Thank you Jackie Robinson

[malaise]

Last edited Sat Apr 15, 2023, 08:02 AM - Edit history (1)

for representing us all so well - at home and abroad.
April 15 1947.

Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play in the Major Leagues on April 15, 1947, when he took the field in the top of the first inning against the Boston Braves. When Robinson took his spot at first base, he broke baseball's six-decade-long color barrier,

He did way more than play baseball.
The DeathSentences of this planet will never erase you or the rest of our heroes and heroines.

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[RVN VET71]

1. Thank you for this reminder

Robinson was one of my boyhood heroes. As I've gotten older I've grown more and more awed by the man's accomplishments, courage, and indomitable spirit.

[marble falls]

2. Another hero that the RW never got canceled ...

From One Robinson to Another
Written by: Matt Rothenberg

https://baseballhall.org/discover/breaking-baseball-barriers-from-one-robinson-to-another

A Baseball Life


Unfortunately, he would never see that day. Jackie Robinson died shortly after the World Series that year, but his wife, Rachel, made the trip to Cleveland in 1975 to witness history.

Frank Robinson was well aware of Jackie’s influence on and importance to baseball.

“I thank the Lord that Jackie Robinson was the man he was in that position,” Frank Robinson said at his introductory press conference in October 1974. “The one wish I could have is that Jackie Robinson could be here today to see this happen.”

-snip-

Rachel Robinson, Jackie’s widow, was on hand and, during pre-game festivities, expressed her pride in Frank Robinson’s accomplishment. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn and American League president Lee MacPhail were also present.

The 1975 Cleveland Indians finished 79-80, a slight improvement over the previous season, and in his second – and final – season as a player-manager, Robinson led them to an 81-78 mark in 1976. Solely focusing on his managerial duties for 1977, Robinson was led go after a 26-31 start and replaced by Jeff Torborg.

Frank Robinson managed the Cleveland Indians in 1975 as a player/manager, hitting a home run in his debut on April 8, 1975. - BL-1350-75 (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

[malaise]

3. Thanks for this

Joy Reid had a lovely segment on Jackie last night - I'll try and find it

[Evolve Dammit]

5. I remember that season and home run! Awesome

[marble falls]

14. That homerun was spectacular. First at bat in Cleveland, first pitch, first swing.

[Diamond_Dog]

17. And I was there!

[marble falls]

21. Muny Stadium was an amazing place to watch ball. And to get to see Robie smack one: priceless. I ...

... to see it on TeeVee. Almost as good.

Muny was cold and windy in the winter, but the Brownies never were doing much post season until the seventies anyways.

Where did they build the new stadium: right off the lake.

Got to say Jacobs Field (or whatever corporate name it goes by now) is a fine place to watch a ball game. I'm trying to talk my wife into moving into the Terminal Tower apartments. We'd be able to walk to the games.

[Diamond_Dog]

22. My fantasy. Being able to walk to Guards games.

I live over an hour away and the driving and the parking to see a game is such a hassle. Taking RTA from the burbs isn’t quite as bad but slow. Maybe I’m just getting old.

Maybe Tito can give me a ride in on the back of his scooter….

[marble falls]

26. Tito Francona - a blast from the past!

[Evolve Dammit]

35. I had forgotten it was literally the first pitch! On another note, I miss Chief Wahoo and John Adams

The former I understand and I am embracing the Guardians. Youngest team in MLB and very, very good.

[marble falls]

37. I know what you mean. Chief Wahoo was a favorite character. I used to drive through Wahoo, Ne ...

... and always wondered if Chief Wahoo was a Sioux.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahoo%2C_Nebraska

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Wahoo

I'm old and I loved the old name and mascot. I get that it was out of the times and was offensive to most people. There is no "but". So Guardians it is, and there is no kicking and screaming from me. At least I lived at 4315 John Ave and have crossed the Lorain Ave bridge and looked at the Guardians thousands of times. I lived walking distance from it and my family shopped the the West Side Market for years.

[Evolve Dammit]

38. Whether it was a tribute to Louis Sockalexis (Spiders c. 1898) or not, the name continued for 100

years. The logo evolved and the most recent was the result of a contest held by the PD. To my family, he always symbolized eternal optimism that this could be "our year." Never forget the first time I saw the giant Chief Wahoo sign outside Municipal Stadium. So cool.
Finest memory: 73,000 watched the Indians beat the Yankees as Toby Harrah drove in the winning runs. Deafening crowds and more fired up than Browns games if that's possible! Bleacher seats for $3.50 and quarter beer night (although that had its problems)...

[marble falls]

39. The Nickle Beer Nite was worse. Someone got killed and cars were rolled over. Cleveland was ahead...

... by two runs in the 7th when after the bleachers were throwing crap at the Ranger outfield, the Umps called the game and gave it to the Rangers.

Did it for me. Didn't go to another game until Jacobs Field was built.

Funny thing about your game, 73,000 didn't fill Muny. That place was YUGE.

[Evolve Dammit]

45. Yeah, I know. I just recall the attendance that night. Sounded like capacity! Muny was

built for the 1932 Olympics and wasn't even held there. Went to CA where Rams played (Coliseum?)
And you're right about nickel beer night. Tom Hilgendorf was hit over the head with a chair. It was ugly.

[marble falls]

46. It was ugly. It'd have been just a forehead smack - but people were intentionally hurt and for at ..

... at least one, killed over a t-shirt or bumper sticker backing the wrong team (the Bengals or the Stealers).

[Magoo48]

4. Yes, thank you Jackie and Rachelle for your massive contributions.

Read a cool piece on mlb this am about the connection between the Robinson and Simon families.

https://www.mlb.com/news/carly-simon-connection-to-jackie-robinson

[malaise]

7. Wow!

Thanks for this link - lovely😀

[Magoo48]

9. It's a reminder to me, which I too often forget, that human goodness is a wide and real web.

[malaise]

11. I know that too well

For all the hatred there are many decent human beings all over this planet

[Evolve Dammit]

6. Hear hear!

[BeerBarrelPolka]

8. Read

Read about Larry Doby as well. The first African American to play in the American League (Cleveland), three months after Jackie Robinson. He is often overlooked in my opinion. A great ball player and human being.

[marble falls]

16. This Clevelander remembers Larry Doby. Cleveland's owner was actually pretty progressive as well ...

... as a huckster. Bill Veeck is good read in himself. I was pretty young but I got to see players like Doby and Mudcat Grant play on black and white 20" screens. I didn't realize Doby was a PoC until a few years after. Baseball was the one thing my grandfather never brought out his racism on. Gabe Paul and Phil Seghi were pretty good owners.

[BeerBarrelPolka]

20. I

I met Phil Seghi as a young boy. He was nice. I also met the whole team in their locker room in 1977 for my birthday.

[marble falls]

23. I was there for the nickle beer nite. It was insane. Would gladly have traded experiances!

[BeerBarrelPolka]

25. .

That was against the Rangers with Billy Martin as manager, right?

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28. Yep. Indians were leading by two runs in the seventh. The bleachers were trying to injure the ...

... the Texas outfielders. That's when the Umps called the game and it went to Texas. There were two or three cars overturned in the lot and I believe there someone killed. Black day for Cleveland.

There were so many years Cleveland would win the first 10-12 games of the season and sputter.

[BeerBarrelPolka]

29. I

I was young when that game occurred, but I remember it. It made Sports Illustrated as well. Yes, black day.

[marble falls]

31. I didn't go to see a game again until they built Jacobs. And a few years later moved to AZ. So I ..

... saw the Cubs winter camp games, I lived walking distance in Mesa.

[mountain grammy]

10. He did way more than play baseball

Yes indeed.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. It took almost 70 years for Philadelphia to "officially" apologize

on behalf of the city and the bullshit "I am not a racist" racist Phillies manager Ben Chap-ass.

Philadelphia Phillies hammer Jackie Robinson like no other

Chanel Hill Tribune Staff Writer Feb 12, 2022



Jackie Robinson made history on April 15, 1947, when he became the first African American player to compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers. Not only did he break baseball’s color barrier, but Robinson’s electrifying style of play made him baseball’s top drawing card and a symbol of hope to millions of Americans well beyond the baseball diamond.

Despite his talent and success as a player, Robinson faced discrimination throughout his career. He endured racial slurs, fans and managers taunted him, pitchers threw at his head, and runners tried to spike him. His family received threats. Many players on opposing teams threatened not to play against the Dodgers. His own teammates threatened to sit out games. Jim Crow laws also prevented Robinson from using the same hotels and restaurants as his teammates while playing in the South.

(snip)

In April 2016, Philadelphia City Council unanimously passed a resolution not only honoring the lifetime achievements and lasting influence of Robinson, but also apologizing for the emotional assault he faced as a player while visiting Philadelphia. Councilmember Helen Gym presented the resolution that was sent to Robinson’s widow, Rachel.

“He faced tremendous racism in our city,” Gym said. “It was something he never forgot, but neither should we. The resolution wasn’t just honoring Jackie Robinson, but it was an official apology on behalf of the city for the racism that he endured as a player while he was here.” The honorarium not only recognizes his baseball excellence, but the heroism required to be excellent under the horrendous circumstances he had to overcome as a person, she said.

(snip)

https://www.phillytrib.com/special_sections/black_history/philadelphia-phillies-hammer-jackie-robinson-like-no-other/article_f4f1e77d-e7ec-5df9-bded-bad5c84f2c6e.html

There's a mural of him here too -


People pass by a Philadelphia Mural Arts Program mural of Jackie Robinson in Philadelphia on Friday. On Jackie Robinson Day, Philadelphia is acknowledged its racist treatment of the baseball pioneer when he played in the city nearly 70 years ago. (Matt Rourke/Associated Press)

My mother like many in her generation was a baseball fan - and at that time, a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers with Robinson and of the Philadelphia Athletics, all the way through her young adulthood when the As left for the west coast.

She and her friends & family would go to what was then "Shibe Park" (later Connie Mack Stadium) for the As (and some Negro League games were played there too before they pretty much disbanded).



None of them had anything to do with the Phillies and I always remembered her talking disgustingly about "the racist Phillies", although she did watch them on TV whenever they were in the World Series (including 1980 & 2008).

When the movie "42" came out on DVD, I bought it and I happily watched it with her (R.I.P. to Chadwick Boseman who played Robinson in the film).

Thank you for the thread malaise!

[malaise]

15. Thank you for your links😀

I learn so much here

[BumRushDaShow]

19. Most welcome!!

[marble falls]

18. Great post. One for the bleachers!

[BumRushDaShow]

24. Thanks

and they used to "sell seats" on bleachers erected on the roofs of the row houses right across the street from Shibe Park (at least early in its history), where there was a low part of the "wall" (an extension "wall" was later erected to try to block that view) -







"Old school" nosebleed section.

I know that stadium was still around when I was a kid and was finally bowled down ahead of the opening of Veteran's Stadium (I remember my parents taking us to see the-then "new" stadium before it officially opened) -



which itself was eventually bowled down to make way for Citizen's Bank Park (haven't been to that one yet).

[malaise]

27. Amazing pics

Thanks again

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40. Damn. Two amazing posts. Great photos and history. I'm very jealous of the quality of your ...

... research and recounting of your personal witness to history!!!

[simplesimon]

30. As an 80 year old...

I've been very glad I got to see Jackie play in person -- in Milwaukee, as a young Braves fan. I knew he had broken the color barrier in baseball, but never paid attention to the exact date.

I am very glad it happened on April 15, though. It adds a very bright, historic note to the Day the 1040s used to be due, the day Lincoln died, and the day the Titanic sank.

[malaise]

32. +1,000

It was a very good day back in 47.

And welcome to DU

[ITAL]

33. ...

Charles Isum, native of Los Angeles, was a Medical Sergeant in the 92nd Division, one of the two all Black combat units in the First World War. Right at the end of the war he was gassed, but he managed to survive. After the Armistice, but before he was shipped home, Isum was arrested by military police for attending a wedding of a French friend he'd made. At the time the military regulations tried to forbid interaction with French civilians (especially women) and African Americans. Isum fought the charges, getting back up from both his white commanding officer and the citizenry of the village, and they were dropped before any sort of trial by court martial.

After returning back to LA, Isum settled down, married, and had children. Once while going out to eat in San Pedro he realized he'd been given a menu with higher prices than the one for whites. He ended up successfully suing the establishment and collected damages of $200 - not an insignificant amount at the time.

So, why am I telling Isum's story here? Well, one of his daughters was named Rachel. She ended up marrying a kid from UCLA by the name of Jackie Robinson...

Jackie met Charles shortly before the elder man's death (he passed away quite young, I have assumed it may be partly related to him being gassed in the war). So, today I point out that his father-in-law had his own story of challenging the racial norms of the time.

[malaise]

34. Oh Yes!

Wish I could rec

[FakeNoose]

36. Yes - he was the first and he did a difficult job like a CHAMPION

I just saw a wonderful baseball game - "my" Pittsburgh Pirates versus the Saint Louis Cardinals. Every player was proudly wearing Number 42 and it was a great game. I hope the children are inspired whether or not they are baseball fans. And I'm guessing that most of them probably are.

PS: The Pirates won 6-3 in the 10th inning so I'm rejoicing right now.

Thank you Jackie Robinson!

[malaise]

41. Nice

Here's more - Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson: The Myth


https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/jackierobinson-clip-reese-myth/ken-burns-jackie-robinson-clip-reese-and-robinson-myth/

[malaise]

42. Nice

Here's more - Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson: The Myth


https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/jackierobinson-clip-reese-myth/ken-burns-jackie-robinson-clip-reese-and-robinson-myth/

[FakeNoose]

43. Awesome 😀👍

[malaise]

44. So is this

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10181805894