Jackie Robinson
Even though both Chicago teams lost on Sunday, it was still a great day. Three years ago, Major League Baseball declared that each April 15th would be Jackie Robinson day.
This year, different players on each team asked to wear the retired number of Robinson. Six Cubs wore the number while five Sox also took a turn. The Dodgers, for whom Robinson played, had all of their team where number 42.
Robinson was 28 years old when he broke in with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Over ten years, he played in nearly 1,400 games, batting .311 and hitting 137 home runs. The stats are not incredible, but very, very good. Robinson retired after being traded to the dreaded Giants. Seems he was more loyal to the Dodgers than they were to him.
What I did not know about Robinson was that, during his career, he played every position except the battery positions, although he only played shortstop once. He spent the most time at second base, where he finished with a nice .983 fielding percentage.
To compare, former Cincinnati star and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan had a .981 fielding percentage after playing three times as many games at second base in twice as many years. Rogers Hornsby, Hall of Fame player who spent most of his career at second finished with .965. Hall of Famer Rod Carew split his career between second and first base, and finished at .973.
Oh yeah, Ryne Sandberg finished with .989 at second base. He played for the Cubs for a few years and entered the Hall awhile back. He was pretty good, but he did not have to battle the demons Jackie Robinson did.
Crossing to color barrier could not have been easy. He endured insult upon aggravation. Players and fans alike showed disrespect and in some cases, hatred. Jackie Robinson was a special man. He handled the entire ten years and more with class and dignity.
It is amazing that this year’s wonderful celebration had to be shadowed by the horrible comments made by an eccentric old man who has 1940s values in a 21st century world.
Jackie Robinson had a career that was relatively short and, although he put up good numbers, were hardly overwhelming. Still, he accomplished so much in such a short time.
I hope someday we forget about Jackie Robinson. I hope that the relationship between all people is such that we do not have to celebrate those who helped prove that we are all one people.
Until that day, I will look forward to each April 15th. Nice play, Jackie. Nice play.
This year, different players on each team asked to wear the retired number of Robinson. Six Cubs wore the number while five Sox also took a turn. The Dodgers, for whom Robinson played, had all of their team where number 42.
Robinson was 28 years old when he broke in with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Over ten years, he played in nearly 1,400 games, batting .311 and hitting 137 home runs. The stats are not incredible, but very, very good. Robinson retired after being traded to the dreaded Giants. Seems he was more loyal to the Dodgers than they were to him.
What I did not know about Robinson was that, during his career, he played every position except the battery positions, although he only played shortstop once. He spent the most time at second base, where he finished with a nice .983 fielding percentage.
To compare, former Cincinnati star and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan had a .981 fielding percentage after playing three times as many games at second base in twice as many years. Rogers Hornsby, Hall of Fame player who spent most of his career at second finished with .965. Hall of Famer Rod Carew split his career between second and first base, and finished at .973.
Oh yeah, Ryne Sandberg finished with .989 at second base. He played for the Cubs for a few years and entered the Hall awhile back. He was pretty good, but he did not have to battle the demons Jackie Robinson did.
Crossing to color barrier could not have been easy. He endured insult upon aggravation. Players and fans alike showed disrespect and in some cases, hatred. Jackie Robinson was a special man. He handled the entire ten years and more with class and dignity.
It is amazing that this year’s wonderful celebration had to be shadowed by the horrible comments made by an eccentric old man who has 1940s values in a 21st century world.
Jackie Robinson had a career that was relatively short and, although he put up good numbers, were hardly overwhelming. Still, he accomplished so much in such a short time.
I hope someday we forget about Jackie Robinson. I hope that the relationship between all people is such that we do not have to celebrate those who helped prove that we are all one people.
Until that day, I will look forward to each April 15th. Nice play, Jackie. Nice play.
Labels: Social Justice, Sports
posted by Alexander Dimm | 5:17 AM
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