Woods doesn't want to be called African-American
CHICAGO (AP) - When Tiger Woods was asked in school to check
one box that best described his background, he couldn't settle
on one. Perhaps that's because there wasn't a box for "Cablinasian."
That's the word that best describes his background, a blend
of Caucasian, black, Indian and Asian, the 21-year-old golf star
said on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
Woods, described as the first black Masters champion, said
it bothers him when people call him an African-American.
"It does," he said Monday during the taping in Chicago.
"Growing up, I came up with this name: I'm a 'Cablinasian.'
"
Woods' race has often been an issue in a game played predominantly
by whites. It was brought to the forefront again when Fuzzy Zoeller
referred to him as "that little boy" and urged him not
to put fried chicken or collard greens on the menu of the Champions
Dinner next year at Augusta National.
The remarks were broadcast Sunday on CNN's "Pro Golf Weekly,"
a week after Woods' record-setting victory at the Masters.
Zoeller, who won the tournament in 1979, apologized Monday,
saying he was merely joking when he made the comments after finishing
his round at Augusta, while Woods was still on the course.
International Management Group, the agency that represents
Woods, said he would not comment Tuesday. He was in Portland,
Ore., to meet with Nike Inc. executives.
Woods is one-fourth black, one-fourth Thai, one-fourth Chinese,
one-eighth white and one-eighth American Indian.
When he was asked to fill out that form in school, he said
he checked off African-American and Asian.
"Those are the two I was raised under and the only two
I know," he said on the show, to air Thursday.
"I'm just who I am," he said, "whoever you see
in front of you."
|
