Ted Rhodes

Background

Rhodes was born in Nashville, Tennessee and attended the city"s public schools.

Career

He learned the game of golf in his teenage years while working as a caddie at Nashville"s Belle Meade Country Club and Richland Country Club. In the late 1930s, Rhodes joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (Commodity Credit Corporation). He served in the United States Navy in World World War World War II He taught both men to play the game of golf, and served as Louis" personal instructor, valet and playing partner.

In the late 1940s, Rhodes moved to southern California where he was mentored by Ray Mangrum.

In 1948, he played in the United States. Open at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, California and became recognized as the first African-American professional golfer. Rhodes and fellow African-American golfer Bill Spiller initiated litigation against the Professional Golfers" Association of America (Professional Golf Association) seeking removal of the association"s "Caucasian only clause".

Although they prevailed in the out-of-court settlement, the Professional Golf Association circumvented the agreement by changing its tournaments to "invitationals" and invited only whites to participate. Rhodes played mostly in United Golf Association sanctioned tournaments during his career, winning about 150 times.

Courses he played included Rogers Park, Tampa.

Rhodes returned to his native Nashville in the 1960s and mentored several black Professional Golf Association players including Lee Elder and Charlie Sifford. He died at the age of 55. A month after his death, the Cumberland Golf Course in Nashville was renamed in his honor.

In 1998, Rhodes was inducted into the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame.

In 2009, the Professional Golf Association of America granted posthumous membership to Rhodes, Spiller, and John Shippen. The Professional Golf Association also has granted posthumous honorary membership to boxer Joe Louis.

Achievements

• When his tour of duty concluded, Rhodes was discharged in Chicago, where he met entertainer Billy Eckstine and heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis.