What's My Name, Fool?

Dave Zirin talked about his book What’s My Name, Fool?: Sports and Resistance in the United States, published by Haymarket Books. Author and journalist Dave Zirin makes the case that professional sports in America have long been closely tied to radical politics. In his book the author chronicles the relationship between athletes and activism, including politically radical athletes of the 1960s such as Olympic sprinter John Carlos and boxer Muhammad Ali as well as those of today. The author contends that aspects of American sports are often reflective of larger issues in American society such as social activism, racism, and resistance. Mr. Zirin talked about the connections between black athletes and the civil rights movement and the story of the book’s title, which is a quote from Muhammad Ali. He explained the connections of sports to the labor movement. He also talked about former NFL player Pat Tillman who joined the Army Rangers. He reported that his family became politically motivated when his death in Afghanistan during the efforts to combat terrorism was distorted for propaganda purposes. After his presentation he responded to questions from members of the audience. close