His dream was to play professional baseball. Instead, Sam Lacy became an outspoken advocate for equal opportunity, using words to pry open doors so athletes at all levels could realize their dreams.

Lacy became a sportswriter during a time when blacks and whites did not mix in many aspects of American life. His efforts helped to bring dramatic change, starting with Jackie Robinson's breaking the racial barrier in major league baseball. Lacy's columns are filled with on-the-scene accounts and insider stories; he not only interviewed players, he traveled with them and lived with them as he fought with and for them.

Lacy covers all sports. He has written about six Olympics and countless other games, matches, tournaments, and meets. His perspective is neither one-sided nor predictable; he's as likely to chastise a player as a team owner if the situation warrants it. He has pushed for the rights of women athletes, too; even Little League was not immune.