57 years ago today, September 9, 1968 (July 17, 1968, the lunar calendar), black people won the men's tennis championship for the first time. On September 9, 1968, Arthur Ashe broke the color barrier in sports. When the young Army lieutenant won the U.S. Open, he became the first black man to win a major tennis championship. The 25-year-old officer scored a total of 26 goals in the tournament at Mount Forrest in New York, defeating Tom Okol of the Netherlands. As an amateur, Ash is not eligible for the first-class prize of $14,000 out of the $100,000. This is the most lucrative prize money in a tennis match. The thin, serious Ashe grew up in a middle-class area of Richmond, Virginia. His father was a park keeper. He received a scholarship at the University of California, Los Angeles, and was assigned to oversee tennis courts during his studies. Ash embarked on his path to success and won the U.S. Amateur crown on August 25. Orcia Gibson was born in the Harrem ghetto and was the first black woman to win a major championship, including the prestigious Wimbledon champion.