only a handful of athletes have challenged the political status quo. Perhaps not surprisingly, most dissident athletes have been African Americans. Jackie Robinson used his celebrity as first black in modern major league baseball as a platform to speak out for civil rights. Bill Russell led his teammates on boy

der, national origin, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation (this came a bit later) or any other irrelevant or invidious characteristic. Our idol was Jackie Robinson, who by his skill, speed, grace and character broke down the color barrier and became the best player on our beloved Brooklyn Dodgers, leading his te