Thank you Jackie Robinson

[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)