By Vincent L. Hall
John Wiley Price gathered a handsome group of young men at the dais of the Dallas County Commissioner’s Court in a huddle. Now huddles are generally staples of football and basketball, so these young duffers were surprised. But as Commissioner Price read from a 73-year old newspaper, the message cleared the tee box and landed on the green. (All puns intended)
He read aloud for the sake of the young men and the entire court from an April 24, 1950, Dallas Morning News piece that had been gifted to him for his birthday by Attallah Shabazz, the eldest daughter of Minister Malcolm X.
The headlines proclaimed on the browning press paper declared, “Dallas Opens South’s First Municipal Negro Golf Course.”
“The only municipal golf course for Negroes in the South opened with ceremonies on Lemmon Avenue, near Grove Street Sunday. Mayor Wallace Savage, Ballard Burgher of the Parks Board, L. B. Houston city parks director, and other officials took part in the ceremonies.”
“Houston (the only Negro and aforementioned whose title was printed without caps) advised the reporter that the only other municipal golf course in the United States for Negroes was in Washington D.C. Leo Shead, president of the Dallas Negro Golf Association, said the course already has interested many Negroes in the game.”
The proud District champions of the David W. Carter High School Varsity Boys Golf Team looked on ecstatically. Their freshly minted District 13-4A Championship was part of a long but unknown history of Blacks in golf. They broke the huddle with even more pride than they came into the room.
Price, always in the thick of current events in our community, announced the coming unveiling of two statues that few were aware of. Charlie Sifford, 1954 UGA Negro National Open champion, and Walter Hagen, 1927 PGA Championship winner.
The I AM a Golfer Foundation, the City of Dallas Parks Department, and notables like former Mayor Tom Leppert and Southwest Airlines will present the likenesses of these two “Hidden Figures, “and celebrate future improvements and expansion of Dallas’ historic Cedar Crest Golf Course.
The young Carter golfers came in for a celebration but left with more reasons to celebrate. Their successes in golf are not an anomaly; they are a part of Black history.
Just think. On the day Commissioner Price was born, Dallas and the South welcomed the arrival of a historic golf course.
However, the Dallas Morning News had no idea that a Negro boy next door in Forney, would come to Dallas and change the course of its history.
The resolution drafted by Commissioner Price and signed by the County Judge and the other three Commissioners will have a place in the Carter High School championship Hall of Fame.
And it read.
WHEREAS, Dallas County has the distinction of being home to several outstanding high school sports teams that bring championship trophies back to our community; and
WHEREAS, David W. Carter High School has been successful over the past three years in training and fielding outstanding golf teams; and
WHEREAS, David W. Carter High School Boys’ Varsity Golf Team is led by Head Coach Cynthia Calahan, Athletic Coordinator Harold Jones, Principal Troy Tyson and his administrative staff; and
WHEREAS, David W. Carter High School Boys’ Varsity Golf Team stands on the individual and team accomplishments put forth by seniors: Jemehl Chambers, Joshua Puga, Jadon Rogers, and junior Patrick Worthey III; and
WHEREAS, David W. Carter High School Boys’ Varsity Golf Team members are genuine students of the game as evidenced by their associations with First Tee of Greater Dallas, Northern Texas Professional Golf Association, the I Am a Golfer Foundation, and the North Texas Professional Golf Association; and
WHEREAS, David W. Carter High School Boys’ Varsity Golf Team won the 2022-2023 13-4A District Championship Title, their second championship in the past three years.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Dallas County Commissioners’ Court does now congratulate the David W. Carter High School Boys’ Varsity Golf Team and coach on its outstanding season and the pride they bring to our community.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Patrick Worthey, III, and Joshua Puga, the sons of Dallas County employee Mrs. LaShonda Worthey and City of Dallas employee Christina Puga.
Congratulations, Carter High Varsity Boys Golf Team and its head coach Cynthia Calahan. You are not an anomaly; you are the best of Black History!
Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and an award-winning columnist.
