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African Americans, America, baseball, Brooklyn Dodgers, Bruin Nation, Civil Rights Movement, Dodgers, Jackie Robinson, Jackie Robinson Day, Major League Baseball, MLB, Pasadena, Pasadena City College, sports, UCLA, UCLA Bruins, Westwood
SO CAL SPORTS CHRONICLES’ ANNUAL HOMAGE TO NOT ONLY THE GREATEST DODGER AND BRUIN OF ALL TIME,
BUT TO – IN THE VIEW OF ME AND COUNTLESS OTHERS – THE GREATEST HERO IN THE HISTORY OF SPORTS…
The previous post on this blog featured USC’s all-time greatest Trojan.
This post features UCLA’s all-time greatest Bruin as well as the all-time greatest Dodger.
The previous post featured a man who polarized and divided a country by behaving much differently than what he cultivated in his public image and persona,
And not just in murdering his second wife and her friend and getting away with that only to serve nine years for armed robbery either, as he was reported to have beaten his first wife and was – in general – not a very good guy to too many people behind closed doors.
This post will feature a man who, by playing first base for the then-Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947 – exactly 77 years ago today,
Changed the culture of this country in essentially igniting the Civil Rights Movement and making that date the most important day in the history of sports.
Athletes who not only to be Black of African descent, but of color in general as in Latinos, Asians, and all other athletes who are not Caucasian of European descent,
Need to remember this if nothing else…
They are able to do what they do – participate not only on the diamond, but on the gridiron, court, ice, and pitch on a professional level in particular – because of Jack Roosevelt Robinson and what he did on this day in 1947 and for that entire season, as well as the season before that.
They are there because of a Dodger who was also a UCLA Bruin.
Which is a significant reason why I am and have been a longtime Dodger fan and member of Bruin Nation;
Anytime a fan or alum of another team or school, whether it’s USC or the San Francisco Giants or whatever team/school, badmouths UCLA and/or the Dodgers,
I just respond with two words…
Jackie Robinson.
And unless they are completely ignorant jerks, that always shuts them up.
Jackie Robinson in his UCLA football uniform…
My all-time favorite quote regarding this man is from Bob Costas:
“Were there better players? Sure. But were there better men? No.”
But there are other great quotes regarding and from this native of Pasadena’s Muir High School and Pasadena City College, where he attended and starred before his days as a Bruin in Westwood;
Here are just a few…
“Jackie Robinson came into our clubhouse and shook my hand. He said, ‘You’re a helluva ballplayer and you’ve got a great future.’ I thought that was a classy gesture…And when I think of that (1952) World Series, his gesture is what comes to mind. Here was a player who had, without a doubt, suffered more abuse and taunts and more hatred than any player in the history of the game. And he had made a special effort to compliment and encourage a young white kid from Oklahoma.” – Mickey Mantle
“(Jackie) knew he had to do well. He knew that the future of blacks in baseball depended on it. The pressure was enormous, overwhelming, and unbearable at times. I don’t know how he held up. I know I couldn’t have.” – Duke Snider
““I don’t know any other ballplayer who could have done what (Robinson) did. To be able to hit with everybody yelling at him. He had to block all that out…To do what he did has got to be the most tremendous thing I’ve ever seen.” – Pee Wee Reese
“If I were in Jackie’s shoes, I probably never would have made it (been successful at breaking the color line).” – Bob Gibson
“Jackie, we’ve got no army. There’s virtually nobody on our side…And I’m afraid that many fans will be hostile. We’ll be in a tough position. We can win only if we can convince the world that…you’re a great ballplayer (and) a fine gentleman.” – Branch Rickey, in a speech to Robinson
And some quotes from the man himself, as I wear a commemorative Brooklyn Dodgers cap with a #42 on the side while typing this…
“I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me. All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”
“Plenty of times I wanted to haul off when somebody insulted me for the color of my skin, but I had to hold myself. I knew I was kind of an experiment. The whole thing was bigger than me.”
“Life is not a spectator sport. If you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion, you’re wasting your life.”
“I’m grateful for all the breaks and honors and opportunities I’ve had, but I always believe I won’t have it made until the humblest black kid in the most remote backwoods of America has it made.”
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”
I think one can easily understand why Jackie Robinson is celebrated on this day after reading these quotes.
And why his #42 is not only retired throughout Major League Baseball, it’s worn by all 780 big league players.
In fact,
I’ve always felt that there should be a federal law passed outlawing the wearing of the #42 in all sports where numbers are worn on the back of uniforms, at all levels, from four and five-year olds in Tee Ball on up,
Except for one special day set up during whatever season where everyone wears that number.
And I’ll always have that opinion.
But that’s just me.
HAPPY JACKIE ROBINSON DAY!
The man who broke baseball’s color barrier and the reason for every athlete of color getting to play now…