USA – A black man who cared about people and his community. A black man who wanted to make a difference. A black man who was scorned for the color of his skin. A black man who’s name wasn’t Martin Luther King or Barack Obama. A black man who made an impact on my life.

Somewhat muscular and standing about 5-foot-10 with blue tinted glasses and an afro, J.C. Buford’s presence loomed large in a predominantly white community in the early 1980s. To me, he was a giant. Buford was the first black coach to ever guide a team in the Savannah 13-15-year-old Babe Ruth League. I know this because his presence in the league caused quite a stir.

Being an African American and coaching a youth league baseball team may not seem to be that big of a deal in today’s society. But in the early 1980s in rural West Tennessee, it was.

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