Feb. 19, 1912- April 9, 2013

Golf legend Ben Davis—Joe Louis’ one-time teacher and the first African American in the country to serve as head pro at a municipal course passed away at age 101. He was born Erellon Ben Davis in Pensacola, Fla., moved to Detroit in 1925 and graduated from Detroit Northern High.  In 1936, Davis began giving golf lessons at Pine Crest Driving Range in Ferndale, MI. In 1952, working for Rackham Golf Course in Huntington Woods, he became an icon and taught for more than 50 years.

Two years later, as the head pro at Rackham, he became the first African American to hold that position at a U.S. municipal course and the first African American member of the Michigan Section of the PGA (1966).  Davis and Louis — the Detroit heavyweight boxing legend — became friends, and for years Louis hosted an annual tournament for amateurs at Rackham. Davis also was an accomplished tournament player and won the 1974 Michigan PGA Seniors title. He was inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame in 1992.
In 2007, to mark his 95th birthday, Huntington Woods proclaimed his birthday as “Ben Davis Day” for being “instrumental in the desegregation of golf as a major sport in southeast Michigan.”  Coverage of Davis’ 99^th and 100^th birthday celebrations are chronicled in the African American Golfer’s Digest.

Dec. 1, 1925-July 13, 2012

WILLIAM CHARLES “PAP” LEWIS III peacefully departed this life at the age of 86 on July 13, 2012 in Lancaster, SC. He was born on December 1, 1925 in Orangeburg, SC on South Carolina’s State College campus into a family of educators and coaches who cherished active involvement in Church and civic life. His parents, William Charles Lewis II and Alethia Lightner.

Lewis, founded the first Black Presbyterian church in Orangeburg, SC. His mother was the first woman Elder in the Presbytery. His father was a professor as well as the first football coach for SC State College and was a founder of the MEAC.

He attended Felton Training School in Orangeburg, SC. Later, he completed high school

at Mather Academy in Chester, SC where he lettered in football, basketball, track, and tennis. He was drafted out of Hampton Institute (noW Hampton University) into the US Navy as a boatswain’s mate and served on an attack cargo ship out of Seattle, WA from 1944-45. In so doing, he became one of the first Blacks to enter the Navy at a seaman class. After returning toHampton Institute, he made All-CIAA; and lettered in football, basketball, track, and tennis. He earned a BS in physical education, minoring in science.

After graduation, Pap continued to develop his athletic prowess, including exhibition tennis matches with Althea Gibson and other world-class African American tennis players as well as playing against the Harlem Globetrotters. He was drafted to play in the Canadian Football League, but received a better offer from Miriam Lee Graham, whom he married and who has been his wife for 60 years. This loving union produced six children: William Lewis, IV; RhettLewis; Michael Lewis; Pernell Lewis; Derrick Lewis; and Denise Lewis.

He was a lifelong Presbyterian: serving Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church as a member

of the Choir, Deacon, Elder, and Treasurer; serving Ladson Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC as Deacon; after having been raised in St. Luke Presbyterian Church in Orangeburg. He began his coaching career at Wilson HS, Florence, SC (1951-55) as Athletic Director, Head Coach of Football, Basketball, Track. From 1955-64, he served as Head Coach of Football, Track and JV Basketball Coach at Booker T. Washington HS, Columbia, SC.  From1964-1970, Coach served as Athletic Director, Head Coach of Football, Basketball, and Track at Barr Street HS, Lancaster, SC. Finally, Pap served as Head Coach of Basketball and Tennis, Assistant Coach of Football at Lancaster HS, Lancaster, SC from 1970-1995. He led many of the teams at these schools to championships.

In the “off season, he ran clinics, held exhibitions, and in general inspired and developed

the younger aspiring athletes while riding herd on his athletes with his ever-present admonition: No drinking, no smoking, and no dissipating. By the way, he also managed Gay St. Community Pool for many years. Coach William Charles Lewis, III, the only African American to retain a head coaching position in the State of South Carolina after forced desegregation in 1971, was inducted into the SC Coaches Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2012, he was inducted into the Florence, SC Coaches Hall of Fame. If Coach wasn’t at practice, he was golfing, which became such a favorite pastime for him, he co-founded the Tri-County Golf Club, also serving as president for a number of years.

Coach was predeceased by his son, Michael Allen Lewis and his sister, Annette Lewis

Phinazee. He is survived by: his loving wife — Miriam Graham Lewis; four sons – William Charles Lewis, IV (Sharon), Robert Rhett Lewis, Vincent Pernell Lewis, and Lyndon Derrick Lewis (Omileye); a daughter – Cheryl Denise Lewis; 10 granddaughters – Nia, Shante, Kendra, Kiara, Kanika, Imani, Kalifa, Nayah, Jenae, and Omololu; one grandson -Sean; and one step-grandson – Kem Ra; a niece – Ramona Edelin; two grandnephews – Ken Edelin, Jr. and Ramad Speight; and a grandniece – Kimberley Freeman; and a host of relatives, former players, and close associates and friends whose lives he profoundly influenced.

Memorial services for Coach Lewis will be Saturday July 28 at 11:00AM. Memorial services will held at Bundy Auditorium on the campus of University of South Carolina Lancaster, SC. McMullen Funeral Home of Lancaster, SC

view program of COACHWILLIAMLEWIS OBITUARY_7-31-12

February 13, 1918-February 20, 2012
Gwendolyn Claudette McDaniel (Argrett) “Honey” Tucker, 90, was the first woman to play golf in Tampa during the segregation era.  Mrs. Tucker moved to Tampa as a youngster and attended the public schools of Hills borough Country.  She graduated from Middleton High School in 1936.  She married James Tucker and they were parents to two daughters.

She and her daughter, Arletha Davis, became involved in golf during the construction of Rogers Park Golf Course in the late 1940s and early 1950s and she learned the game from professional golfers who visited the course. Ms. Tucker became the first African American woman to play at Rogers Park Golf Course and she was very good, with a reputation of beating the men.  She continued to play there for several years until her health failed.

In addition to playing golf, Mrs. Tucker was active in the community and often narrated fashion shows, organized the Golden Angels Club, a social organization involving women and church.  She was a member of the New Salem Missionary Baptist Church for many years before moving her membership to First Baptist

Church of West Tampa.

Barbara Angela Douglas, the first minority chairman of the United States Golf Association’s Women’s Committee succumbed to cancer at the age of 69 on January 27, 2012, in Glendale, AZ.

Barbara’s appointment to lead the Women’s Committee was a dream come true after 16 years of service as a committee member. Despite the debilitating effects of chemotherapy, she displayed tremendous courage and endurance as a proactive chairman who seldom missed a USGA women’s championship. In addition, last year the Golf Writer’s Association of America honored Barbara with the prestigious Ben Hogan Award, which has been presented annually since 1954 to an individual who continues to be active in golf despite a physical handicap or serious illness. The award was presented during the 2011 Master’s Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Barbara called it one of the highlights of her life. “Getting up every day wasn’t easy,” she said, “but my focus on the positives kept me going. It fueled my fire and gave me the energy to get up and get going.”

As an African American growing up in Chicago, Barbara was accustomed to challenges. In a 2009 interview, she said, “I’ve endured some discrimination, both from being a female and a minority. But it’s never the first thing that comes to my mind.” An accomplished golfer herself, Barbara competed in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links championship several times. She was then also on a fast career track as an executive with IBM and later was president of the National Minority Golf Foundation for five years.

While she was soft-spoken and quietly pleasant, Barbara was a tireless supporter of the game and women’s golf in particular. She worked hard to further involve state and regional golf associations as grass-roots supporters of the game and focused on growing the LPGA-USGA Girl’s Golf Program.

In 2011, she was inducted into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame. She also served on Boards of the Arizona Golf Association (AGA), the Arizona Women’s Golf Association, the Arizona Jr. Golf Association, the Executive Women’s Golf Association, and served on an LPGA advisory committee.

After her term as Women’s Committee chairman ended in February, 2011, she devoted more time to her real estate career and, despite chemotherapy, played the game she loved three to four times per week.

Ms. Douglas is survived by her closest friend, Dr. Bob Tomisak of Glendale, Arizona, and a host of devoted friends from around the nation. Donations in her memory may be made to the Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Arizona. A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held at Arrowhead Country Club. 

Burns died on December 28, 2011 in Spotsylvania, Virginia. He was born on October 23, 1961 in Reed City, Michigan. He was the son of Duane and Harriet Burns.

Burns was a graduate of Creston High School and Grand Rapids Community College and also attended Texas Southern in Houston, Texas.  At Creston High School he excelled at both football and basketball and was named All-City Quarterback and McDonald’s All American High School football team.

Burns excelled in golf but didn’t take it up until he had already earned a college football scholarship for his standout play in high school. He played college football briefly at Drake University before opting for a golf career. He played as a mini-tour professional before joining the Michigan PGA and becoming its only African American member.  He is recognized for his notable work for the Tiger Woods Foundation where he served almost nine years setting up and teaching golf at charity golf clinics featuring Woods for the foundation around the country as the Director of the Junior Golf clinics. Burns was also owner of GolfPlay, LLC, a golf course management company.

He was preceded in death by Duane Burns, Sr. and son, Jacques and both maternal and paternal grandparents.  Mr. Burns is survived by his daughter Gabrielle, 28, son Tamir, 17, mother, Harriet, and three brothers, Duane, Darryl and Dwight.