The year was 1961, a year marking the start of the racial unrest that would last throughout the decade. Living in a trailer camp in Maryland with his wife and children, Fred’s future seemed bleak—that is, until he heard a college football coach being interviewed on a local radio show talking about becoming a Physical Education teacher. The coach’s words would inspire him enough to register at Maryland State College, a then all-black college. The thing of it was, Fred Engh was white. He would become the first white student to attend Maryland State, a segregated college. His intention was not to break any racial barriers or make any headlines. He simply wanted a better life for himself and his family as an accredited teacher. What he learned from attending that college however was something he had not expected. Matchsticks: An Education in Black & White is his story.
Fred Engh and his non-profit organization, NAYS—the National Alliance for Youth Sports—have positively affected the lives of millions of children throughout the country for decades, but chances are you have never heard of him or his group. What he has tried to do is make organized sports for kids fun. He has done this by training coaches to be fair, avoid playing favorites, bulling players, and stopping fans from getting out of control. He has also tried to even the playing field for children of different colors and ethnicities. From baseball to soccer to golf, he has made it his mission to let children choose to play the sport they love—no matter where they live or how well they play. And yet, the story behind how he discovered his calling in life is definitely a remarkable one of transition.
Today, when racial disparagement has once again taken the form of marches, protesters, and daily news headlines, here is a tale of discovery, understanding, and personal change. A lesson still as valuable today as it was then.
