美国大师赛第一位黑人选手李·埃尔德去世，享年87岁

2021年11月30日

李长老, 谁是第一个参加大师赛的黑人高尔夫球手, 周日去世, 美巡赛宣布. 享年87岁. 在高尔夫最大的舞台上，埃尔德打破了肤色的障碍.

“得知李·埃尔德去世，我们深感悲痛, 他是奥古斯塔的朋友，也是高尔夫运动的真正先驱,——弗雷德·雷德利, 奥古斯塔国家高尔夫俱乐部主席和大师赛主席, 在声明中说. "Lee was an inspiration to so many young men and women of color not only through his play, 但也通过他对教育和社区的承诺.

“李宗伟将永远是大师赛历史的一部分. His presence will be sorely missed, but his legacy will continue to be celebrated," Ridley said. “我们的思念和祈祷与沙伦和埃尔德全家同在."

高尔夫职业
埃尔德第一次接触高尔夫是在他10岁的时候. 根据他在播客TravisMatthew上的一次采访, 他的父母前年都去世了, 为了养家，他的哥哥开始做球童. 埃尔德也想帮忙. 首先，他在练习场捡起高尔夫球. 后来他在达拉斯的乡下当了一名球童. 那是他学会打高尔夫球的时候. 晚些时候, 泰德•罗兹, 另一位黑人高尔夫球手担任他的导师, 训练他使用传统的握法.

埃尔德将继续统治美国高尔夫球协会, the tour for Black golfers when the PGA's Caucasian-only rule was still in place. In 1966, the year before he earned his PGA Tour card, he won 18 of 21 UGA tournaments. 尽管取得了成功，埃尔德仍然面临着一场艰苦的战斗. UGAs的钱包很小，他也没有赞助商. "No one wanted to back a player in his early 30s," 老 told the Associated Press in 1974. 第二年，凭借10连胜，他终于获得了参赛资格. He was the first African-American to play in the South African PGA Championship during apartheid in 1971. He earned his way to the 1975 Masters by beating Peter Osterhuis with an 18-foot birdie putt on the fourth hole of a playoff in the 1974 Monsanto Open at Pensacola Country Club in Florida. A few years before, he had been refused entrance into the clubhouse of the Pensacola Country Club.

直到1975年的大师赛, 老, 第一个在奥古斯塔国家球场打球的黑人高尔夫球手, 收到死亡威胁, 迫使他在大师周期间租了两套房子.

他在锦标赛中打出74杆和78杆, 错失良机, 但他会在大师赛上多打五次.

“我太想赢了，”埃尔德曾对《网上赌博网站十大排行》说. “当我第一次获得巡回赛资格时, in 1967, I said I wanted to get that one thing that had not been accomplished out of the way. 大师赛是唯一一项没有被整合的赛事."

高尔夫球手的传说
1997年，当老虎伍兹首次赢得大师赛冠军时，埃尔德也在场, 成为第一个这样做的黑人球员. 获胜后，伍兹谈到了有埃尔德在场.

"That meant a lot to me because he was the first; he was the one I looked up to," Woods said. “因为他所做的一切，我才能够参加美巡赛. 当我20岁成为职业球员时，我可以实现我的梦想了. When Lee came down that really inspired me and reinforced what I had to do."

At the time, 老 told the Chronicle he felt immense pride in the win. “伍兹是连接过去和未来的桥梁. He's the bridge to the past for me and the bridge to the future for him,'' he said.

庆祝他的遗产和对这项运动的贡献, Augusta National Golf Club named 老 as an honorary starter along with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player for the annual ceremony at the 2021 Masters. 今年4月，埃尔德参加了比赛，但没有打出开球.

"I think it was one of the most emotional experiences that I have ever witnessed or been involved in,埃尔德在正式开球后说. "It is certainly something that I will cherish for the rest of my life because I have loved coming to Augusta National."

大师赛冠军菲尔·米克尔森, 布巴沃森, 查尔斯·库迪和尼克·法尔多, as well as fellow golfers Corey Conners and Cameron Champ attended the honorary first tee ceremony. NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann and Augusta National member Condoleezza Rice, were also in attendance.

"It's been a very long time since I've come to this," Faldo said of the honorary starter ceremony. “但我不想错过这个."

Champ was the only Black golfer in the field for the 85th Masters Tournament. He told The Augusta Chronicle it was special for him being at his first Masters and to see 老 be one of the honorary starters. “成为第一位在奥古斯塔球场打球的非洲裔美国人, 只是我祖父讲的故事, 再一次。, 我认为我们的社会正朝着正确的方向发展. 有很多东西要去吗? 确实如此. 但对他来说, 再一次。, 他为他所居住的社区所做的一切, 在整个十大赌博平台排行榜中为非裔美国人和少数民族服务, 它是巨大的,钱普在2021年大师赛上说. “再一次，亲眼目睹，这意味着更多."

十大赌博平台排行榜和奥古斯塔的影响
佩因大学 Board of Trustees Chair Michael Thurmond first met 老 in 1975, when he was the student body president and the college hosted a reception for 老 when he became the first Black golfer to play the Masters. 瑟蒙德知道他会见的是一位历史人物.

“这是我生命中一个了不起的时刻. 这是一个充满历史意义的时刻, 期待和一点点的恐慌,瑟蒙德周一说. "Breaking a barrier, we felt it would never be broken, at least not at that point in time."

It was during his first Masters that former 佩因大学 President Julius Scott offered 老 lodging and meals after he was denied access to a restaurant in Augusta. Thurmond said 老 embraced 佩因大学 and the college embraced him back.

“他成了我们中的一员. 他是潘恩骑士. 他爱十大赌博平台排行榜，当然，我们也爱他，”瑟蒙德说. “他是一个伟大的高尔夫球手, 但是坦白地说, he was a better man because of his generosity and support in the community."

It was through 老 that Augusta National decided to fund a women's golf program at 佩因大学, 为纪念埃尔德，授予两名学生运动员奖学金. 4月, 潘恩 awarded him an honorary doctoral degree for his many contributions to golf and the city of Augusta.

十大赌博平台排行榜希望在2022年秋季之前启动女子项目.

"It's very important for the program to get started and get going because there's so much that can come from it,埃尔德在四月份说. "The only way that you can get something to come from it and to have it be a part of is the fact that you have to work at it."

Thurmond said he was sadden to hear about 老's death but was proud of the fact they were able to honor and recognized him while he was alive.

"I'm proud he was able to see and hear and appreciate how much we loved and appreciated him,他说. “我很感激我们有这个独特的机会来表达, 一号, 我们的爱, 2号, 我们的感谢和第三点, to let him know that the world will celebrate his legacy long after he has passed from this earth."

He said they plan to work with 潘恩's administration and Augusta National in order to keep 老's legacy alive in an appropriate and meaningful way. 瑟蒙德说，埃尔德的遗产将通过高尔夫项目延续下去.

“每次高尔夫球手开球, 每次高尔夫球手从球袋里拿出球杆, 每次都是一只小鸟, 一只鹰，甚至是一个柏忌, 我们铭记李·埃尔德的遗产,他说. “一个真正创造历史的人. 他做到了，仍然是一个谦虚和关心的人."

Former professional golfer and Augusta native Jim Dent said he has high expectations for the program. Dent, a 潘恩 alumnus, said 老 deserved all the recognition he was getting.

“这是他应得的. He worked hard, the first African-American to qualify to play in the Masters,他说. “他是一个伟大的球员，一直都是一个伟大的球员，也是一个伟大的人. He's a champion and a guy of that stature, it's a great thing to do for him."

2021年4月6日也被宣布为奥古斯塔的李长老日. 在周一的一份声明中, Mayor Hardie Davis said he is saddened by 老's passing and offered condolences to his family.

“自2015年以来，我每年都期待着见到刘先生. 在四月份的比赛中. The 2021 85th edition of the Masters Tournament was especially poignant because Lee would be an honorary starter, 再一次打破障碍，继续开辟道路.

"On behalf of the entire City of Augusta, our profound condolences are extended to the 老 family. We pray for solace in God's sovereignty and comfort filled with peace during this time."

约瑟夫·帕普，奥古斯塔纪事报
本文最初发表于《十大赌博平台排行榜》: 第一位参加美国大师赛的黑人高尔夫球手李·埃尔德去世，享年87岁