Graham Reflection Piece

Robert Kaiser’s article, “Same Place, Different Frenzy” provides an account of how sports and race have evolved. Being a sports fan, it was interesting to see how a sports stadium helped encapsulate great moments in sports history. With only 26,000 seats, Griffith Stadium did not hold as many people as some of newer stadiums that house the district’s baseball and football teams, but it still evoked a similar fan culture. Kaiser’s description of what it was like to walk to the stadium, listening to music from churches and smelling the aroma of the local bakery, spark great memories for me. Having traveled to a Washington Redskins game a couple of years ago, the songs that one can hear induce a similar gospel quality to fans of the team. Hail to the Redskins, the favorite fight song for the fans, can be heard from miles away from FedEx Field, the new stadium, and the smell of barbeque from the tailgaters is effervescent. I share the sentiments of Kaiser’s appreciation for his favorite team regardless of its inability to win. Prior to this year, the Arizona Cardinals had been a team of great disappointment for their failure to win and get into the playoffs. Like him, I admired players from the team even with their lack of on-the-field success and always found it enjoyable to watch them play.

We are lucky enough to see some of the greatest athletes perform their talents in D.C. thanks to the integration policy suggested by President Kennedy. I was unaware of the tremendous effect that JFK had in ensuring that African Americans could have their time to shine on the big stage in football. Without his help, Kaiser seems to suggest, the Redskins would probably have stayed segregated for a long period of time. This undoubtedly would have put not only the team at a disadvantage on the field, but also it would have worsened the viewing experience from a fan’s perspective. Therefore, I am happy to see the changes that have made in D.C. because it has heightened the level of play and contributed to my passion for sports.