I'm not knocking him or his record, but how is he a pioneer in the context of the subject?

Please note, this was not awarded by biased Wigan fans....

But Ali, Owens and Pele weren't the first great black players/athletes in their fields either, so how were they pioneers?

Please don't go confusing the issue when someone's anti-Wigan agenda rears its ugly head.

Errr i'm not, it's whoever wrote the article, and how he chose Boston over Sullivan?

Because Sullivan was a good player. Boston was 10 times better.

I'd just give up now really.

Your right BTW as the article says it names black athletes who ' change perceptions, broken through barriers and made a political and social impact.

Boston was the best but he wasn't the above. There were players who broke through the glass ceiling first. Boston simply blazed a trail of talent in a game that was already used to black athletes.

That's what this article was about not who the best player was.

As he was the first black captain of the Great Britain Lions and for any national British sporting side in a predominantly white country in 1972, I'd say that was a pretty big f'in deal especially as in 1972 this country wasn't exactly whiter than white (excuse the pun) on race relations.

To not recognise the magnitude of that appointment belies belief and possibly ignorance to the problems that were going on in this country.

Boston was undoubtedly a great of the game and in no way am i denigrating his achievements or stature, but i think the author is wrong.

I will be interested to see the reply after you have contacted the author to tell them.

It wouldn't matter if it was Thompson, Boston, Sullivan, Roy Francis (first British black professional coach in any sport) or Hanley (first black person to coach or manage a major national team in Great Britain), to see our sport mentioned in such exalted company is a rare honour.

I don't disagree and i don't mean to take anything away from Boston at all.