Frank A. Young (sportswriter)
Encyclopedia
Frank Albert Young (1884–1957) was an American
journalist
. He was widely regarded as the "dean of Negro sportswriters."
, the eldest of four children of John Luke Caution and Annie C. (Collins) Caution. The elder Caution, descended from Haitian immigrants, was originally from Washington County, Maryland
and worked in a lumber mill in Williamsport. Annie Caution's mother was Julia C. Collins, who in 1865, produced the first serialized novel written by an African-American woman, Curse of Caste, or the Slave Bride The family lived at 342 Front Street in Williamsport.
In November 1889, Annie Collins Caution died of pneumonia at the age of twenty-seven, leaving four young children aged between one and five. In June 1892, John Caution was fatally injured at an accident at the mill where he worked. Orphaned, the four children were taken to Cambridge, Massachusetts
by their father's brother; upon his death sometime later, all four were placed in a local orphanage. The two eldest, John Luke and Belva Lockwood Caution, were adopted by an African-American couple, William F. and Margaret E. (Green) Overton, of West Medford, Massachusetts
where they lived until 1900 when John, known as John Overton, ran away from home, changing his name to Frank Albert Young.
Under that name he worked at a number of jobs until he got work as a Pullman porter. By 1905, he was working as a dining car waiter
for the Chicago and Northern Railway when he married eighteen year old Adaline Harrison in Chicago; they would have two children, a son and a daughter. The marriage was not successful, and in 1918, he married native Chicagoan Cora K. Bowman (1893–1960), who survived him.
newspaper as to the possibilities of a job as a reporter. Smiley told him that there were no jobs available, but anything Young could contribute on a free-lance basis would be greatly appreciated. Young started contributing pieces to both the Defender
and the Indianapolis Recorder
, another black-owned newspaper
and, by 1912, was taken on as a sportswriter (again free-lance) by the Defender
.
In 1914, Young joined the staff of the Defender and the next year became managing editor until 1918. He developed the first weekly black sports section, serving as sports editor from 1918 to 1929. Young was also the first sportswriter to regularly cover sports at historically black colleges. He also served as managing editor of the Defender from 1929 to 1934, followed by a stint as managing editor of the Kansas City Call
from 1934 to 1937. Young then returned to the Defender where he continued to write until his retirement in 1949, although he continued to produce his weekly column, "Fay Says" until his death.
He helped organize the Negro National League
in 1920, and served as statistician until the league disbanded in 1933. He also served as an official for the Illinois Athletic Commission, serving as a timekeeper
at prizefights; he was also a former secretary of the Negro American League
.
at his home in Chicago shortly after receiving news that his sister Belva Overton had died in New York. Funeral services were held at Everybody's Church, a nondenominational church that he had helped establish at 60th Street and Wabash Avenue on the south side of Chicago
. His pallbearers included Jesse Owens
. Ralph Metcalfe
and John Sengstacke, owner and publisher of the Defender. He was buried at Mount Glenwood Cemetery in Thornton, Illinois
.
as he tried to return to boxing after serving his prison sentence, and was actively involved in promoting the inclusion of African Americans into professional sport during the early years of the twentieth century; he was also a staunch and unwavering supporter of black collegiate sports, as well as encouraging the involvement of African Americans in such sports as tennis, golf, and auto racing.
Young influenced a whole generation of black sportwriters. One was A.S. (Doc) Young
(no relation), who in a 1970 article in Ebony Magazine said, "I listened to Fay Young and learned a great deal from him." Another was Russ J. Cowans who succeeded him as sports editor at the Defender.
The Frank A. Young Poultry Plant at Tennessee State University
was named in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He was widely regarded as the "dean of Negro sportswriters."
Early life
Frank Albert Young was born John Luke Caution, Jr. on October 19, 1884 in Williamsport, PennsylvaniaWilliamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
, the eldest of four children of John Luke Caution and Annie C. (Collins) Caution. The elder Caution, descended from Haitian immigrants, was originally from Washington County, Maryland
Washington County, Maryland
Washington County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering southern Pennsylvania to the north, northern Virginia to the south, and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia to the south and west. As of the 2010 Census, its population is 147,430...
and worked in a lumber mill in Williamsport. Annie Caution's mother was Julia C. Collins, who in 1865, produced the first serialized novel written by an African-American woman, Curse of Caste, or the Slave Bride The family lived at 342 Front Street in Williamsport.
In November 1889, Annie Collins Caution died of pneumonia at the age of twenty-seven, leaving four young children aged between one and five. In June 1892, John Caution was fatally injured at an accident at the mill where he worked. Orphaned, the four children were taken to Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
by their father's brother; upon his death sometime later, all four were placed in a local orphanage. The two eldest, John Luke and Belva Lockwood Caution, were adopted by an African-American couple, William F. and Margaret E. (Green) Overton, of West Medford, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
where they lived until 1900 when John, known as John Overton, ran away from home, changing his name to Frank Albert Young.
Under that name he worked at a number of jobs until he got work as a Pullman porter. By 1905, he was working as a dining car waiter
Waiter
Waiting staff, wait staff, or waitstaff are those who work at a restaurant or a bar attending customers — supplying them with food and drink as requested. Traditionally, a male waiting tables is called a "waiter" and a female a "waitress" with the gender-neutral version being a "server"...
for the Chicago and Northern Railway when he married eighteen year old Adaline Harrison in Chicago; they would have two children, a son and a daughter. The marriage was not successful, and in 1918, he married native Chicagoan Cora K. Bowman (1893–1960), who survived him.
Career
Around 1910, Young contacted J. Hockley Smiley, managing editor of the Chicago DefenderChicago Defender
The Chicago Defender is a Chicago based newspaper founded in 1905 by an African American for primarily African American readers.In just three years from 1919–1922 the Defender also attracted the writing talents of Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks....
newspaper as to the possibilities of a job as a reporter. Smiley told him that there were no jobs available, but anything Young could contribute on a free-lance basis would be greatly appreciated. Young started contributing pieces to both the Defender
Defender
Defender usually refers to a position in association football .Defender or The Defender may also refer to:-Film and television:* The Defender or The Bodyguard from Beijing, a film starring Jet Li...
and the Indianapolis Recorder
Indianapolis Recorder
The Indianapolis Recorder is a weekly newspaper which began publishing in 1896. The newspaper was established by George E Stewart and William H. Porter...
, another black-owned newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
and, by 1912, was taken on as a sportswriter (again free-lance) by the Defender
Defender
Defender usually refers to a position in association football .Defender or The Defender may also refer to:-Film and television:* The Defender or The Bodyguard from Beijing, a film starring Jet Li...
.
In 1914, Young joined the staff of the Defender and the next year became managing editor until 1918. He developed the first weekly black sports section, serving as sports editor from 1918 to 1929. Young was also the first sportswriter to regularly cover sports at historically black colleges. He also served as managing editor of the Defender from 1929 to 1934, followed by a stint as managing editor of the Kansas City Call
The Call (Kansas City)
Kansas City The Call, or The Call is an African-American newspaper founded in 1919 by Chester A. Franklin. It serves the black community of Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas.-Founder :...
from 1934 to 1937. Young then returned to the Defender where he continued to write until his retirement in 1949, although he continued to produce his weekly column, "Fay Says" until his death.
He helped organize the Negro National League
Negro National League
Negro National League can refer to either one or both of these two leagues of major league baseball in the USA in the first half of the twentieth century:* Negro National League * Negro National League...
in 1920, and served as statistician until the league disbanded in 1933. He also served as an official for the Illinois Athletic Commission, serving as a timekeeper
Timekeeper
A timekeeper is an instrument or person that measures the passage of time; in the case of the latter, often with the assistance of a clock or stopwatch...
at prizefights; he was also a former secretary of the Negro American League
Negro American League
The Negro American League was one of the several Negro leagues which were created during the time organized baseball was segregated. The league was established in 1937, and continued to exist until 1960...
.
Death
Young died in 1957 of an intestinal obstructionBowel obstruction
Bowel obstruction is a mechanical or functional obstruction of the intestines, preventing the normal transit of the products of digestion. It can occur at any level distal to the duodenum of the small intestine and is a medical emergency...
at his home in Chicago shortly after receiving news that his sister Belva Overton had died in New York. Funeral services were held at Everybody's Church, a nondenominational church that he had helped establish at 60th Street and Wabash Avenue on the south side of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. His pallbearers included Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens
James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the...
. Ralph Metcalfe
Ralph Metcalfe
Ralph Harold Metcalfe was an African-American athlete and politician who came second to Jesse Owens in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Metcalfe jointly held the world record for the 100 meter sprint. Metcalfe was known as the world’s fastest human from 1932 through 1934...
and John Sengstacke, owner and publisher of the Defender. He was buried at Mount Glenwood Cemetery in Thornton, Illinois
Thornton, Illinois
Thornton is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,582 at the 2000 census. Thornton is home to the Thornton Quarry, one of the largest quarries in the world.-Geography:Thornton is located at ....
.
Legacy
Considered the "Dean" of black sportswriters, Fay Young wrote about the African American influence on American sport. He supported Jack JohnsonJack Johnson (boxer)
John Arthur Johnson , nicknamed the “Galveston Giant,” was an American boxer. At the height of the Jim Crow era, Johnson became the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion...
as he tried to return to boxing after serving his prison sentence, and was actively involved in promoting the inclusion of African Americans into professional sport during the early years of the twentieth century; he was also a staunch and unwavering supporter of black collegiate sports, as well as encouraging the involvement of African Americans in such sports as tennis, golf, and auto racing.
Young influenced a whole generation of black sportwriters. One was A.S. (Doc) Young
A. S. "Doc" Young
A. S. Young was a noted American sports journalist and author. He was also one of the first African American publicists working in Hollywood. Throughout his career he received numerous honors from the National Newspaper Publishers Association.-Background:Andrew Sturgeon Young was born in...
(no relation), who in a 1970 article in Ebony Magazine said, "I listened to Fay Young and learned a great deal from him." Another was Russ J. Cowans who succeeded him as sports editor at the Defender.
The Frank A. Young Poultry Plant at Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
was named in his honor.