Tomorrow marks the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut in Major League Baseball and the beginning of the sport’s long journey toward equality for all its players. On that day, Robinson told his wife Rachel “I’ll be number 42 in case you have trouble picking me out.”
In 1997, Major League Baseball agreed to retire Robinson’s number in his honor. This year, to commerate the anniversary, every major league team will have at least one player wearing the number 42. Robinson’s team, the Los Angeles Dodgers will have every player, coach and batboy wearing the number.
According to the NY Times article I read, The movement began spontaneously when Cinncinati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr asked MLB’s commisioner’s if he could wear the number on opening day. Word spread from there, with Barry Bonds and Gary Sheffield making a similar request. Now the entirety of major league baseball is participating in some way.
It’s tempting to look at Jackie Robinson’s place in American history and charatcerize him as a holy noble, the Ghandi of Baseball who put his own safety and comfort on the line in the name of a higher cause. The reality is that Jackie Robinson was a ruthless competitor on the field, an outspoken political activist and a proud yet private man. Many of his biographers submit that he died younger than he should have (from diabetes complications) since he often pushed his body at the expense of its well being.
Jackie Robinson life was about work, both on and of the field, about setting goals, achieving them, them pushing further. His courage and understanding of his place in history are indisputable. But it would be wrong to give his memory a hug this Monday. He wouldn’t have wanted it that way.
