Banks thought it would be "fascinating" if the smooth, corporate Michael Jordan, a black superstar who makes whites comfortable, offered even mild support of Sprewell.

They possibly believe that it hurts to have another black sports hero knocked down, that white society is plotting to do in the black superstar.

He was a great comedian and may have been the first black superstar.

"The black superstars in sports media represent just the tip of the iceberg," Professor Sabo said.

In January 1972, Time magazine featured Wilson's image on their cover and named him "TV's first black superstar".

Erving has fought off the "stereotypes," to use his word, since he became a black superstar.

With blacks making up a disproportionately high percentage of American movie audiences in the 60's, Mr. Poitier became the first black superstar.

Because a genuine batch of black male superstars had emerged in the late 1970's, interracial relations now took a certain quasi-homoerotic turn.

At the height of his career, from the late 1920's into the mid-30's, Lincoln Perry soared as Hollywood's first black superstar.

Ironically, it appears that the Olympian status accorded to black superstars means more to whites than to blacks.