Great Black Jockeys

Rating:
Summary: Stunning Endorsements for The Great Black Jockeys
Review: "This may be the most fascinating untold sports story in American history. We are lucky that it is so well told now by Mr. Hotaling in his wonderfully written book. It is more than a sports story, though. It is a human story. These were exceptional athletes who competed successfully against their white counterparts and more than held their own. Yet how many Americans today, how many racing fans even...realize that the winning jockey in the first Kentucky Derby was a black man? These African-American jockeys, great as they were, were driven out of the sport and then out of history. It was as if they were never there. To read Hotaling's book is to discover important missing pages of history. Not just sports history but American history."--Charles Osgood, anchor, CBS News Sunday Morning

"Congratulations on your achievement! It is a real contribution."--Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Chair, Afro-American Studies Department, Harvard University

"Rich and masterfully written. Hotaling displays a keen sense of the interplay between culture, power, and history as he uncovers the enormous experiences and achievements of African-American jockeys and restores them to their rightful 'space' in sports history."--Anne Butler, Ph.D., director, The Center of Excellence for the Study of Kentucky African Americans, Kentucky State University

Rating:
Summary: Compelling history of the roots of the modern American athle
Review: Any person who is a serious study of sports history will find this a most compelling dialogue on the "true" evolution of the American professional athlete. It is simply the most "untold" and most compelling story in the American experience. Today's athletes - of whatever color - should read this book to get a true appreciation for the foundations of the "professional" athlete in America and the depth of character exhibited by these great athletes under the most dire conditions.

Rating:
Summary: Compelling history of the roots of the modern American athle
Review: Any person who is a serious study of sports history will find this a most compelling dialogue on the "true" evolution of the American professional athlete. It is simply the most "untold" and most compelling story in the American experience. Today's athletes - of whatever color - should read this book to get a true appreciation for the foundations of the "professional" athlete in America and the depth of character exhibited by these great athletes under the most dire conditions.

Rating:
Summary: Compelling history of the roots of the modern American athle
Review: Any person who is a serious study of sports history will find this a most compelling dialogue on the "true" evolution of the American professional athlete. It is simply the most "untold" and most compelling story in the American experience. Today's athletes - of whatever color - should read this book to get a true appreciation for the foundations of the "professional" athlete in America and the depth of character exhibited by these great athletes under the most dire conditions.

Rating:
Summary: Telling Another Untold Story
Review: I read this book because it combined Black History and horse racing. Two of my favorite subjects. The book is well organized, full of information.

The author seamlessly intertwines American History, African American History, and the history of horse racing in America. So the book keeps your interest. He also balances historical facts, with the colorful characters\stories surrounding horseracing, while elevating Black jockies to their noble place in the "sport of kings".

This book is worth the price. A great read!!

Rating:
Summary: A must-read for the true Horse Player
Review: Mr. Hotaling's latest horse-racing book is a must read for anyone who considers himself a true afficianado of the sport. It tells a story which far too many people, even serious horse players, know little about. Horse racing is unique among sports in America because it is has virtually no black presence. There are few black owners, trainers, and breeders, and very few of the most visible players in racing, the jockeys. This was not always the case. In fact, black jockeys once dominated America's oldest sport. The first winner of the Kentucky Derby was black, as was the Derby's first repeat winner and its first three-time winner. The jockey with the highest winning percentage in history was black. Hotaling gives the history of these pioneers, and in doing so gives a history of the sport. He also deals with the glaring question: why have black jockeys largely dissappeared from the sport? It is well-written and insightful, a book invaluable to those who value the history of horse racing.

Rating:
Summary: Explores a long negleted area of African-American history.
Review: This book explores a negleted aspect of the African-American experience in the United States. I had always assumed the African-American heros of sport were a twentieth century phenomenon. It was an eye opener to learn that there successful African-American jockeys and trainers as early as colonial time.

I would recommend this well written book to anyone with an interest in American history