FIRST TAKE

Sports Diplomacy

David L. Carrasco, From Borderlands to Bridges BY DAVÍD CARRASCO

THE WASHINGTON STAR SPORTS EDITOR OPENED ‘I’ll be back tomorrow and I’ll have a he did with this knowledge was to de- the letter from far-off Caracas, Venezu- new basketball with me.’ velop a moral vision that sports should be ela, that had just arrived by diplomatic If you could have seen the looks on used to help people excel in competitive pouch. Entitled “A Very Sad Day,” the their faces when the ball collapsed you situations—and especially for those who piece was penned by my father David would have agreed with me that it was ‘a had been denied practice fields where L. Carrasco, the American University very sad day’. Tomorrow, I promise, will they could develop stronger bodies and basketball coach who was touring Latin be happier. Coach Carrasco.” more competitive minds. America as a sports diplomat for the U.S. From his work as a sports diplomat in State Department that summer. Latin America, Dave Carrasco came to MAN FROM THE BORDERLANDS The letter soon appeared in the news- think of sports as an ”international lan- Carrasco’s ability to connect with people paper under the headline, “Carrasco Has guage.” Sports were played all over the from different classes, races and places Compassion for Caracas Youngsters.” globe and enabled kids to reshape their came from growing up in an internation- His poignant story of a Venezuelan play- aggressions into exercise and games. al setting, but not one that people value ground scene ties coaching youth to in- But for this Mexican-American from the as a training ground for sports, diploma- ternational diplomacy, sports in Latin U.S.-Mexico borderlands, sports were cy and cultural richness. He was a “Tex- America to poverty, sadness, compassion more than just exercises in competition. Mex,” a ”border man” from the Segundo and perhaps even social change. Sports were a means through which so- Barrio of El Paso, Texas, literally within a “Today I call it a ‘Very Sad Day,’” cial equality could be played out. When stone’s throw of the Chamizal, that piece Carrasco wrote. “When I arrived at one he was interviewed for a 1968 essay on of Mexican land that had moved to the of the recreation centers in Caracas, there the Mexico City Olympics in the New U.S. side of the border when the Rio Bra- were about 75 kids waiting for me to start Yorker, Carrasco said, vo changed its course in the 19th century. the class in basketball. Keep in mind that “The United States should get more He took his toughness from the streets of these recreation centers are not like the involved in youth programs abroad. south El Paso, where he was a feared box- ones in Washington D.C. or Montgomery Sports are very important for Latin er and all-star basketball player, to Mex- County with good facilities and plenty America—for developing leadership. ico where, before he was 20 years old, he of equipment and sufficient instructors. They are about the only field here where starred for the national Mexican basket- Here, these kids are real poor and they the opportunities are the same for all ball team, the “Chihuahua Dorados,” in wear very old clothes that are dirty and growing youngsters, regardless of their the 1938 Central American Games. His torn and many of them have holes in their heritage. Furthermore, they bring people 6 ’4” size—along with his shooting ability shoes or no shoes at all. These kids come from isolated parts of a country together and play around the rim—led to his nick- from shacks with dirt floors and leaky so they unify that country” (P. 80, “Letter name El Cocotero—“the Coconut Tree roofs and no water or lights. Just noth- From Mexico.”) Jumper.” ing. They need these recreation centers Sports are, in his words, “opportuni- After World War II, we moved to Mary- because at least they can wash and bathe.” ties.” With good coaches, adequate equip- land, where he became a championship The letter stated there was only one ment and a decent place to play, sports basketball coach at the high school and old rubber basketball and the boys were could level the social playing field and college level. Reflecting his growing vi- having fun playing and learning some help people make positive connections. sion of sports as a leveler of race and athletic drills Carrasco was teaching. In Latin America, he also experienced social stratification, his American Uni- Then the ball went over the fence, hit a at first hand that sports were connected versity basketball teams were the first sharp stone and flattened out. The Ven- with culture, politics, national iden- college teams in the nation’s capital to ezuelan kids turned to look at the coach. tity and friendships. Sometimes, as he be racially integrated. His example and “...the kids just stood and stared at me learned the hard way, sports were over- message were that sports and education, with big, wondering eyes. I called them whelmed by local rivalries and interna- athletics and social justice, games and together and said, tional/Cold War political agendas. What race were intertwined. But he never left

2 ReVista SPRING 2012 Top: Coach Carrasco with Afro-Guatemalan youth; young Carrasco playing in Mexico with the Chihuahua Dorados. Middle row: Mural in El Paso honors Coach Carrasco; the coach with his family, author on the left. Bottom: U.S. Vice President Hubert Humphrey tosses a ball as Carrasco looks on; Carrasco’s return to Mexico as sports diplomat.

PHOTOS AND NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS COURTESY OF DAVÍD CARRASCO DRCLAS.HARVARD.EDU/PUBLICATIONS/REVISTAONLINE ReVista 3 SPORTS!

Left: Front page of the sports section of Di- arío de México shows Carrasco with Mexican coaches; right: U.S. postage stamp in com- memoration of the 1968 Mexico Olympics. his U.S.-Mexico border past behind and One of the Mexican coaches is also grip- welcomed a Mexican-American who the U.S. State Department, learning of ping the ball as though Carrasco is either shared their language and blood, which his coaching credentials, language abili- handing it off or the two are in conten- enabled them to grasp and apply what he ties and cultural knowledge, sent him to tion for it. They are staring approvingly was teaching. Another full-page news- Latin America to conduct clinics aimed into each other’s eyes. The other coaches paper spread entitled “Un Gran Coach at helping Latin American coaches im- are crowded together like a team, leaning David L. Carrasco Un Enamorado del prove their skills. He toured Guatemala, into the center of the picture—smiling or Baloncesto Mexicano” has him telling Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Argenti- looking intently at the scene. Their hun- the coaches that “El Jugador Mexicano na and Mexico, spending longer periods ger to learn and his ability to teach are es muy ‘pícaro’ pero sin fundamentos.” in Mexico and Ecuador. well stated in the accompanying article. Carrasco praises the hustle and crafti- “De todos los entrenadores que nos ness of the athletes he was training but EL PÍCARO JUGADOR MEXICANO han visitado, con el fin de impartir sus pulled no punches in challenging them When the Confederación Deportiva conocimientos a los manejadores mexi- to practice intensively if they wanted to Mexicana invited Carrasco to help im- canos, él que ha dejado una fructífera se- compete internationally—especially for prove the country’s coaching staffs be- milla es sin duda, David Carrasco. the Olympic Games. ginning in 1963, he ran a series of coach- “De ascendencia mexicana, él lleva ing clinics in Mexico City and formed sangre nuestra en sus venas y la facilidad MEXICO ’68: SPORTS OLYMPICS, strong friendships with successful Mexi- de entenderse. Fueron factores determi- CULTURAL OLYMPICS can coaches Carlos Bru and Constancio nantes, para poder apreciar en todos los The 1968 Olympics marked a glamor- Córdova. The growing Mexican teams’ sentidos, los amplios conocimientos que ous achievement for Mexico in what was enthusiasm to improve their basketball posee y poder captar dichos conocimien- called El año de México. Even though coaching techniques was evident in a tos para ser aplicados a nuestros basket- that triumph was overshadowed by the photograph that appeared on the front bolistas. tragic and unforgettable events of the page of the sports section of the Diario de “Carrasco, conocedor de nuestro me- October 2 Tlatelolco massacre, Mexico México on July 4, 1963, five years before dio, ya que fue integrante de los Dora- staged a very successful Olympics games the Olympic Games. The photo shows dos de Chihuahua, puso el dedo en el and Carrasco played a notable role on the very tall, smiling Carrasco holding a renglón, respecto a las fallas y falta de both the athletic and cultural sides as the basketball tightly in his hands, surround- progreso del mismo.” (Diario de México, U.S. Olympic Games Attaché. Mexicans ed by some of the 57 Mexican coaches June 1963). put enormous effort in hosting the 19th who had been brought into Mexico City Instead of receiving the usual norteam- Olympiad, making it a return to Greek from towns and cities throughout the ericano to impart superior knowledge ideals (of celebrating body and soul to- republic to train for a month with him. to Mexican basketball coaches, they now gether) and an innovative international

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cultural and sports event. Olympics a major part of the Games, a cal movements in Latin America. When There were many ”firsts” in the Mex- number of countries were slow to re- Agee later wrote his highly controversial ico City Olympics: the games took place spond and contribute their best cultural exposé Inside the Company: CIA Diary, at the highest altitude of any games in representatives. Ramírez Vázquez asked he both praised Carrasco’s leadership history; it was the first time a so-called the U.S. Embassy to use its influence to during the Olympics and made an ex- developing country hosted the Games; help motivate a stronger international tra effort to state that Carrasco “had no they were the first games held by a Span- participation. Carrasco’s language skills connection whatsoever with the Agency.” ish speaking country; first games ever and cultural knowledge were called upon The Agency justified Agee’s assignment held in Latin America, to be only now and his efforts resulted in a decisive im- because, in part, Soviet coaches (clan- followed by Brazil in 2016; first games provement in cultural contributions. destinely accompanied by Soviet intel- at which there was a significant Afri- Outstanding among the twenty events ligence operatives) had been welcomed can presence in men’s distance running, of the Cultural Olympics were the Inter- by the Mexican sports agencies to help which they came to dominate; first time national Festival of the Arts (U.S. partici- coach some of the Mexican athletes El Salvador, Guinea, Honduras, Nica- pants included Van Cliburn, Alexander and teams believing it would improve ragua, Paraguay and British Honduras Calder, Martha Graham, members of the Mexico’s medal count. Partly to counter (now Belize) participated; and a first Newport Jazz Festival, Merce Cunning- these influences the United States had when a powerful living symbol for Mexi- ham, Duke Ellington and Orchestra, the also supplied coaches and a kind of spy- co appeared for the first time in Olympic Tijuana Brass). David Álfaro Siqueiros’s ing competition went on alongside the history, when a woman, Norma Enriqu- gigantic stone mural at the National Uni- sports training programs. eta Basilio de Sotelo of Mexico, ran the versity (UNAM) was refurbished, as well Race and politics infiltrated at least Olympic flame into the Olympic stadium as a mural by Diego Rivera on the façade two public events during the Mexico City and up a long stairway to light the Olym- of a movie theatre on a major thorough- Games. In the months leading up to the pic cauldron and inaugurate the 19th fare, Insurgentes Sur, which became the Games, the Mexican Olympic Commit- Olympiad. For the first time in Olympic site of the weight lifting competition. tee was troubled by the rumor that Afri- history, a Cultural Olympics were held. One “event” that left an enduring mark can American athletes might boycott the As U.S. ambassador to Mexico Fulton on Mexico was the International Meet- Games to protest human rights abuses in Freeman said at the time, “Mexico has ing of Sculptures which placed 21 major the United States. Carrasco investigated reached back into history and paralleled sculptures in prominent places through- the rumor and learned that some African the athletics with culture in the Cultural out Mexico City including Alexander American athletes were politicized about Olympics.” Calder’s 70 foot high “Red Sun” which the long history of racial abuses inside Carrasco’s assistant attaché at the U.S. greeted visitors to the Olympic Stadium. and outside of American sports practices Embassy, Malcolm Butler, noted that The stadium also had a mammoth mural but that they were planning to compete. “Mexico used the Olympics to put itself by Diego Rivera constructed on its side. The meaning of the rumor became clear on three maps—the sports map, the cul- when Tommie Smith and John Carlos, tural map and the geo-political map as DIPLOMACY, SPIES, DIALOGUE the gold and bronze medalists in the an international destination. They used But all was not culture and friendship in men’s 200-meter race, took their places the Olympics to show the world that the months leading up to the Olympics on the podium for the medal ceremony their entire culture was rich and thou- because Cold War politics had infiltrated wearing civil rights badges and black sands of years old.” Mexico’s greatest sports festival from socks without shoes. As the Star Span- But it was a Mexican genius, the ar- both the Soviet and U.S. sides. Carrasco gled Banner played they lowered their chitect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez who, as was deeply troubled when, after accept- heads and each defiantly raised a black- president of Mexico’s Olympic Organiz- ing in 1967 the position as cultural at- glove fist. Assistant attaché Butler hap- ing Committee, was the visionary force taché for the Olympics, he learned that pened to be sitting about 40 yards away linking the Cultural Olympics to the a C.I.A. agent named Phillip Agee was and remembers the scene. Sports Olympics and thereby put anoth- to be assigned as one of his assistants. “This act left many of us in the stadi- er face of Mexico on the extravaganza. When he realized that his own creden- um breathless. I remember thinking that Mexican officials correctly understood tials as a legitimate sports figure were these people are really putting it on the that Mexico would not be a leading com- going to be used, in part, as a “cover” for line and will likely get thrown out of the petitor in the sports competition and Agee’s clandestine activities in Mexico games. Many Mexicans felt the same way therefore added the Cultural Olympics to City, Carrasco struggled with whether he about their courage and the punishment help the country stand out as a success- should resign the job. In 1968, only a few that was to come.” ful host of the Games. In spite of Mexico’s in the United States understood just how Another tie between sports and po- vigorous attempts to make the Cultural destructive the CIA had been to politi- litical diplomacy was made evident at

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the Olympic Village where the athletes high schools throughout the country to kids running around at Pine Crest play- from the different countries lived. Mal- organize the first national high school ground one summer when this big man colm Butler summarizes the scene he basketball tournament. The tournament showed up with baseball equipment witnessed. was held in the port city of Guayaquil and organized us into a game. After that “You see, Mexican athletes were with teams coming from all over the first day, he was our coach and we had proud that the Cuban athletes were part country for the three day tournament. the best summer playing ever.” An All of the Mexico City games even as the U.S. National television and radio stations American basketball player recounted, was in a powerful Cold War conflict with emphasized the intense rivalries between “We were black high school kids playing Cuba. But their pride was not because coastal and sierra peoples. As fate would ‘make it-take it’ over in the neighborhood they wanted to defy the U.S. as some peo- have it, the championship game was and here comes this big man, who didn’t ple thought. Mexicans saw the Olympics played by teams from the coast and the look black or white, over to the sidelines as the setting where Americans and Cu- interior—Guayas from Guayaquil and to check us out. At the break he called us bans could get to know each other, talk Pinchincha from Quito. Right before tip over and told us that if we wanted to play and compete fairly against each other. I off, the local referees became intimidated college ball in the area and stay near our remember one day at the Olympic Vil- by the crowd’s insults and jeers and fled families, he would help us out. And he lage that some U.S. athletes went out of the stadium. Carrasco and one of the did!” their way to greet and talk with the re- Peace Corps Volunteers ended up refer- Others followed and the theme was markable young Cuban runner Alberto eeing the game. A company of Ecuador- the same. Playground ball with Carras- Juantorena. This amiable exchange at- an soldiers came into the building and co started them on the path to becom- tracted onlookers and we could see and circled the lower section of seats with ing competitive athletes. As did those feel, in a palpable way, the pride and sat- rifles strapped to their shoulders. When kids in Venezuela, they had all met him isfaction that some Mexican athletes felt the visiting school, Pinchincha, won by a as boys on poor or working-class play- at the opening of this friendly dialogue single point, the losing hometown crowd grounds. Looking back over his life that between Cubans and U.S. athletes.” flew into a rage and the Guayas officials night it was clear to me that these shared Here was a Mexican moment when who sponsored the tournament fled the achievements were rooted in those fruc- sports and Cold War politics were beaten stadium. tíferas semillas and pícaro lives in the out, if only momentarily, by athletes in It was left to the Peace Corps repre- borderlands of Latin America. And it dialogue. sentatives, to the delighted players and became clear to me that as a man from fans who had stayed behind, to hand out the borderlands, he embodied the best of GUNS AND BASKETBALL IN ECUA- the trophies. Good intentions and good sports diplomacy—the ability of sports to DOR’S GEO-POLITICS OF SPORTS sportsmanship, as Carrasco learned, are create bridges between people and cul- Not all sports involve athletes in dialogue sometimes trumped by geopolitical re- tures and foster social change. though. My father learned this two years alities of rivalries and distrust. Yet my before the Olympic Games when he be- father never stopped trying to be an ef- Davíd Carrasco is the Neil L. Ruden- came director of the Peace Corps’ Physi- fective sports diplomat and a catalyst for stine Professor of the Study of Latin cal Education program in Ecuador. He social change through sports. America at the Harvard Divinity always took a disciplined approach of School, with a joint appointment with combining craftiness and physical con- PLAYGROUND MAN the Department of Anthropology in the ditioning with his teams, but the first When my father was inducted into the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. A Mexican time he refereed a game between teams Sports Hall of Fame at American Uni- American historian of religions with a from rival parts of the country, he found versity in 1994, I learned more about the particular interest in religious dimen- this approach was not quite enough. In results of his compassion for playground sions in human experience, Mesoameri- the dressing room following a wild first kids. A number of speakers at the Hall of can cities as symbols, immigration, and half of verbal attacks on players and ref- Fame banquet described how they first the Mexican-American borderlands, his erees, Carrasco asked the Ecuadoran met him and how he changed their lives. recent collaborative publications include referee about a plan of escape if things One multi-sport all-star stood up and Breaking Through Mexico’s Past: Dig- got worse. Unzipping a concealed pants said, “My first memory of Coach Carrasco ging the Aztecs With Eduardo Matos pocket, the Ecuadoran reached in, taking was at a playground at Sligo Jr. High. He Moctezuma (2007) and Cave, City, and out a handgun, and told Carrasco “aquí was the biggest, strongest looking man I Eagle’s Nest: An Interpretive Journey lo arreglamos”—we can fix it all with this. ever saw and he organized us into teams Through the Mapa de Cuauhtinchan Another sports event reveals how in- and taught us how to play together.” No. 2 (2007) and The Aztecs: A Very tense basketball rivalries got in Ecuador. Another star player, now a successful Short Introduction (2011). In 1966, the Peace Corps worked with coach, reminisced, “We were a bunch of

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