Rogers Park, Tampa
Rogers Park Golf Course is a historic public 18-hole golf course in
Located along the
Garfield Devoe Rogers Sr. died on Feb. 22, 1951, according to his obituary in the Tampa Tribune and Tampa Times, he was 66. The new city park was named in honor of Rogers by a committee appointed by Mayor Hixon on June 7, 1951. Reported by the Tampa Tribune on Jun 8, 1951, Lee Davis, head of the committee, stated "...In the selection of the name of G. D. Rogers for the park, the committee was cognizant and appreciative of the many things that had been accomplished in the Tampa Bay area during Rogers' life of service." A June 18, 1951 Tampa Tribune article reported that the park was dedicated by Mayor Hixon and several speakers on Jun 17, 1951. The principal speaker was to be Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, but she was delayed en route to Tampa and failed to arrive in time for the ceremony. Until the time of his death, G. D. Rogers was president of the Central Life Insurance Co. of Florida.
In a Jan. 2, 1954 Tampa Tribune article about the City of Tampa's construction projects, it lists the opening of a 9-hole golf course at Rogers Park as one of its achievements. On Feb. 19, 1954, Superintendent of City Parks Ben Sanborn was given the Tampa Junior Chamber of Commerce Award of "Good Government" for his efforts in beautifying Tampa, which was presented to those public officials on the basis of accomplishments over a period of years. Among his department's efforts was said "Sanborn developed Rogers Park for Negroes, including the nine-hole golf course at this location." In Jan. 1955, Sanborn announced plans for the city parks department to increase the 9-hole Rogers Park course to 18 holes. The 9-hole course had been open for 18 months at the time, putting the opening at around May 1952.
Tampa Mayor
African-American golfers who played the course included Jimmy Taylor,
Willie Black
Willie Black was an African American
Caddies from all over Tampa heard about Willie Black's course, the second in Florida to permit African-Americans after one was created in Miami Springs.[6]
References
- ^ Willie Black's Dream Archived 2014-02-24 at the Wayback Machine; Rogers Park September 2010 USGA
- ^ Rogers Park website
- ^ Historical monument trail honorees April 2013 Seminole Heights Patch
- ^ History Rogers Park Golf Course website
- ^ Rodney Page Rogers Park was golf haven for African-Americans February 23, 2011 Tampa Bay Times
- ^ a b c Rhonda Glenn Willie Black's Dream: Rogers Park Archived 2014-02-24 at the Wayback Machine September 7, 2010 USGA
- ^ http://www.rogersparkgc.com/home/index.php/history