The summer of 1960 was a special season for me.  As a young lad I got my first glimpse of the legendary Jackie Robinson during a political tour.  He was campaigning for Republican presidential candidate Richard Milhous Nixon.  As a brash, up-and-coming little league player, I knew everything about this icon and the impact that the now-retired Jackie Robinson had had on breaking baseball’s color barrier back in 1947.  I had copied his pigeon-toed style of running and tried holding my bat high above my big head and flat chest to emulate his batting stance.  And now #42 was coming to my town to give a campaign speech on behalf of a presidential candidate.

Lucky for me, Municipal Stadium, home of the Kansas City A’s, was only five blocks from where I sorted and traded my baseball cards and stuffed them under my bed.  I attended a lot of ball games, but I never got to see this great athlete play in person. Unfortunately, teams in the American League never hosted the rival National League clubs like the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Seeking this ever-lasting opportunity to see Robinson in the flesh would be the ultimate thrill.

I asked my father to take me downtown to see Mr. Robinson speak on behalf of tricky Dicky.  My pleading request was met with a puzzling and concerned look from my father.  Only years later did I realize that my father was a Democrat.  Reluctantly he took me to the Music Hall auditorium, fulfilling my Jackie fantasy.  With the exception of Mr. Robinson, my father and I, we appeared to be the only black folks there.  Overcoming the uninvited stares, nothing would keep me for seeing this man among men, that I had read so much about.

My father and I sit in the balcony and it seemed like an eternity, as each speaker strolled to the podium to deliver promises that even a 10-year kid knew they would not keep.  Needless to say, each speaker struck out with me. 

Finally the man of the hour did appear. Sitting on the edge of my seat, I recalled his high-pitched voice, his pre-maturely gray hair, his eloquent delivery and his professional demeanor, as I stared in awe.  I remember little of what he said, but recalled how professional and sincere his presentation appeared to be.

It took a lot of prodding to get my Democratic father to chauffeur me to the event, but he knew, like many of us, the impact this Barrier Breaker had on the socialization of races through the integration of our National Pastime.  I  knew from that day forth Mr. Jackie Robinson would become my role model for sports and beyond.  It is for these reasons, and many others, I chose to honor number 42, Jackie Robinson, as part of my website.   

 

Presidential Eulogy

On October 24^th, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon (1969-74) issued the following statement on the death of Jackie Robinson.

 

“I AM deeply saddened by the death of Jackie Robinson.  His courage, his sense of brotherhood, and his brilliance on the playing field brought a new human dimension not only to the game of baseball but to every area of American life where black and white people work side by side.  This Nation to which he gave so much in his lifetime will miss Jackie Robinson, but his example will continue to inspire us for years to come.

Mrs. Nixon joins me in sending our deepest sympathies and condolences to the Robinson family.”

 

Robert H. Finch, Counselor to the President, represented Pres. Nixon at the funeral services held in New York City on October 27, 1972.

 

Presidential Honor

In March of 2002, his widow Rachel Robinson received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest congressional civilian award, from President George Bush. 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 50 FAST FACTS ON JACKIE ROBINSON

1.        Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo (pronounced KAY-ro), Georgia, on Hadley Ferry Road, a blue-collar town of about 10,000 folks.  Cairo is the hometown of four-time Olympic basketball player Teresa Edwards, 1990 High School State Football champions and of course Jackie Robinson.  Recently, the Cairo High School Syrupmakers renamed its baseball grounds, “Jackie Robinson Field.”

2.        At UCLA, Robinson led the Southern Division of Pacific Coast Conference in scoring twice, as a basketball player, in 1940 and 1941.  He later played professional basketball with the Los Angeles Red Devils in 1947.

3.        In 1940, before 98,203 fans at Soldier Field, Robinson scores a touchdown, on a pass from Boston College’s Charlie O’Rourke, against the Chicago Bears.  The College All-Stars lost to the world champions, 37-13.  This was the same Bear team that demolished the Washington Redskins, 73-0, in the NFL championship game.  At UCLA, Robinson had led the nation in punt returns with a 21-yard average and he also averaged 12.2 yards rushing.

4.        Robinson’s first encounter with major league baseball was on March 13, 1938, in Pasadena.  The Pasadena Sox, the city’s recreational team, played the Chicago White Sox in a fund-raiser.  White Sox manager Jimmie Dykes spoke of the 19-year-old shortstop, “If that Robinson kid was white, I’d sign him right now.  No one in the American League could make plays like that.”

5.        In March of 1942, Robinson, 23, and pitcher Nate Moreland, 25, had their first major league tryouts with manager Jimmie Dykes and the Chicago White Sox of the American League.  They were not offered contracts.

6.        Three years later, 1945, Robinson, along with pitcher Terris McDuffie, 34, and outfielder Sam Jethroe, 28, tried out for the Boston Red Sox.  Red Sox manager and future American League president Joe Cronin did not attend the try out.

7.        Robinson’s official Negro League stats are:  In 47 games, he had 63 hits in 163 at bats.  He hit 14 doubles, 4 triples, 5 home runs, 13 stolen bases, and compiled a .387 batting average.

8.        Robinson batted second in the line-up and played first base on his first day in the majors. Robinson made 11 putouts without an error.  Hall of Fame umpire Al Barlick officiated at first.  The first major league pitcher he faced was Boston Braves’ 21-game winner, Johnny Sain.  Robinson went hitless in three at bats.

9.        Although hitless in his first major league game, Robinson scored the winning run against the Braves.  After Eddie Stanky drew a walk, Robinson laid down a bunt.  First baseman Earl Torgeson fielded the ball cleanly, but his throw bounced off of Jackie’s back.  Jackie was credited with a sacrifice, Torgeson an error.  They later scored the tying and winning runs on a double by Pete Reiser.  The Dodgers won 5-3.  The winning pitcher was Hal Gregg.

10.     26,623 chilly fans attended Jackie Robinson’s first major league game, more than 6,000 shy of stadium capacity in the double-decked Ebbets Field.

11.     On April 18, 1947, Robinson hit his first M.L. home run off of New York Giants’ southpaw Dave Koslo at the Polo Grounds.  When Robinson returned to the dugout, no Dodger shook his hand.

12.     In his first major league season, Robinson led the National League in Stolen Bases with 29 thefts, that included three steals of home.

13.     Jackie Robinson’s longest batting streak came during his rookie season when he hit safely in 21 consecutive games.

14.     In Robinson’s initial season, the Brooklyn Dodgers set road attendance records in every National League park, except Cincinnati’s Crosley Field.

15.     On May 18, 1947, when Robinson made his first appearance at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, 46,572 fans attended.  Fifty years later, this figure is still the record attendance at Wrigley Field.

16.     In his rookie season, Jackie bunted 46 times and registered 14 hits and 28 sacrifices, a phenomenal 91 percent success rate.

17.     On September 22, 1947, Jackie Robinson appeared on the cover of Time magazine.

18.     At the end of the 1947 season, an Associated Press poll ranked Robinson second to singer Bing Crosby as the country’s “Most Admired Man.”

19.     Robinson hit two grand slam home runs in his career; on June 24, 1948, and two years later on the same date.

20.     On August 29, 1948, Robinson hit for the cycle against the St. Louis Cardinals, in a 12-7 Dodger win.  He homered, tripled, doubled and after flying out, he singled.

21.     As a second baseman, Robinson led the league in fielding in 1948, 1950 and 1951.

22.     On July 12, 1949, Robinson with teammates Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella, along with Cleveland Indian outfielder Larry Doby became the first blacks to integrate the all-star game.

23.     On May 10, 1950, Robinson became the first African American to grace the cover of Life magazine.

24.     In 1950, Jackie starred as himself in the movie The Jackie Robinson Story.  Actress Ruby Dee, played his wife Rachel.

25.     In 1950 and 1951, Robinson lead the National League in the most Double Plays Made by a second baseman with 133 and 137 respectively.

26.     On August 30, 1953, after two days on the injury list (bad leg), Robinson is struck out twice by Cardinal pitchers Eddie Erautt and Willard Schmidt, in the third inning.

27.     On April 23, 1954, Robinson stole second, third base and home plate in the same game.  Robinson steal of home sent the game into extra innings.  He later doubles in the 13th inning to score Junior Gilliam with the decisive run.

28.     Robinson’s best day at the plate was on June 17, 1954, when he hit two home runs and two doubles.  He also stole a base against the Milwaukee Braves.

29.     In the ‘55 World Series, Robinson’s steal of home plate is given as the motivational spark that propelled the Brooklyn Dodgers to their first and only world championship.  The steal came off of Yankee Hall of Famers, pitcher Whitey Ford and catcher Yogi Berra, with Bill Summers officiating.

30.     In 1956, Robinson earned his highest salary of $42,500 (about $250, 000 in 1997 dollars).  This was about nine times as much as the average family salary.  In comparison, a salary of $5 million for today’s superstars is 180 times the average household income.

31.     In the 1956 World Series, Robinson drove in Brooklyn’s first and last runs.  They were his only RBI’s of the series and both came at Ebbets Field.

32.     From 1948 to 1956, there have been 33 players to pinch-run for Robinson, including Joe Black on July 27, 1952.

33.     Only six players have ever pinched-hit for Jackie Robinson.  They are Bobby Morgan (in 1950), Rocky Bridges (1951), Wayne Terwilliger (1951), Dick Williams (1954), Rocky Nelson (1956), and Randy Jackson (1956).

34.     Robinson produced his highest batting average in the clean-up position.  He batted .329 in 2,483 at bats.  In the fourth slot he compiled a slugging percentage of .514 and an on-base average of .426.  In 4,877 lifetime at bats, he batted in the clean-up spot 51 percent of the time.

35.     Robinson compiled his highest team batting averages against Pittsburgh and St. Louis.  He batted .342 against the Pirates, and .341 against the Cardinals.

36.     Robinson highest park batting averages came at Forbes Field with a .342 average.  He also hit .326 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, and .317 at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia.

37.     In the homely confines of Ebbet Fields, Robinson hit .314, with an on base percentage of .411 and a slugging percentage of .492.

38.     According to the San Francisco Chronicle, from 1947-56, Jackie Robinson is one of only two players with 125 steals and a slugging percentage over .425.  He had 197 steals and .474 slugging percentage.  Former New York Cuban and Chicago White Sox great, Minnie Minoso, with 127 steals and .479 percentage, is the other player.

39.     Hall of Famer Robin Roberts gave up the most hits, most home runs and most RBIs to Robinson, with 45, nine and 22, respectively.  The most triples given up to Robinson are three, by Dave Koslo; most doubles are 10, by Howie Pollet.  Robinson worked Herm Wehmeier for the most walks with 20.  And Stu Miller hit Robinson with the most pitches, five times, in only 12 plate appearances.

40.     Robinson’s lifetime on base percentage of .410 is ranked 25^th on the all-time list.

41.     Jackie Robinson is one of 15 players who won the Rookie of the Year Award and later won the Most Valuable Player Award.  In 1987, Peter Ueberroth, then baseball commissioner, renamed the Rookie of the Year Award in Jackie’s honor, The Jackie Robinson Award.

42.     Robinson won batting titles in both the minor and major leagues.  He batted .349 with Montreal of the International League in 1946, and hit .342 with the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League in 1949.

43.     Retired players who started their careers after 1947, and played more than ten years, with a lifetime batting average of .311 or higher include Jackie Robinson, Rod Carew, Roberto Clemente and Kirby Puckett.

44.     In his first eight seasons, Robinson led the National League in getting hit by pitches once, was second four times and third twice.  In fact, in 1951, three of the four most-often-hit National League players were black.  Jackie was hit-by-pitches a total of 72 times during his career.

45.     Robinson stole home plate trice in 1947, five times in 1948 and 1949, once in 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955 and 1956.  A total of 19 steals of home plate.  Russ Meyer was the only pitcher victimized twice. 

46.     Robinson was caught stealing home 12 times in his career.  Preacher Roe, Johnny Sain and knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm were notables who caught the larcenist Robinson.

47.     Robinson, along with Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller, were inducted in the National Hall of Fame on July 23, 1962, his first year of eligibility.  Robinson garnered 78 percent of the votes, getting 124 of 160 votes, making the Hall by a slim margin of four votes.

48.     On October 15, 1972, Jackie Robinson threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the World Series, between the Cincinnati Reds and the Oakland Athletics at Riverfront Stadium.  He was the guest of commissioner Bowie Kuhn.  Robinson voiced his concerns about blacks in management stating, “One day I’d like to look over at third base and see a black man managing the ball club.”

49.     Robinson was the first baseball player, black or white, to have a U.S. postage stamp issued in his honor, in 1982.

50.     In 1997, Jackie became the first athlete to appear on three different Wheaties boxes at the same time, Regular Wheaties, Honey Frosted Wheaties and Crispy Wheaties ‘n Raisins.

 

10 HIGHLIGHTS of the 50^TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

at Shea Stadium, April 15, 1997

1.        Robinson’s grandson, Jesse Martin Simms (Sharon’s son), threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Mets catcher Todd Hundley.  Simms will attend Jackie’s alma mater, UCLA, and play defensive back for the football team during the 1997-98 season.

2.        Former TV actress Nell Carter, from Broadway’s hit play “Annie,” sang the National Anthem on the 50^th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut.

3.        Interim Commissioner Bud Selig, owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, retired Jackie Robinson’s number 42 in perpetuity.  After this season, no team will ever issue “42” again (during the regular season).  Players currently wearing the number will be allowed to wear the number until they retire.

4.        Former Oakland A’s outfielder Dave Henderson, Tom Goodwin (grand nephew of Rap Dixon) of the K.C. Royals, Butch Huskey of the N.Y. Mets, and Mo Vaughn of the Boston Red Sox, wear number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson.

5.        Other players and coaches who wear number 42 are:  coaches; San Diego’s Davey Lopes, Atlanta’s Ned Yost, Chicago Cubs’ Dan Radison, Philadelphia’s Galen Cisco, Minnesota’s Dick Such, and players; Florida’s Dennis Cook, Houston’s Jose Lima, Pittsburgh’s Jason Schmidt, San Francisco’s Kirk Rueter, Baltimore’s Lenny Webster, Cleveland’s Mike Jackson, Detroit’s Fernando Hernandez, Milwaukee’s Scott Karl, New York Yankees’ Mariano Rivera, Oakland’s Buddy Groom and Texas’ Marc Sagmoen, who received the number earlier in the day.

6.        Delino DeShields, Tom Goodwin, Deion Sanders and Ken Griffey, Jr., sometimes wear their stirrups high in honor of Jackie Robinson.

7.        Ken Griffey, Jr., on the 50^th anniversary of Jackie’s debut, changes to number 42, from his regular number of 24, to celebrate the occasion.  Deion Sanders, of Cincinnati, shortens his jersey sleeves in honor of Jackie Robinson.

8.        Selig’s directive forced three teams to retire their first uniform number; Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies and the Toronto Blue Jays.  To honor their first president, the late Carl Barger, the Florida Marlins had retired number 5 in honor of his favorite player, Joe DiMaggio.  The number 42 was also shared by Billy Martin and Jim Umbricht.

9.        A reported 54,047 fans, in 58 degree, but chilly weather, attended the 50^th anniversary celebration at Shea Stadium to honor Jackie Robinson.  Actual attendees through the turnstiles were 34,598.

10.     President Bill Clinton, Bud Selig and Rachel Robinson gave a rare on-the-field presentation after the fifth inning.  The ceremony lasted 15 minutes.  Rhythm and Blues singer Tevin Campbell sang “The Impossible Dream.”

 

The Jackie Robinson Patch Story:

On February 26, 1997, Major League Baseball announced that all teams would wear a specially designed Jackie Robinson patch to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of breaking the game’s color and race barrier.

Of the 28 teams, 24 of them wear the Robinson patch at home and on the road.  The four other teams have special considerations:

The Chicago White Sox wear the Robinson patch  at home.  On the road:  A Nellie Fox signature patch is worn in honor of the Hall of Famer, who debuted in 1947.

The Cleveland Indians wear the Robinson patch at home.  On the road: They wear an All-Star game patch promoting their role as host city for this year’s game at Jacobs Field on July 8.

The San Francisco Giants wear the Robinson patch at home.  On the road: They wear a 40^th anniversary patch commemorating the move to San Francisco, from New York, in 1957.

The Pittsburgh Pirates wear the Robinson patch on the road.  At home:  A special Roberto Clemente patch to honor the 25 years since the Hall of Famer’s fatal airplane crash while delivery relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

Other variations include:

The Florida Marlins wear a Robinson patch to match to their team colors.

The Montreal Expos wear a French translation of the Robinson patch at home.

The Los Angeles Dodgers wear a version of the Robinson patch that represents the Brooklyn franchise.