Charlie Sifford

I knew what I was getting into when I chose golf. Hell, I knew I'd never get rich and famous. All the discrimination, the not being able to play where I deserved and wanted to play - in the end, I didn't give a damn. I was made for a tough life because I'm a tough man. And in the end, I won: I got a lot of black people playing golf.

Every time I go into a tournament, I'm strictly on my own. I know I'm playing for my bread and butter.

If I was the Jackie Robinson of golf, I sure didn't do a very good job of it. Jackie was followed by hundreds of great black ballplayers who have transformed their sport... But there are hardly any black kids coming up through the ranks of golf today.

When I'd get out of school in the afternoon, I would go to the golf course, and I just picked the game up. And when I was 13 years old, I could shoot 70 - even-par 71, one over par and then something like that. I just took a liking to the game.

I play golf just about every week. I'm playing on the Senior Tour now - super seniors - I'm a super senior.

I believe there's - now, don't get me wrong; I'm not prejudiced - there's some white people in this country who'll never accept the black man as a golfer. That's true.

Man, I'm in the World Golf Hall of Fame. Don't forget that, now. I'm in the World Golf Hall of Fame with all the players. That little old golf I played was all right, wasn't it?

Prejudice hasn't changed to this day, not in golf. Maybe in other sports.

Tiger had the advantage of high school, college, and a father who knew golf. I was self-taught. Blacks really won't play golf in great numbers until some of these basketball and football stars buy some golf courses where blacks can play.

I don't smile much, and I never laugh. If you'd been through what I've been through, you wouldn't be smiling, either.

Golf is such a wonderful game. I love it to death.