Remembering the time track star John Carlos tried to catch on with the Eagles

By Tony Zonca — MikeDragoSports.com senior contributor

Devoted sports fans likely will remember sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos issuing a Black Power salute on the medal stand at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.

Smith won the gold, Carlos the bronze at 200 meters.  It was Smith’s idea to raise a black-gloved hand to protest racial inequality in the United States.

Sound familiar?  Fifty-five years later not much has changed in that arena.

International Olympic Committee chairman Avery Brundage, a staunch conservative, ordered the two activists suspended from the U.S. team and banned from the Olympic Village.

This is reminiscent of President Trump insisting NFL owners fire those players who chose to kneel during the playing of the National Anthem before games a few years ago.  SOBs he called them while they were exercising their rights.

In 1969 Carlos equaled the world record of 9.1 in the 100 meter, won the 220 and led San Jose State to the NCAA championship.

A year later the 6-4, 187-pound Carlos was on Kelchner Field, the Philadelphia Eagles preseason practice site at Albright College, trying to win a spot as a wide receiver.

This is where I come in.  I was in my second year as a sportswriter with the Reading Eagle.  Sports editor Paul Lukas had given me an assignment as a stringer for the Philadelphia Bulletin when its rookie beat writer Ray Didinger had a couple of days off each week.

Didinger went on to bigger and better things, culminating in his being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Excited for the opportunity, I showed up bright and early for my first morning practice.  After a couple of minutes, Carlos appeared, the first Eagle on the field.  He picked up a football, looked my way, and asked if we could have a catch. 

At the time I was 30 and in good shape.  I could always catch a football and had a strong arm.  We moved about 20 yards apart.  I fired the first throw at Carlos, about chest high.

Oops!  He dropped it.  The first of many.  If I threw the ball higher in a tight spiral it slipped through his hands.  I felt bad for him.  He was so earnest and I didn’t want to embarrass him by letting up on my throws.  We continued for about 15 minutes when the other players started to roll in.  Carlos thanked me and joined the other wideouts.

He appeared morose.  I felt bad for him.  He seemed like a nice guy.

He had dropped more than half the balls I threw, even after we had moved farther apart.  He might have had been graced with winged feet, but he also was burdened with stone hands.

Until now, I couldn’t bring myself to reveal this vignette in print.  I just didn’t have it in my heart to embarrass him and taint his image.

Carlos, now 78, was released by the Eagles and went on to play one season for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

In 2003 he was inducted into the Track and Field Hall of Fame.  For many years he continued as a champion for civil rights.

Smith, by the way, played one season for the Cincinnati Bengals.

The two would ultimately be recognized as heroic personalities and iconic athletes.

Just not in the NFL.