Page 34 - Florida Sentinel 7-1-22

Sports
Marlin Briscoe, AFL's First Black Starting Quarterback, Dies At 76
Brittney Griner’s Russian Trial to Start Friday; Extended Six More Months
Marlin Briscoe, who be- came the first Black quarter- back to start in the AFL when he played the position for the Broncos in 1968, passed away Monday at the age of 76, The Athletic confirmed.
Briscoe died of pneumonia at a hospital in Norwalk, Calif., his daughter told The Associ- ated Press. He had been hospi- talized due to circulation issues in his legs.
"We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of former Bron- cos QB Marlin Briscoe," the Broncos said in a statement Monday. "Marlin was a pio- neer who shattered barriers, making history as the first black starting quarterback in the Super Bowl era. He paved the way for countless others and created an indelible legacy."
MARLON BRISCOE Briscoe is still Denver's
only rookie quarterback to throw double-digit touchdowns without double-digit intercep- tions — helped begin to change the perception of what Black quarterbacks could do in pro- fessional football at a time when racial prejudices hin- dered or outright prevented their opportunities.
WNBA star Briitney Griner has been wrongfully detained in Russia for 130 days. Her imprisonment has been repeatedly extended with very little information released by the Russian government. Now, her case has reached an- other crucial stage, as a trial date has finally been set.
According to CNN, per Griner’s lawyer, Alexander Boykov, the two-time Olympic gold medalist’s trial will begin on Friday, July 1. She was seen arriving at a pre- liminary hearing on Monday, wearing a gray shirt and glasses. The WNBA champion was “handcuffed and flanked by guards in black vests.”
The Phoenix Mercury cen- ter has been held in Russia since Feb. 17, when police say
WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow.
they found vape cartridges containing hash oil in her lug- gage. Though Americans were
advised to leave Russia ahead of the country’s invasion of Ukraine, Griner was rejoining her Russian basketball team.
Since then, she has been wrongfully detained in condi- tions former Russian prisoner Trevor Reed called “me- dieval.” At a rally held in sup- port of Griner in Houston on June 6, the former Marine de- scribed the conditions Brit- tney and American Paul Whelan are living with.
“They live in a cell that looks like it’s something out of the Middle Ages. As an American, you can’t imagine what that place looks like until you actu- ally see that for yourselves. Those conditions are what Brittney and Paul are living in right now as we’re having this conversation,” Reed said.
FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2022 FLORIDA SENTINEL-BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 15-A