Richard ‘Pancho’ González, Race and the Print Media in Postwar Tennis America

Latinos and Latinas have a long history in the sport of tennis. This article examines the life of Richard ‘Pancho’ González, a Mexican-American tennis player who overcame racial and class barriers to reach the top of professional tennis in the 1950s. It focuses on the changing media coverage of González in English- and Spanish-language newspapers, mainstream magazines and sports journals. The article shows how the English print media constructed González as the ‘bad boy’ of tennis during the Second World War but then a decade later celebrated his athletic achievements as symbol of American democracy. The Spanish-language media repeatedly praised González as a role model for Mexican American youth. Ultimately, the racial ideologies communicated through media sources played an important role in the representation of Richard ‘Pancho’ González and the visible contributions of Latino athletes in US sports.