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The Augusta News - Review December 29,1984
The Sports Column
Injuries turn athlethes
into mortals
To professional athletes it is the
devil itself, rearing its ugly head at
the most inopportune of times.
Players keep the thought out of
their heads during a game, as if
merely thinking about it would
bring calamity. They ignore ailing
teammates for fear the wound it
self may be catching. They are all
too aware that owners, general
managers and eoaches have a
propensity for wasting little time in
discounting one’s market value.
Injuries threaten livelihoods and
destroy dreams. They make for
such sports cliches as “might have
been” and “if only he had stayed
healthy.” Athletes are forever
reminded of the Herb Scores and
Pete Reisers, Gale Sayerses and
Darryl Stingleys, Bill Waltons and
Maurice Stokeses, whose careers
were shattered by combat injuries.
Injuries turn athletes into mere
mortals. Take 7UP Super Star
Earvin “Magic” Johnson, for in
stance. The high-flying guard for
the Los Angeles Lakers, the man
with the bigger-than-life smile and
the hefty bag of tricks, had always
been too busy performing his
magic acts to worry about injuries.
At everett High School in Lan
sing, Michigan, at Michigan State
University and with the Lakers,
during’ his rookie year, all Magic
had to worry about was winning,
which he never failed to accom
plish.
Most Valuable Player in the'
1980 National Basketball
Association playoffs, everybody’s
Rookie-of-the-Year, and the glue
that put back together one of the
league’s strongest teams, Magic
was on top of the world. Then, on
November 11,1980, it almost came
apart for him when Atlanta’s 7’2”
Tom Burleson fell across the back
of Magic’s knee. The extent of the
injury, not known until a week
later, had a devastating effect both
on Johnson and the team.
The Lakers immediately went in
to a tailspin,, losing five of their
next eight games. For Magic, it
was even worse.
“It made me realize that as fast
as you can climb to the top, you
can also come tumbling down,” he
said. “First they take the ball away
from you, which is bad, but not as
bad as not being around the guys
any more. My life is basketball
and being with the team, singing
on the bus, jiving with the guys,
and suddenly it was all taken
away.”
As far as injuries go, Magic’s
was relatively minor. A small
piece of cartilage had to be
surgically removed from his knee.
He would be out of action for
almost four months, miss 45
games, merely a summer holiday
when compared with the long road
back athletes such as Mickey Man
tle, Tommy John and Joe Namath
and had to travel.
“I had to work hard not to let
the injury depress me, which was
difficult considering I had always
been healthy,” Magic said. “As
soon as the cast came off my knee,
I started to work hard on getting it
back into shape. Fortunately, I
was able to begin practicing with
the team by the beginning of
South Africa
From Page 4
Time will tell, but 1 am convin
ced his weak verbal attack against
South Africa’s government maybe
only a one-time thing; that it was
in timid response to our protests
for strong, definitive action to be
taken against that intransigent
outlaw government.
The truth of the matter is that
Reagan handles the South Africa
affair like a kindly uncle attem
pting to settle a minor family
Suabble. This is because, like such
an uncle, he feels a kinship with
the South African ruling clique
and does not want to create any ill
will while lightly slapping its
wrists.
The Reagan administration and
the South African government can
continue to pretend that our
protests against apartheid are
producing only “negative results”,
but they are not fooling
anyone—least of all themselves.
Our protests, joined with those
of our Black brothers and sisters
within South Africa, are beginning
to clamp the white minority in a
vise from which there is no escape.
Just as surely as the Black majority
turned Rhodesia into Zimbabwe a
few years ago, a similar day of
reckoning will come to South
Africa.
February, which made things a lot
easier.”
Next, there were endless
questions from the press. In every
city the Lakers hit that month,
Magic was asked over and over
again about the knee, about the
team’s ability to readjust, about
player resentment to all the atten
tion paid to him. He handled it
well, stressing that the Lakers had
done just fine without him—2B
wins, 17 losses during the Magic
less stretch—and would do fine
with him back in action.
Any hopes he had of quietly
returning to the lineup were thwar
ted by the distribution of 17,505
“The Magic is Back” buttons, one
per customer, to a standing-room
only crowd at The Fortum in Los
Angeles on February 28. Magic’s
first game back had been turned
into an event.
“I was more than a little
scared,” Magic admitted. “It was
the first game of the year all over
again. I wondered how I would fit
into the tempo of the game and
whether the knee would hold up.”
He found out quickly. At 5:02
of the first period, Magic was sent
in by Coach Paul Westhead to
replace Jamaal Wilkes. Although
his shooting was rusty, he still
managed 12 points and 11 reboun
ds in 24 minutes of play. An im
portant assist and a critical
rebound by Magic near the end of
the game cemented the Lakers’
four-point victory over the New
Jersey Nets.
And the knee was fine.
Although knocked hard to the
floor in a violent collision with
Maurice Lucas in the second
period, 7UP Super Star Johnson
got up easily as if to say, “Thanks,
I needed that.”
He knew he was back.
Black unrest in
South Africa
New York,—An emerging
young, well-educated, politically
savvy, militant leadership among
the Black majority is becoming in
creasingly threatening to the ruling
white minority in South Africa,
threatening to further undermine
the country’s relations with the
United States.
“Unless the white regime can
make a reasonable accom
modation with the Blacks—not a
likely prospect—the U.S. may be
forced by American and inter
national public opinion to aban
don its once promising ‘construc
tive engagement’ policy toward
South Africa,” reports PARADE
magazine Contributing Editor Tad
Szulc.
In a recent Parade issue, Szulc,
who spent a month in South Africa
interviewing senior government
and opposition officials, foreign
diplomats and Black and mixed
blood leaders and activists, says he
found that the alienation between
the ruling white Afrikaaner
minority and the repressed Black
majority “is erupting into con
frontation that could grow into
widespread rebellion against the
whites, if not a full-fledged civil
war.”
Contending that apartheid, the
absolute separation of the races,
cannot survive, Szulc said that,
nevertheless, the government of
President Pieter Willem Botha
seems more determined than ever
to enforce its law and requlations,
which include the requirement that
all nonwhites live in separate areas.
Despite a new constitution that
was supposed to broaden
democracy, “We are experiencing
increasing political segregation and
the entrenchment of apartheid,”
John Kane-Berman, director of the
South African Institute of Race
Relations in Johannesburg, told
Szulc.
As a result, Szulc said, the Black
population is now convinced that
no concessions of any kind will be
made to it in the foreseeable
future. “They (the Blacks) see no
advantage in a free-enterprise
system from which they are largely
excluded,” declared Helen
Susman, a leader of South Africa’s
white opposition Progressive
Federal Party. “The young are
becoming very radicalized...and
sold on Marxist theory,” she said.
“The Blacks want a new deal,”
Szulc reported. “It is the
gathering of an awesome storm ”
Page 2
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£ 1
LIONEL RICHIE THE UNSPOILED SUPERSTAR.
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Lionel Richie
has maintained a level head about his superstardom until
now, but will his continued meteoric rise spoil him?
Lionel Richie
the unspoiled superstar
Lionel Richie, a Grammy Award
winning singer-songwriter who is
one of the hottest properties in the
entertainment world today, ex
plains how he copes with his
phenomenal succes, in the January
EBONY.
One way that the 35-year-old
Richie keeps his head on straight is
by separating himself from his
show business persons. Richie,
who considered himself somewhat
of a misfit growing up, says he still
can’t get used to all the attention
he gets today. “When people get
Child molestation
It’s o.k. to tell
In recent years, one of the more
horrendous crimes of this cento, y,
and perhaps in the history of the
world, has become commonplace.
That crime is child molestation.
For some obscure reason, this
crime has not been reported in this
community to any great degree.
Perhaps this is because of the
alleged stigma that is attached to
it. On perhaps it is because parents
feel shame at such a crime and sub
sequently discourage their children
from reporting such actions.
But it has now reached epidemic
proportions and children of all
ages are being molested and the
perpetrators are going unpunished
and the children are, in some cases,
ruined for life.
There are some things which can
and should be done when child
molestation is suspected, or when a
child reports to his or her parents
that such action is either going on,
or is imminent.
Police should be notified.
Children should be taught how to
determine when they have been
molested and the stigma which has
been attached in the past, should
be removed.
Presently, there are a number of
programs which instruct
youngsters on methods of dealing
with child molesters. Children are
also being taught not to respond to
strangers, nor accept candy and/or
other gifts from people with whom
they are not acquainted.
Parents should be leery of adults
who constantly want to “babysit”
for children and children should be
encouraged to relate any and all
details of their visits with adults.
There was a time when it was felt
that such things didn’t go on with
any degree of frequency in this
community. But it has now been
proven that this attitude is false,
Mementos to
honor Dr. King
now available
Some unique mementos
honoring Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. may now be obtained from the
International Stamp Collectors
Society. A special Martin Luther
King memorial collection of postage
stamps is being offered.
The collection includes two
complete uncancelled souvenir
sheets issued by the United Arab
Emirates, plus the 15 cent United
States stamp commemorating our
fallen leader. Those ordering these
items will also receive the U.S.
stamps which pay tribute to
President John F. Kennedy and
Robert Kennedy.
Checks or money order for
$12.95 should be sent to the Inter
national Stamp Collectors Society,
P.O. Box 854, Van Nuys, Califor
nia 91408.
all excited about me now, I start
laughing and hope this other guy
they’re all talking about hurries up
and shows up.”
Richie, an avid suupporter of
Black Colleges, also finds that by
keeping in touch with his roots he’s
able to keep things in perspective.
He maintains an apartment he had
as a college student at Tuskegee In
stitute and sits in that apartment
for hours, “making sure that when
I leave that room I have a sense of
direction.”
and that we should be as concerned
with the well-being of our
children as parents of any other
community.
While it is agreed that such per
petrators are indeed ill, and need
psychiatric help, it does not change
the fact that our children are the
victims and must carry the scars for
the rest of their lives.
Let us begin to encourage our
children to tell and save lives.
An Appeal from Anheuser-Busch:
This Christmas, give a gift
that’s unusual, educational,
different, clever, convenient,
impressive, and useful/
When you give to the United 3. Or you can supplement your per-
Negro College Fund you’re giving back sonal gift through your corporation s
to your community by helping it to grow. matching gifts program. (Be sure
Your contribution will go a long to attach your company's form to
way in helping Black colleges and the coupon below),
educating your community’s future At Anheuser-Busch, we believe
doctors, lawyers, engineers, educators, that by forging partnerships with the
artists and other professionals. United Negro College Fund and other
There are many ways you can in the minority community,
contribute to UNCF. Here we re actlve J y help,n ? to build a
/TOw/T " \ strong educational structure
1. Send a personal gift. that will help all of us
„ „ . turn dreams into reality.
2. Or you can contribute
to UNCF through /
the Budweiser spon- L MA. /
sored “Lou Rawls VKg^^B|BFu* < W Anheuser-Busch Companies
Parade of Stars’’ \ Building a future in partnership
Telethon December the community.
- - -u“ kT
I believe a mind is a terrible thing to waste. Please make check payable to the
Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution United Negro College Fund Inc.
to the United Negro College Fund in the Mail to: 500 East 62nd Street
amount of $ _ • New York, New York 10021.
I _Here’s my personal gift to UNCF. (*lt’s tax deductible!)
I plan to make my contribution through the “Lou Rawls Parade
of Stars” Telethon on December 29th. Please send me my
envelope.
_ln addition, my company will match my gift. A company form
is attached.
Ns me ——
Address
’ City - State .. __ Zip
I
u_——————————— -
On children
by Cynthia Butler
“My 14 year old daughter has a
terrible problem and I am just not
going to tolerate it. On occasions,
she dresses like Boy George and
wears karate
clothing.”
This parent
was among the
most sophisticated
and educated of
Nigerian women.
Though bed
ded in the
culture, her
mind, from time to time appeared
free.
Her fourteen year old daughter
was a student in a boarding school
in England. Many wealthy
Nigerians educate their children
abroad. Traditional education is
vital to them. There little
flexibility in that area, but at this
time, culture surpasses education;
culture dictates to .the level of
freedom of thought. There is a
specific way to feel and specific
way to BE. Culture provides con
crete reasons for every obstacle in
life.
Whenever an incident occurs,
the person in the culture can im
mediately blame an external sour
ce. People are absolved of any
personal responsibility. For
example, if a child fails in school,
it may be said that someone wants
the downfall of the family and
therefore, cursed the child.
Therefore, energy is used in iden
tifying the evil spirit rather than
helping the child and strengthening
the family.
“She is behaving like this
because of the father’s family. She
is just like them.”
This statement reflects
education. An uneducated
Nigerian would say, “This is juju.
Someone is jealous and wants to
destroy my child.”
Both statements deny the
mother the opportunity to get to
know herself and to get to know
her daughter. Both statements
stand between two people who
need to form a relationship.
I assured the mother that
adolescents go through many
phases during this developmental
phase of their life. And that
though she had every right to ex
press her views to her daughter and
to me, she also had the respon
sibility of listening to her daughter
“My husband and I have told
our daughter that if she does not
change immediately, we will
disown her. She will not have a
family.”
Os course, I believed that course
of action to be extreme and brital,
but I also recognized the fact that
the parents felt helpless and
powerful. These extreme feelings
led them to extreme reactions.
They loved their children. They
wanted the best for them, but they
were unable to admit that they
were not God in the lives of their
children. They did not realize that
they were going beyond their rights
by casting a child out of his family.
Knowing a little about the
lifestyle, I knew that the parents
had insisted not only that the child
change immediately but that she
get on her knees before them and
beg for their forgiveness. If any*
compromise occurred, it would
have to occur within the child
while she was bowed on her knees
before her parents. We do similar
things to our children. We forget
the feelings and thoughts that we
had as adolescents and insist that
the child behave well or else!
It would be more helpful in this
situation to sit down calmly with
the child. Minimuze distraction -
take the phone off the hook; turn
off the television. Ask the child
for what reason she dyed her hair
pink? Peer pressure may emerge
as the theme. Empathize and sym
pathize with her dilemma and ex
press your feelings. Try to
remember the good qualities in
your daughter. Do not allow her
pink hair to cloud your vision.
Just the other day at the
Augusta Arts Festival, I saw a
teenager of about fiftreen years old
with her hair cut short but about
100 strands were left to hang down
herback. It looked weird.
“What did your mother say
about your hairstyle?” I asked.
“Nothing,” she replied. “I had
already done it before she found
out.”