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My Shot The Tour's fear of carts is the same form of bigotry that caused the Caucasian-only clause
By Stanley Mosk
I was elected California attorney general in 1958 and became aware of the PGA's Caucasian-only clause in '59, when I received a handwritten letter from Charlie Sifford saying that he was qualified to be a PGA member and play in Tour events but that the PGA wouldn't allow him to join or regularly play because of the color of his skin. The 1962 PGA Championship had been scheduled for Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles, but I told PGA officials that it was illegal to bar a competitor because of his race and that I'd take them to court if they didn't let Charlie play. I also wrote to the attorneys general of the other states asking them to stand behind me. Rather than confront me, the PGA moved the '62 PGA to Philadelphia. But under pressure from me and organizations like the NAACP, the PGA dropped the Caucasian-only clause in November 1961. Casey and Charlie's cases are similar in that both men faced rules attempting to bar them from golf because of irrelevant qualifications. African-Americans and physically disabled athletes have the same desire to compete as other humans, and if their abilities are up to par, there's no reason they shouldn't have the opportunity to play at their sport's highest levels. Had it not been for Charlie Sifford, we might never have heard of Tiger Woods. Who knows? Maybe Casey Martin has opened the door for golf's next superstar. Stanley Mosk, 88, is a California State Supreme Court justice.
Issue date: June 11, 2001
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Gerry Gropp
