CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT
Charlie Sifford loved golf, but in the 1930’s only white people were allowed to play in the Professional Golf Association. Sifford had won plenty of black tournaments, but he was determined to break the color barrier in the PGA. In 1960 he did, only to face discrimination from hotels that wouldn’t rent him rooms and clubs that wouldn’t let him use the same locker as the white players. But Sifford kept playing, becoming the first black golfer to win a PGA tournament and eventually ranking among the greats in golf. Charlie Takes His Shot is available in hardcover and paperback.
A joy visiting the Cedar Crest Golf Course in Dallas where they honor Dr. Charlie Sifford with a statue and plaque. An honor to see CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT in each of the gift bags for the juniors at their holiday party and sign and spend time with each of these great kids!
Charlie Takes His Shot is cited in “The Stories We Tell Our Young Children: Using Picture Books to Explore Race and Black-Jewish Relations” in this article by Meir Muller and Eliza Allen in The Journal of Jewish Education. Read it here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15244113.2024.2341422
Listen to this 1992 Terry Gross interview with Dr. Charlie Sifford on Fresh Air here: https://wamu.org/story/15/02/05/fresh_air_remembers_charlie_sifford_who_broke_barriers_in_golf/
Thrilled to see CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT as part of the display honoring Dr. Sifford at the World Golf Hall of Fame in his centennial year! Thank you to Russ Crockett who has worked so hard on the Centennial Celebration for including Charlie Takes His Shot.
Thrilling to see Dr. Sifford honored with a well-deserved statue at Cedar Crest Golf Club in Dallas!
Loved sharing CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT & BEAUTIFUL SHADES OF BROWN at the fabulous, free Tulisoma South Dallas Book Fair @AAMuseumDal Aug. 20, 2022! tulisomabookfair.org
A wonderful new review and related activities by Michelle Nott in honor of Dr. Sifford’s 100th birthday here.
Check out a fabulous article on John Joven’s art as he moves from sketches to full color in Charlie Takes His Shot. See the full article here: https://www.domestika.org/en/projects/1288479-charlie-takes-his-shot-how-charlie-sifford-broke-the-color-barrier-in-golf-nancy-churnin
Houston area students wrote essays of 500-1000 words about Dr. Charlie Sifford for a chance to honor Dr. Sifford and win prizes. I'm honored to be one of the judges for this APGA Foundation contest. Looking for a little inspiration to get you started? Check out CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT for inspiration.
Reading and talking about CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT with kids at the Houston First Tee event, with Charles Sifford Jr. as the featured guest! One of the many great events organized by Mr. Sifford and Russ Crockett to honor Dr. Sifford’s centennial.
My friend Russ Crockett and me at the First Tee in Houston, honoring Dr. Sifford in his centennial year!
Sharing CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT at the Dallas Literary Festival at Southern Methodist University in March 2023
Charlie Sifford’s son, Charles Sifford, Jr. remembers his dad in this interview with The Kids Are All Write here. Keep reading to hear from Matthew Mosk, grandson of Stanley Mosk, the lawyer who helped Charlie Sifford fight for his right to play.
“Charlie was the grandfather I never had. To me he was Grandpa Charlie.”— listen to Tiger Woods talk about his love for Charlie Sifford and why he named his son, Charlie Woods, after his golfing hero. At the 2022 Genesis Invitational, which Dr. Sifford won when it was called the Los Angeles Open, in 1969, in Dr. Sifford’s centennial year.
Check out this great July 2021 article by Ben Morse of CNN about Charlie Sifford, featuring interviews with Charles Sifford, Jr. and me, with John Joven’s illustrations from CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT
“Charlie Sifford was the first Black golfer to win a PGA tournament. After meeting Jackie Robinson, Sifford fought to be allowed to play in the PGA. His journey wasn’t easy. He broke the color barrier in golf, but he continued to face discrimination from all sides — not just on the green, but in hotels and clubs, too. His inspiring story will engage young readers even as it invites them to share in Sifford’s passion for golf.”— Book Riot
NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK! The first paperback edition of Charlie Takes His Shot was released by Albert Whitman & Company Sept. 15, 2021 Proud to see the blurb by Charlie Sifford’s son, Charles Sifford Jr. on the back: “A fitting tribute to my father’s golf legacy of hard work and perseverance. My eight-year-old grandson, Gregory Poindexter, enjoys reading about his ‘Pa Pa,’ proudly sharing the story with family and friends. It is certainly a must read for children to learn about overcoming prejudice, working hard, and not giving up a professional dream despite facing racial inequities.”—Charles Sifford, Jr.
2022 marked Charlie Sifford’s centennial year — the year he would have turned 100.
Read all about my book journey and the paperback release on Kathy Temean’s blog here.
HONORS
2018 EUREKA! Excellence in Nonfiction Honor Book from The California Reading Association
2017-2018 Wisconsin State Reading Association Picture This Recommendation List
FEATURED: 2018 Holiday Gift Guide for We Need Diverse Books
Charlie Takes His Shot at the Ruby Bridges Reading Festival at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis May 19, 2018. Thrilled to meet Ms. Bridges and share Charlie's stories with kids at the festival!
Charlie Takes His Shot at the International Literacy Association in Austin on July 23 as part of a Putting Picture Books to Work panel with authors Chris Barton and Adah Nuchi, moderated by Dylan Teut.
WE HELPED THEM TAKE THEIR SHOTS: Share ways in which you’ve helped include someone who was left out and we’ll post about it here.
REVIEWS
From Charles Sifford, Jr., son of Charles Sifford: "I really enjoyed reading it. My daughter liked it as well. She has been reading it to my grandson. He enjoyed it also. You did a great job... It is a great learning tool for the kids to know a little about the history of the game of golf."
"I knew Charlie Sifford. I was covering the tournament when Charlie won his biggest title, the 1969 Los Angeles Open...He would experience just as great a thrill to see this lovely tribute of a book that Nancy Churnin has written and know that it might help another hard-working kid fight to achieve a dream."
-Dan Jenkins, best-selling author, Sports Illustrated columnist and member of the World Golf Hall of Fame
A poignant and inspiring tale of a groundbreaking sports figure whose name and story should be well-known.
- Kirkus Reviews
A quietly affecting story…. Churnin concludes on a hopeful note: “And now it was possible for everyone who loved the game to play and hear cheers from the crowd.”
- Publishers Weekly
An engaging picture book introducing a little-known American hero.
- Booklist
A worthwhile addition to school libraries looking for sports-related picture book biographies.
- School Library Journal
With determination, skill, and a little help from Jackie Robinson, Charlie follows his dreams. This is the inspirational retelling of the true story of how professional golfer Charlie Sifford became not only the first black player on the PGA tour but the first black player to win a tournament as well. Textured artwork captures the struggles and the joys of rising from caddy to champion on the fairway greens as Charlie’s persistence and dedication shine through.
-Foreword Review
Charlie Takes His Shot absolutely blew me away! The illustrations by John Joven are wonderful, picturesque, and packed with deep color values. John Joven's strong depiction of the scenery highlighted the atmosphere that the character would have been surrounded by. I would highly recommend this book to parents and educators who are looking for dynamic and diverse books. It is perfectly suited for ages 3-9 years old.
--A. Cole
Watch Charlie Sifford receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.
Honored to meet Ruby Bridges at the Ruby Bridges Reading Festival. I gave her CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT and she autographed her inspirational books for me!
Charlie Sifford and his great grandson, Gregory. Thanks to Gregory's grandmother, Annie Sifford for sharing these precious photos!
Charlie Sifford's great grandson, Gregory, practicing his swing. So glad Gregory likes CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT!
Gregory standing by the portrait of his great grandfather, Charlie Sifford.
Gregory a little more grown up, still enjoying the book about his great grandfather!