BRAD PYE’S BOOK FOREWORD
I was quite honored when Brad Pye Jr. asked me to write the foreword to his outstanding autobiographical book considering all the very distinguished people he could have chosen. Brad has uplifted the lives of thousands of people during his 60 plus years in Los Angeles and several of those deeds are outlined in this work. I am sure his toughest job was choosing which appreciation letters, tributes, and award documents to include in this outstanding compilation.
John
Brown dedicated his life toward the emancipation of all slaves. He
actively campaigned to establish African American schools and helped
Oberlin College to open its doors to “Negroes” in 1839. John
Brown volunteered to personally teach Black farmers in New York how
to clean up and plant farmland that he had convinced a wealthy New
York landowner to donate. When slavery appeared to have no end, John
Brown died trying to steal enough weapons to allow slaves to fight
for their own freedom.
Marcus
Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association in Harlem
in 1918. His vision was to organize the Black race through race
pride, education, self-reliance, and economic development. Garvey
attempted to promote race pride by stressing the importance of the
historical accomplishments of people of African descent. He said “we
were once masters in art, science, and literature”, and “whatsoever
a Black man has done a Black man can do.” Self-reliance and
economic development was Garvey’s second major theme. His ultimate
objective was to manufacture every marketable commodity and to
establish factories that could employ and train thousands of Black
workers. Although Marcus Garvey did not achieve all his goals, his
spirit fortunately lives though the millions of people he has
inspired and uplifted. I am convinced part of that spirit reached
Brad Pye Jr.
Brad
Pye Jr.’s humble beginning started in Plain Dealing, Louisiana. In
1943 at the age of 12, he convinced a person driving to Los Angeles
to allow him to ride along for $5. His loving mother steered him
toward friends and joined him six years later. Brad parlayed this
non air-conditioned journey into a magnificent career as an award
winning manager and sports editor of the Los Angeles Sentinel
newspaper and as the sports director of multiple radio stations for
many years including KGFJ, KJLH, KACE, and KDAY.
Brad’s
outstanding sports journalism career provided him the opportunity to
obtain a lofty civic stature and to befriend numerous sport owners
and upper management personnel. He used those inroads to increase
awareness of racial injustices and inequalities and to promote
opportunities for qualified African Americans in numerous endeavors.
For over 50 years Brad used his influence and “insider” leverage
to help break racial barriers in every major sport including
football, baseball, boxing, and track and field. Brad was there when
Aaron Wade became the first African American to be named an American
Football league (AFL) official and when Eldridge Dickey became the
first Black American quarterback drafted into the NFL. As a good
friend, recruiter, and “Administrative Assistant” to Oakland
Raider owner Al Davis, Brad encouraged the first aggressive football
recruiting from historically Black colleges. This foresight helped
the Raiders win 3 Super bowl championships. It is also no
coincidence that Al Davis hired Art Shell as the first Black American
head football coach in the NFL.
In
professional baseball, Brad also worked tirelessly to promote Black
“firsts”. He and others wrote numerous letters and met
personally with the late Dodger owner Walter O’Malley. Eventually,
Emmet Ashford became the first African American umpire called up to
the Major league. Brad and others like Wendell Smith of the
Pittsburgh Courier newspaper also helped promote the acceptance of
major league baseball stars like Sam Lacey and Jackie Robinson who
became his very close friend.
Although
Brad is well known for promoting prep athletes at major southern
California universities like UCLA and USC, he is just as recognized
for obtaining press box accommodations for Black journalists in
Southern California. Black journalists are now a staple in the press
boxes of the Dodgers, Lakers and all other major sporting events.
Brad
Pye Jr.’s great career also touched the lives of numerous non
athletes. Among those who thank him and sing his praises include the
late Attorney Johnnie Cochran who thanked him for 30 years of
friendship and promotion long before the national media “discovered”
him. Personally, my story is not unlike Attorney Cochran. When I
told Brad that I had difficulty establishing my private practice as
the only Black Retinal specialist on the West Coast, he told me not
to worry. He subsequently published my resume in the Los Angeles
Sentinel newspaper and appointed me to the State Boxing Commission
and the State Athletic Commission. To demonstrate his trust, he even
sent his mother to me shortly thereafter when she developed a retinal
detachment. I cherish our 30 year friendship.
I am
confident that after reading this autobiographic collection of
letters, tributes, and awards, the reader will be amazed at what one
man can accomplish for his fellow man when intensely motivated.
Perhaps this book can inspire the reader to also help others.
Dr. Vaughn's book BLACK PEOPLE AND THEIR PLACE IN WORLD HISTORY opens with a review by Brad Pye, Jr.
