Over the years I have been fortunate to meet many unique people in my quest to report what I see in the world of sports.
It is both a privilege and a passion for me, and up until now I thought I had seen it all.
However, that was before I met Leona Robinson this past weekend at Indiana Black Expo’s Summer Celebration, and thanks to her, I can assure you I will never look at the world of sports the same again.
Our encounter was indeed one of chance as she visited the Indianapolis Recorder booth at the Convention Center. Upon introducing myself and offering her a complimentary copy of the current print edition, she proceeded to tell me she reads the Recorder on a regular basis and took exception to some of the things I have written historically. (Trust me she is not alone on that one.) When I asked her to elaborate, she smiled and said, “Do you have all day?”
Finding her approach to be both candid and refreshing, I asked her if we could stroll around the exhibition hall and converse, and she readily agreed. A pleasant lady who was dressed to the nines, she proceeded to tell me she was 85 years young and had seen things that I probably could not relate to. When I told her I was 53 she looked at me and said “You’re just a child.”
As we continued to stroll, I asked her what I had written that she found to be so off base and what should I be doing differently. “First of all, you are too easy on some of these overpaid NBA players,” she offered. “Most of those guys don’t know how lucky they are and half the time they do not hustle.”
She went on to tell me that she remembered watching the great Oscar Robertson play in high school and how she enjoyed the Pacers in the ABA days at the State Fairgrounds Coliseum despite the cigarette smoke that filled the place.
She spoke fondly of the enjoyment derived from watching the Indianapolis Capitols and how that brand of the football made the current NFL look sad. “They played for virtually nothing out there on West 16th Street and you could afford to watch the game.”
When I asked her her thoughts on Lucas Oil Stadium she scoffed and added, “I’ve never set foot in that place, and they should have found a way to build it that would not of placed it on my back as a taxpayer.”
Without losing any momentum and in a rapid fire fashion, she voiced her disdain for Bob Knight, her admiration for Tamika Catchings, and her concern for the numerous young athletes in the inner city who do not get the same opportunities as their more affluent opponents do.
Yes, my time with Leona Robinson was far too short and far more than just enlightening. When I asked if I could buy her a soda, she shook her hand and said, “Nope, too much sugar” and thanked me for my time as well as the newspaper.
Before she went on her way, she shook my hand and told me I was a nice person, and then pointed out that I wasn’t wearing any socks. Despite my gregarious nature, I was indeed for the first time in my life, totally speechless.
Thanks Leona for reading the Indianapolis Recorder and for setting me straight on a number of things. I do hope that you will take me up on that offer to call anytime with your thoughts, and something tells me if I strike a nerve in print, you will undoubtedly do just that.
Danny Bridges, who found Leona Robinson to be charming and promises to never go without socks again, can be reached at (317) 578-1780 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
Danny Bridges is an award-winning journalist and a longtime sports columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder. He covers college, professional sports and especially all things IndyCar racing. He can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
