Black Diamond - Black Gold
The Danville Lady Tomahawks
by
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The Danville Lady Tomahawks
The Danville Lady Tomahawks was one of the first African American Ladies Fastpitch Softball teams in the State of Illinois. Mr. Wilbur Adkisson was the founder and manager of the Danville Lady Tomahawks. The team was organized in May of 1960 at Lincoln Park. These ladies went from fast pitch softball to slow pitch softball in 1976. They quickly became a traveling team playing in the state of Illinois, Indiana, and traveled as far as Union City, Tennessee.
The Danville Tomahawks were an extraordinary group of young African American women who learned how to play the game of softball before title nine and girls sports in middle and high school existed. They were a dedicated group of young ladies who instilled pride and joy to the African American Community as well as their hometown of Danville, Illinois.
Softball Season
The ladies could not wait for spring to arrive in the Midwest. After a hard, dark cold winter, spring was a long-awaited welcoming sight. It was the green light for softball season to start! Softball was our life, and we loved the game! You would find the young ladies at practice from Monday through Friday from 5:30 pm to 8 or 9 pm. These long enjoyable practices paid off for the team. Producing excellent playing skills along with winning championship games.
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About the Book
The Danville Lady Tomahawks was one of the first all-African American women’s fastpitch softball teams, founded in the late 1960s in Danville, Illinois. The founder of this organization was Wilbur Adkisson, a professional baseball player, who played in the Negro Baseball League out of Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1976, these ladies went from fastpitch to slow pitch and quickly became a traveling team in Illinois, Indiana, and even Tennessee. The Danville Lady Tomahawks were a strong force to be reckoned with, thriving as a team until the late 1990s. Over the course of all those years, Adkisson gave young African American women the opportunity to become involved in sports in their community for the first time in their lives.
Black Diamond - Black Gold examines the early struggles of being an all-African American women’s softball team during an era when racism was still rampant. It highlights the women’s fortitude, resilience, and ability to adapt and play in any given situation. It showcases their strong commitment to the game, their team, and their community, where they instilled pride and joy.
This book shows what dedication and devotion look like. It explores the strong bond that was developed between these young ladies, encouraged with loving guidance and leadership from Wilbur Adkisson.
About the Author
Phyllis Adkisson-Smith is the eldest daughter of Wilbur Adkisson. She was raised in Danville, Illinois, and grew up watching baseball. She eventually joined the Danville Lady Tomahawks and continued playing softball in college. She holds a bachelor’s in Health and Physical Education. Now a retired teacher in Texas, Phyllis travels and spends time with her grandchildren. She is also active in her church, where she works with youth.