Golf's True Black Pioneer, Bill Powell, Passes Away

Let's take a brief break from bemoaning Tiger Woods' self-imposed suspension from competitive golf, and take time instead to reflect respectfully on the passing of a true great pioneer of the game.
On New Year's Eve, Bill Powell _ credited as the first and only Black man to build and operate his own golf course _ passed away at age 93. Powell's Clearview Golf Club in East Canton, Ohio originally opened as a nine-hole track in 1948 and ultimately gained recognition as a National Historic Landmark.
After serving his country in the Air Force during World War II, Powell returned home to the harsh reality that he was barred because of his race from playing the game he'd grown to love as a caddy. Undeterred, he purchased a large parcel of land and employed his own back-breaking labor to create Clearview.
His obituary in the New York Times states: "In August 2009, when the P.G.A. of America held the 91st annual P.G.A. Championship in the Minneapolis area, it bestowed its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, on Mr. Powell."
And in his acceptance speech, "He closed with his credo: 'Stand firm. Never give up. Never give in. Believe in yourself, even when others don’t'.”
It's pitiful that Woods is secluded away in shame right now and, thus, unable to publicly pay Powell his due accolades.