Readers will not believe this writer when he writes out an unknown fact. If he were still alive today, the venerable
Martin Luther King Jr
. would be 81 years old today.
Sadly on the day of Apri 4, 1968 on the 93rd day of that year, a single bullet ended the life of this revered leader. Though the bullet ended the life of Mr. King at age 39, it did not quell the infinite fight against a dreaded disease that still runs like a virus in today's society.
Racism.
It is an illness that has plagued the nation. The fight against this disease is never-ending but the best way to send this ailment into remission is by friendly competition and forming friendships afterward.
What better way to attend the Mercy Medical Center Basketball Showcase in the pristine confines of the North Canton Hoover High School gymnasium and watching 10 teams over the course of two days on the weekend battle on the hardwood. There were teams of dominant caucasian and African-American backgrounds but those intangibles were put aside in an event that honors the memory of a man who crusaded nonstop in the fight to bring racial equality to the United States of America.
DIVERSITY IS THE EXAMPLE
Most Catholic high schools are widely known to have mainly caucasian students. All caucasians to be exact or close enough. However, St. Peter Chanel High School is an exception. Located out of Bedford, the Firebirds under the tutelage of longtime head coach Bernie Tarr have always been an all African-American team for the most part.
Despite having two non-minority players on the team, the cohesion between teammates is a bond strong as sticks. What they lack in height, they compensate for with a physical presence. That same presence has allowed this diverse high school to be a contender for a Division IV state championship every season or at least in Canton for the regional tournament.
When asked about his relationship with his minority athletes and how Martin Luther King affected him as an activist, Tarr, who is caucasian, could not help but be impressed given the background of the high school he coaches.
“You know, that's a good question. The great thing about St. Peter Chanel is it's diversity. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about diversity and he was all for it. I was an assistant for 17 years at St. Peter Chanel and I have seen all kinds of students here that are African-American, caucasian, Oriental, you name it,” he marveled. “This high school is a melting pot. This high school represents everything that Martin Luther King fought for.”
Chanel is a high school rich for it's tradition as evidenced by their runs to the state basketball tournament. This year the team is in a rebuilding mode after graduating 10 seniors from last season's state tournament competing team. Despite the adversity one constant remains. And that is the diversity of the Firebirds.
And if he were still alive at 81, Dr. King will have been pleased.
“I have had other coaches come up to me and tell me about how close we are together as a team at the end of games,” Tarr attested. “We love each other and we emphasize that here at Chanel.”
COACH AND REFEREE VIEWPOINTS
Romulus High School (MI) head coach Nate Oaks and longtime OHSAA basketball referee Thom Seavers are on different routes in their professions.
Like Tarr, Oaks is the head coach of a team with all African-Americans. It is easy for anyone to concoct the assumption that a minority player cannot mesh well with a non-minority head coach.
Again, Mr. King stressed not just for blacks to get along with blacks. But he strived to see his brethren mesh with caucasian persons. It didn't take Oaks long to mention how the late civil rights leader touched his life.
“Our team is an all-black team. Martin Luther King preached for all of us the importance of equality everyday. We have white coaches and managers but there is no racial tension on the team at all,” Oaks said.
There was an act of kindness that King will have been proud of if he were living today.
“At one time, I had a player that was staying with me. His father had been shot and his mother was sent to prison and I took him in with me,” Oaks said. “We love our players and we would do anything for them. For North Canton to have a tournament like this in his honor is great, especially on King's birthday.”
As an official for 20 years, Seavers has run up and down the floor with a whistle in his mouth. He used the successes of King along with Super Bowl competing football coaches Tony Dungy, Lovie Smith and Mike Tomlin, including Barack Obama becoming the first minorities to prosper in their professions.
And he still possesses the same booming voice and emphatic demeanor during games.
“You never know what you are capable of doing unless you do it. When you look at what Dr. King stood for, he was an inspiration to me,” Seavers said. “When you look at what King and what other African-Americans have accomplished, I felt really good because when you put your mind to something, you can do it.”
NOT ABOUT YOUR SKIN COLOR
This writer used to hear a lot of negative comments about people from other high schools. Heck, he was told that because he was from Canton and an African-American upon setting foot on the Mount Union College campus, he would be brought down...again, because of who he was and where he came from.
At times, it was easy for this man to believe the negativity around him. However in one summer, he learned from two former North Canton Hoover baseball standouts and a former Minerva basketball guard for the Lady Lions that it was not about my color or where I came from. It took some time but once their claim was accepted on my part, my whole college life started to change.
Anyone can spread stereotypes in today's society that can lead to strained relationships. Others will do it behind the back of another individual. A father of three daughters and the head coach of the high school hosting the Mercy Medical Center Basketball Classic, Randy Montgomery does not condone stereotypes and won't allow it.
“Dr. King was a man who stood for others and peace. He was an inspiration for everyone as to who we all need to be,” he said. “I have had three African-American players on my teams. We don't look at anyone because of their color. We are about family and teammates regardless of color.”
Dan Henderson and N'Gai Evans can attest to that including starting point guard Nyles Evans. A gritty point guard who never gives up on any play, he has fitted in congruently with Montgomery's schemes especially from a defensive standpoint.
Despite being the lone minority on the defending district championship team, he is well-received by his non-minority players.
“I love playing with Nyles but not playing against him,” senior Cory Veldhuizen said with a laugh. “We don't look at anyone because of race. We are a team. It's not about your color, who you are, or where you come from.”
This writer has seen Evans play now for three years, especially in two memorable contests against the Lake Blue Streaks. The same respect he gives to his teammates is the same that he gets back in return.
It's no secret once again Mr. King will have been happy. In addition to that, Evans is not looked down on by other competing schools that have faced off against him nor is he the subject of taunts by opposing student sections.
There is only one way to live life. And it borders also on how my mother is always attesting for us to “have a good time.” Evans has his definition of having a good time.
“You have to be happy everyday. If you are happy everyday, then you will always have peace,” he said.
Readers will not believe that Martin Luther King would be 81 if he were alive today. But his fight against racism still continues and it's a fight we are striving to win every day.
