This column continues the Only One series in which this reporter shares his experiences as the only African American journalist on the scene. History was made recently at University of Minnesota’s Ridder Arena as well as in the state of Minnesota. The first professional women’s hockey game ever played here — actually the first and second such contests — took place between … [Read more...]
Sports: a space for local and national sports news, with emphasis on stories pertaining to African Americans.
New pro league shoots high goals for women’s hockey
The National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL)’s first weekend of play is now history. Connecticut, New York, Boston and Buffalo, the four founding teams, each will play nine home games and nine away games, facing each other six times and again in the playoffs. The first NWHL All-Star game is scheduled for January 24, 2016 in Buffalo. When asked, Minnesota Women’s Hockey … [Read more...]
Hockey player a pro sports pioneer
Blake Bolden the first Black player in new women’s league Blake Bolden is an honest-to-goodness professional hockey player. She is among the pioneering players in the inaugural National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL), which began this past weekend. Bolden played for two seasons in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), but she and the other players … [Read more...]
It’s hard being a Black coach — and harder yet as a Black female coach
First of two parts The firing drum that has slowly banged for Mike Woodson since mid-winter reached its crescendo Monday when he was fired as New York Knicks head coach. The final drumbeat came last week when Woodson wasn’t involved in the usual coach-conducted players’ exit interviews. We are midway through the 21st century’s second decade, and we still only use one … [Read more...]