Whether you are a fan of history or sports, or you simply enjoy stories of courage and inspiration, Art Williams is a name you should know. More than fifty years after taking the field, portions of Arts’ incredible story have recently garnered significant accolades. A related news segment received a Daytime Emmy Award, the book Unbelievable! The Life Journey of Art Williams has been honored with four distinct awards in four different literary categories, and the associated documentary short has been selected for twenty-five film festivals in the United States and abroad. Additionally, September 18th has officially been proclaimed Art Williams Day in the City of Bakersfield, California.
Art was born in Arkansas to a family of sharecroppers, and after relocating to California, he was signed to the Detroit Tigers organization right after high school. His pitching career was cut short by an injury, but Art persisted in life and in the sport. Through hard work and determination, he ultimately reached his goal of becoming the First Black Umpire in the National League when he officiated the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres on September 18, 1972.
This historic milestone came six years after Emmett Ashford’s American League debut, and twenty-eight years before the American and National Leagues were united under the Major League Baseball umbrella in the year 2000.
Read the source article at Black News
