women's Basketball
Peggy Brookins (1974-78)
Played on first Lady Gators hoops team; UF Alumni Hall of Fame.
Emma Gracey (1974-77)
Men's Cross Country
Johnnie Brown (1968)
First African-American at UF to compete collegiately in the fall of 1968.
Football
Leonard George (1969-72)
Played sparingly as a defensive back in '70-71 seasons. Graduated in 1974 and earned a Law Degree in 1980
Willie Jackson (1969-72)
75 receptions, 1,167 yards, 8 TDs during career, plus 1,248 yards on returns.
Pam Titus in 1991
Men's Golf
Will Sprague (1995-97)
Was a member of the Florida team who recorded a top-10 finish in the 1997 NCAA Championships.
Women's Golf
Tanja Arnold (1998-99)
Led the Gators in stroke average for the season (78.21) while recording three top-10 finishes during the 1999 spring season. Was only the fourth women's golfer to card a 67 in school history.
Gymnastics
Pam Titus (1988-91)
1989 SEC co-floor champ, 3-time All American, first collegiate gymnast to earn a 10.0 for floor exercise.
Lacrosse
Aniya Flanagan (2015-18)
Member of four Big East championship teams, 2016 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar First team, team captain in 2018.
Soccer
Kelly Maher (1995-98)
Member of Florida's first four soccer teams (28 starts), including '98 NCAA title team and '96-98 SEC title teams. Play limited after sophomore season due to injuries.
Softball
Tiffany Johnson (1997)
22 stolen bases (on 22 attempts) in 43 games in lone season; also on 4x100 relay team that was 5th at SEC Championships.
Ashley Boone (1998-2001)
UF first 3-time All-SEC selection; career .320 hitter, still holds program record for career doubles with 59 (tied with Amanda Lorenz).
Men's Swimming
Anthony Nesty(1989-92)
Two-time Olympian and gold medal winner at '88 Olympics for native country of Suriname. Six-time NCAA Champion and after long stint as assistant coach now serves as the Gators head coach for the men's program.
Women's Swimming
Leah Martindale (1998-02)
Two-time Olympian who set school records in the 50-yard free, 100-yard free and 100-yard fly. 12-time All-American. Served as assistant coach for Gators and is now the head coach at Tulane.
Men's Tennis
Chris Lawson (1985)
Walk-on for first year men's Coach Steve Beeland whose squad went 16-11
Jillian Alexander was a four-time All American and teamed with Nicole Arendt to capture the NCAA doubles championship in 1991.
Women's Tennis
Jillian Alexander (1989-91)
NCAA doubles champion (with Nicole Arendt) in '91, 4-time All American (twice singles, twice doubles)
Men's Track and Field
Ron Coleman (1969-72)
First Black scholarship athlete in UF history. Six-time SEC champion. (Indoor in the long jump '69-70, triple jump in '70 and 72, outdoor in triple jump '70 and '72.
Women's Track and Field
Sulmarie Duncan (1972-73)
Sherry Jenkins (1972-73)
Cherrieta Prince (1972-73)
Duncan, Jenkins and Prince not only were the first Black athletes to compete on the women's track and field team, but they were also part of the first wave of women athletics at UF. These trailblazers competed on Florida's first women's track and field team led by coach Janice Thompson in 1973.
Volleyball
Jerelene Cummings (1984)
Two-sport athlete for the Gators, also competed for the track and field team … 6'0 middle blocker from Decatur, Illinois … Recorded 89 kills and helped guide the Gators to 16 wins in their inaugural season.
