Here's to You, Mr. Robinson

By Amy McCormick

Try to imagine Opening Day without some of our fan-favorite starters, like Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard.  It doesn’t seem fathomable in 2011.  There’s one legendary man who paved the way for minorities to be included in Major League Baseball.  Jackie Robinson courageously ended segregation in baseball 64 years ago.

Jackie, born in 1919, grew up as one of five children with a single mother in Georgia.  The Robinsons were the only African-American family on the block, and Jackie learned early on that nothing in life would be handed to him.  He excelled in sports; in 1941, Jackie was included in the All-American football team.  While studying at UCLA, he was the first athlete ever to earn a varsity letter in each of four sports: baseball, basketball, football and track.  In 1945, he joined the Kansas City Monarchs, a baseball team in the Negro League. 

Branch Rickey, the president of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, approached Jackie to discuss having him join his team.  At the time, this was unheard of; baseball had been segregated since 1889.  Commissioner Happy Chandler supported the change and stated, “If they [African-Americans] can fight and die on Okinawa, Gudalcanal and in the South Pacific, they can play ball in America.”  Not everyone was as welcoming.  From the moment Robinson joined the Dodgers, he became a target of ridicule and torment by fans, opponents, and even teammates.  Jackie didn’t stoop to that level.  “I had to deny my true fighting spirit so that the ‘noble experiment’ could succeed, but I never cared about acceptance as much as I cared about respect,” Robinson noted. Hank Aaron praised Jackie for his courage and said, “Jackie Robinson had to be bigger than life.  He had to be bigger than the Brooklyn teammates who got up a petition to keep him off the ball club, bigger than the pitchers who threw at him or the base runners who dug their spikes into his shin, bigger than the bench jockeys who hollered for him to carry their bags and shine their shoes, bigger than the so-called fans who mocked him with mops on their heads and wrote him death threats.”  It didn’t seem that there were many people in Jackie’s corner.

If it was respect Jackie wanted, he surely earned it.  Over a ten year career, Robinson won Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player; additionally, he won a World Series.  His career batting average was an outstanding .311.  Jackie Robinson broke racial barriers, but he was also an astounding athlete. His teammates eventually changed their minds and stood up with Jackie against those who bullied him.  He retired in 1956 and was very deservedly inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

Jackie showed astounding courage, like many African-American heroes throughout history.  What makes his courage special is that he agreed to play for Brooklyn knowing perfectly well that he would be in the public eye.  He knew that people everywhere would take notice.  He knew that the decision would be wildly unpopular … but he did it anyway. 

It’s a no-brainer to realize that without Mr. Robinson’s efforts, we may not see some very talented players that we do today.  What about beyond that, though?  Jackie set a precedent that spoke to the world: baseball is colorblind.  Players of all races and nationalities should be able to play alongside one another. 

Jimmy Rollins, for one, does not take Jackie’s hard work and dedication lightly.  He proudly wears #42 (retired throughout all of Major League Baseball) on Jackie Robinson Day and states that he feels a “great responsibility” to further his endeavors.  Rollins encourages African-American youth to play and enjoy baseball, and he never loses sight of the fact that Robinson fought for him. 

April 15 is Jackie Robinson Day.  I encourage you to get your taxes finished early and celebrate the life, work and talents of an astounding ball player and human being.  Pay tribute to his legacy by sharing your love of baseball with someone who hasn’t had much exposure.  Reflect on how our startling lineup would look without minorities.  Think about how lucky we are to be able to sit side-by-side and enjoy the greatest sport in the world, played by the most talented players.  Find your own way to honor this legendary man, because without him, baseball would not be what it is today.