Historically, African American athletes were excluded from mainstream sports. It would be hard to imagine a contest in football or basketball without an African American presence in modern society. Paul Robeson excelled in four sports, basketball, track and field, baseball and football. On the gridiron, Robeson often had to overcome opposing teams and fans shouting racial slurs and physically attempting to harm him illegally. As Paul Robeson II states, “Dad was one known as one of the smartest players in the game. Football became a metaphor and way for him to deal with societal conflict, an art form.” Today, little credit is given to the black athlete, male or female, for their combination of cognitive and psychomotor skills. The terms “athleticism” and “athlete” have taken on the meaning of natural skills and are often labeled and attached to African American males dominating their craft. Little significant scientific evidence has been found that affirms these stereotypes, but the issue has been debated since African Americans achieved in sports.