International Tiger
by Larry Elder

Poor sports writers. They just don't know what the hell to do with Tiger Woods.

See, Tiger is part Caucasian, Thai, Chinese, Native American, and black.

 

Jim Nantz of CBS Sports said, "Tiger, you're the first African-American, the first Asian-American to win the Masters." What an interesting way to phrase the question. I guess the Native American and the Caucasian parts don't count.

 

One writer described Tiger as being part "European." Part European? When I last traveled to Europe, I met a number of European-born blacks. Probably not as precise a term as the writer intended.

When Woods strolled to the 18th and final hole in the 1997 Masters, I doubt that those cheering were merely cheering the first "African-American," the first "Asian-American," the first... whatever. No, they cheered a kick-butt golfer who scorched the course, beating those twice his age with a record score.

A couple of years ago, "Sports Illustrated" asked Tiger what he puts down on forms requiring ethnic identification. Woods replied, "I put Asian." In the very next sentence, the sportswriter ignored that and referred to him as an African-American!!

 

Now, if you're a rapper named Calvin Broadus, you can insist that the media refer to you as "Snoop Doggy Dogg." They will abide. We don't even know the real names of Ice T or Ice Cube, yet when Tiger identified himself as "Asian," the writer promptly ignored him.

 

In the same article, Woods's mother said, hey, what about me and my contribution to Tiger's heritage?

"All the media try to put black in him. Why don't they ask who half of Tiger is from? In the United States, one little part of black is all black. Nobody wanted to listen to me. I began trying to explain to people, but they don't understand. To say he is 100% black is to deny his heritage. To deny his grandmother and grandfather. To deny me!"

 

For his part, Tiger has struck a delicate balance. On the one hand, he understands and acknowledges his special role in the history of the sport. He also understands that many blacks cheer his success and identify with him.

 

Oh, Tiger has tried to address the "what-shall-you-call-me" issue. The November 1996 issue of "Golf Digest," he said, "The purpose of this statement is to explain my heritage for the benefit of members of media who may be seeing me play for the first time. It is the final and only comment I will make regarding this issue.

 

"My parents have taught me to always be proud of my ethnic background. Please be assured that is, and will be, the case, past, present, and future. The various media have portrayed me as African-American, sometimes Asian. In fact, I am both...On my father's side I am African-American; on my mother's side I am Thai. Truthfully, I feel very fortunate, and equally proud, to be both African-American and Asian! The critical, and fundamental, point is that ethnic background and/or composition should not make a difference. It does not make a difference to me. The bottom line is that I am an American...and proud of it!"

He understands that he cannot be put into some sort of neat, precise, ethnic box. That is why, in interviews, Tiger has tried mightily to say, at the bottom, I'm just me--Tiger.

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