Ok, So He's Not Perfect

Last night at the U.S. Open, the late Althea Gibson was inducted into Court of Champions on the ground.  50 years ago, Gibson was the first African-American, male or female, to win the U.S. Nationals.  The night featured a parade of African-American female "firsts."  Gibson is often thought of as "the female Jackie Robinson" (his widow was also in attendance), breaking tennis' color barrier just three years after Robinson did it in baseball in 1947.  After the tribute capped off by Aretha Franklin belting out "Respect"... it was a rare all-female nighttime double-header as Venus and Serena Williams played (and won) their first round matches.

As Roger Federer continues to re-write the record books (this week's record-breaker: passing Steffi Graf's longest consecutive streak at #1 -- 187 weeks), he has come across as a historian of the game... but perhaps, his knowledge is limited to the records he has broken or plans to break.  Check out this exchange in his post-first round match press interview on Monday.

Q. What do you know about Althea Gibson?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know. You're putting me on the spot. I don't know what you're talking about.

Q. She's being honored tonight.
ROGER FEDERER: Nothing, to be honest. It's before my time. Isn't much I can really say about it. I don't know, I'm sorry.

Now, I'm willing to cut Roger a little slack.  To say the Gibson tribute was overdue is an understatement.  In its 5th year of existence, Gibson becomes the 15th inductee into the Court of Champions.  Last night's ceremony also marked the 10th anniversary of the dedication of Arthur Ashe Stadium.  While not knocking Ashe's status as one of the sport's most beloved figure and the first African-American male to win a Grand Slam and the U.S. Open, Gibson pre-dated him by over a decade... and prior to the civil rights movement.

So while I don't think Gibson's story is out there/known as much as it should be in this country (heck, before last night I admit to not knowing much beyond the very basics) let alone Europe and beyond, I still would have thought that Federer could (or would) have danced around this one a bit better.