Darwin's Athletes: How Sport Has Damaged Black America and Preserved the Myth of Race [Paperback]

John Hoberman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 3, 1997

DARWIN'S ATHLETES focuses on society's fixation with black athletic achievement. Hoberman argues that this obsession has come to play a troubling role in African American life and our country's race relations. Rich, flamboyant superstars lend credence to age-old prejudices, recycled "scientific" theories denigrating black intelligence, and stereotypes of black violence. This portrayal of black identity encourages a disdain for academic achievement already too widespread among black males. Darwin's Athletes is a powerful indictment of modern sport's racial spectacle.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Hoberman (Germanic languages, Univ. of Texas at Austin) has studied the cultural complexities of race in sport for 25 years. Arguing that our obsession with black athletes ultimately perpetuates the myth of race, he examines society's fixation on black athletic achievement, which he feels fosters a delusion of integration. Hoberman challenges established beliefs in a thought-provoking, albeit disturbing manner, offering arguments that are convincing, controversial, and guaranteed to spark debate. Although well researched and featuring an exhaustive bibliography and notes, this work is not for everyone. Recommended for large public and academic libraries, or where demand warrants.?Larry Robert Little, Penticton P.L., British Columbia,
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"You should buy Darwin's Athletes . . . It's provocative, disturbing, important." The New York Times

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books; None edition (November 3, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395822920
• ISBN-13: 978-0395822920
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #357,169 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mandatory Reading on the Racial Issue, February 19, 2008

By 

H. Campbell (houston, texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Darwin's Athletes: How Sport Has Damaged Black America and Preserved the Myth of Race (Paperback)

Hoberman has written a masterful account of not just racism in sport but in general, from the social, biological, cultural, political and international perspective. He makes convincing arguments that sport, rather than being the great equaliser between the races, actually has retarded black social advancement by creating an acceptable alternative to white intellectual achievement. Indeed, a plague currently afflicting black education makes any black scholastic accomplishments of the non-physical variety "white" and therefore nerdy and uncool. The imagery of Michael Jordan seduces young blacks, most of whom have no chance of ever attaining professional athletic status, into abandoning academic study for the glamor, girls and glory associated with sport. Hoberman shows how whites, who originally denigrated blacks as being lazy and shiftless, have come to regard them as athletic supermen, against which no white man would be able to legitimately compete. More insidiously, many blacks are all too willing to accept that their natural athletic genius exempts them form having to compete with whites in the intellectual sphere. The pride shown with the black athletes that have overcome white racism, such as Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali, winds up hurting the overall black goal of full social integration when it serves to be the end-all-and-be-all of the black experience in America. Hoberman also makes the point that blacks achieving wealth and fame in sport still are prisoners in a gilded cage created for the profit and entertainment of the white power structure. Without taking the same level of pride in intellectual, artistic and political prowess as with sports, blacks will continue to function on the margins of white controlled society. His observations with respect to shibboleths about racial biology and superiority are scathing indictments of the perpetuation of mythology that justifies this or that racist neurosis. Indeed, it still pervades the racial discussion, and even affects the way blacks see themselves. The invidious process of the physicalization of the black man started with slavery and continued into athletics, so that even if blacks showed superior speed or strength, they were always criticized by whites for their lack of intelligence, courage or endurance. Those lies were made manifest with the likes of Muhammad Ali, black soldiers in both world wars, African distance runners and intellectuals like DuBois, but the mindset did not change. Only until very recently have black quarterbacks in the NFL been seen as capable of doing the same job as white QBs, after years of "common" knowledge that black QBs didn't have the mental chops as whites. Sadly, it seems like sports is the only forum that blacks acknowledge they can compete with the white man. It appears only some brave black women have the courage to criticize the obsession with black prowess, which even among black intellectuals is revered and used as standards by which black achievement is measured. Charles Barkeley, he of large frame and larger mouth, is an outspoken critic of the undue emphasis that sports has in the black community, but of course we pay attention to him because he is a famous wealthy athlete, not because he is a man of letters or scientific achievement. Hoberman's book is sobering, thought provoking and only racists of either color would condemn him for his exemplary tome, that should be required reading in high schools throughout the nation. Alas, because he does skewer the black community with the painful truth, his whiteness will be used against him. Diogenes, come hither and shine your light on Hoberman. Diogenes, of course, is incapable of adjudging his color.

34 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hoberman Dares to Expose the Dirty Business of Sports, June 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Darwin's Athletes: How Sport Has Damaged Black America and Preserved the Myth of Race (Hardcover)

I purchase John Hoberman's book right after it was first published. This was in the spring of 1998. Prior to its release he appeared on a segment of Nightline, along with other guests, to discuss the effects of sports on african americans. As I recall he was the only white guest on the show. Ted Koppel introduced Dr Hoberman as a man who had written a controversial newly published book. When I heard this I naturally had to continue watching it so that I could learn it's title. Needless Hoberman was treated rather harshly by the other guests. For what I saw and heard I agreed with most of his comments. As a black man I have long thought that sports has had a very bad effect on blacks. I had the feeling that because Hoberman was going against the grain he would not be a guest on many shows. He was supposed to be on the president's race panel which was held in Houston dealing with sports. Anyway, I went out the next day and ordered the book. I think it a very accurate book on the adverse effects sports have had on the black community. It is a matter of fact that athletes are expected to maintain low academic standards. It is very acceptable to lead criminal life and still get excepted to elite colleges. Not all but some. It is a matter of fact that the NCAA sets academic guidelines that most universities except. For example. When we passed proposition 209 here in California athletes were not required to meet strict academic standards expected for other blacks. Before 209 athletes were admitted under affirmative action in the University of California system. They knew that athletes would no longer be able to enroll under the new standards. So they were removed and 209 became a gender, race and ethnic issue. The UC Berkeley rejected 4.0 black students with a SAT 1500 score. Just to let in a black athlete with a 2.5 GPA. And they make provisions for even the learning disabled athlete. The basketball's team GPA is 2.47. Again, black people get caught up in the belief that athletes ar! e an advancement of our race. Bottom line is only white people are profiting huge sums of money from this non-sense. Hoberman is right in many of his conclusions. I realize that Hoberman is a white man. And many black people think that he may be a racist. Okay, then lets try this. Go and read Nathan McCall's book "What's Going On". And read Earle Ofari Hutchinson's book "Assassination of The Black Male Image" These are blacks and they talk about the kinds of things Hoberman talks about. Maybe you can call them Uncle Toms. The fact is you would be hard pressed to find any institutions which seeks out people with the lowest standards/qualifications rather than the highest. Maybe it is good that many blacks are in the NBA, NFL, colleges. If they were'nt they be out on the street mugging, selling drugs, performing drive by shooting, raping and on and. Some of them do it anyway.

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Penetrating Analysis of Sports Culture, July 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Darwin's Athletes: How Sport Has Damaged Black America and Preserved the Myth of Race (Paperback)

It appears that many reviewers have missed what I perceive as Hoberman's point - that the emphasis of the black body as the locus of black identity necessarily de-emphasizes the intellectual capabilities and development of black people. The advertising, media, and sports industries all thrive on the perpetuation of black physical stereotypes that have existed since the first contacts between European and African. Just compare the press treatment of Larry Bird - as a careful, analytical, intelligent, under-control white man - with Shaq - as a biological freak whose sheer size makes up for his lack of gray matter. Such stereotypes of blacks as physical machines meant to entertain us are extremely damaging to black culture.

Intellectualism has been sacrificed to the sportive element in black culture, where academic success (unless in tandem with athletic excellence) is considered traitorous to black authenticity. The acceptable spheres of black self-expression - namely sport, negro music, and dance - are considered the only authentically black talents by both white and black culture. Such a stifling limitation should not be placed upon black culture, yet this is perpetuated everyday in our sporting culture and in our advertising media.

After you read this book, you will not be able to watch a sporting event without thinking about the exploitation of black athletes. Watch the commercials, read the ads, and you will realize that blacks are, more often than not, presented as mere physical beings whose animality precludes a deeper humanity.