Not only me

But others, too,

Help them perform the jobs they do.

I know, Lord, that in a race

I, the driver, must set the pace

Although I know I am a sinner

Help me to believe that with God I'm always a winner."

The crowd cheered. The race began. I had stumbled upon the South.

This summer I worked as a sports writer for the Richmond Times Dispatch. My assignments were varied: auto races, tennis matches, golf tournaments, minor league baseball games, even a bass fishing tournament (more than 15,000 people filled the Richmond Colisium to view the weigh-in.)

I interviewed Akeem Olajuwon, the Houston Rockets center, who was in town to be a judge at a slam-dunk contest. He sat on a bench. I kneeled at his feet, scribbling in my notebook.

That morning I had read that he was being sued by a woman who claimed to have had his child. I knew my editors would expect me to ask Olajuwon about this. I did. He responded, "I don't want to talk about that."

Two weeks later, a television reporter asked Olajuwon the same question. Olajuwon slugged him.

At the Richmond Women's Amateur Golf Tournament, I listened to a conversation about how the tournament used to be run. The tournament director, a woman with iron-gray hair, explained to another woman that even as late as the 1970s, women were required to include with their tournament applications two recommendations from members of the host club. This was to ensure that no Black succeeded in getting into the tournament.

I did not understand the reasoning, but guessed it might be this: One club member might strike a blow for civil rights. But certainly not two.

The director, who had been in charge of the tourna- ment for more than 25 years, explained thatonce she had received an entry form from a womanwho had included only one recommendation.Reluctantly, she decided to let the woman play inthe tournament.