About this episode
In this Arthur Ashe special and in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Arthur Ashe winning Wimbledon, Black Spin Global pays particular attention to the South Africa trip in 1973 and 1974. Lucy and Eugene touch on the apartheid regime, the role Ashe played in getting tennis authorities to enforce sanctions on the country, visa issues he faced, his time on the ground travelling around the country, the pressure he was under from the locals and playing in the South African Open. This podcast also features interview snippets from Ilana Kloss, Richard Evans, Owen Williams, Donald Dell and Dr Robert Green, courtesy of the Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. Interview credits: Ilana Kloss, former South African tennis player, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, October 23, 2023, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Richard Evans, tennis journalist and author, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, July 16, 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Owen Williams, former South African tennis player, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, May 5, 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Donald Dell, former tennis player and sports agent, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, February 10, 2020, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. Dr Robert Green, civil rights activist and friend of Ashe, interviewed by Yolanda Hester, May 29, 2021, for the Arthur Ashe Oral History Project, an initiative of Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA. The oral history is from the Center for Oral History Research, University of California. For daily tennis updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackspinglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackSpinGlobal Bluesky: https://app.bsky.cz/profile/blackspinglobal.bsky.social GET OUR MERCH HERE: https://blackspinglobal.com/collections Disclaimer: This video is for educational and informational purposes only. The images used are included under fair use for the purpose of commentary, historical documentation and education. All rights belong to their respective owners. Intro 00:00 Explaining apartheid in South Africa 05:05 Ashe being vocal and visa denials 09:47 Ashe in South Africa in 1973 14:52 Bonnie Logan the first African American to play at the SA Open 21:25 Letter from Winnie Mandela to Arthur Ashe 23:42 Arthur Ashe in South Africa in 1974 30:21 Closing with the impact of Ashe in South Africa 35:03