Jackie Robinson Week in New York

I was in Times Square on Monday for an event honoring the legacy of Jackie Robinson. The Collector's Cafe displayed Jackie's 1946 contract with the Montreal Royals and his historic 1947 pact with the Dodgers, the one that caused Major League Baseball's color barrier to finally fall. While today, April 15th will be celebrated as Jackie Robinson Day across baseball, with every player wearing his number-42 on their backs, these documents add an additional dimension to his historic achievements.
Celebrities ranging from rapper-actor Master P and former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz to civil rights activist Al Sharpton, talk show icon -- and lifelong Dodger fan -- Larry King and actor Paul Sorvino shared memories of Jackie, his impact on baseball and American society. As baseball
Sorvino, who grew up a Brooklyn Dodger fan, is not only a respected actor, but a gifted sculptor. He created the image of Jackie commissioned for this event.  I asked him what Robinson's greatest contribution was. Paul replied, "He gave me the gift of freedom from racism. I grew up admiring this man as much as I admired anybody in the world. In Brooklyn, we didn't think about 'he's a black guy,' we just loved him because he was a Dodger; the Dodgers were our soul. And automatically, we took it as the way the world is supposed to be. We're all the same people, brothers and sisters."

Comments

Jahn Ghalt said…
The great Jack Robinson (as Mrs. Robinson still calls him) showed great courage and restraint as a player and spokesman. His breakthrough freed thousands of players and we rightly celebrate him.

I'd like to see something similar for Curt Flood. His personal sacrifice was not as great - trading his last playing years for the right to stay home and run his small business empire. His lawsuit and ultimately unsuccessful appeals ended at the US Supreme Court - that arguably proved crucial toward overturning the Reserve Clause (which almost certainly was part of Robinson's Dodger contract).

According to fellow Cardinal Bob Gibson, In 1970 Flood "got four or five death threats a day":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curt_Flood#Aftermath_and_post-baseball_life

Flood's effort (along with Marvin Miller's) was arguably more influential than Robinson's in that it helped turn the tide for all players of all ethnicities, nationalities, and abilities. A "cup of coffee" is now worth tens-of-thousands to the marginal player. They should all remember Flood.

Miller dragged baseball owners kicking and screaming out of the game's finanacial somnolescence. They now must share a greatly bigger pie with "overpaid" players.

Damned baseball writers failed to induct Flood in the BBHoF during his inital 25 years - maybe the Veterans Committee will take it up, someday.

Some other HoF committee should induct Miller as well.
December 13, 2016 at 1:37 PM
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