Comments on business development and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale by a local.
Monday, April 16, 2007
"42"
The 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier of Major League Baseball is today. I wasn't born, but maybe this changed the world as much as the invention of the car?
I think is one of the FEW events in the history of sports that changed the world outside sports.
Jackie Robinson had a thankless task, he had to perform at the highest level when almost everyone wanted him to fail. His own teams fans booed him and threw drinks at him. He had every excuse to fail.
If Robinson had failed it would have pushed the cause back 5 more years. Instead he flourished- winning Rookie of the year in his first season.
The way the media portrayed minorities began to change. At that time racial slurs were printed in newspaper columns. Now 60 years later Don Imus is fired for questionable comments.
The level of tolerance in this country has improved leaps and bounds and Mr. Robinson played a huge role in the progress.
Thank you Jackie. Your contribution to our American pastime has changed our entire society. 60, 80, or 100 years later your Legacy should not be forgotton.
Its kind of ironic that a team like the Cardinals chooses to don the entire team in the #42 attire, considering the birds were known well for their racist leanings. From 1925 to 1948, the Cards were the only team in MLB to host segregated seating at home. Enos Slaughter (from personal accounts) was a huge racsist...but Hall of Famer. The Cardinal organization threatened to strike in 46 if Jackie was brought into the big leagues. The Cards hired a full time major league black player in Curt Flood in 1958 only after Auggie Busch expressed concern of a boycott of AB products by the black community. He bought the team in 54.
There is no team in baseball that has more to be ashamed of when it comes to racial inequity as the St. Louis Cardinals, and for then to ALL were #42 is a Joke. My take is that the only black player, Preston Wilson, on the team should wear that number.
You are talking about player's grandfathers or older were alive, much less adults. A different corporation owned the team then. Can you imagine buying a MLB team and then breaking the color barrior the next year? I can't.
It seems like there are lots of players with dark skin, who wouldn't be able to play on the Cardinals, who aren't American born. Their first basemen, he couldn't have played before "42"could he?
Do you blame a 20 year old German for the Nazi's too?
Good for the Cardinals for all wearing 42. Who cares what happened before their father's were born, that stain isn't on them.
3 comments:
I think is one of the FEW events in the history of sports that changed the world outside sports.
Jackie Robinson had a thankless task, he had to perform at the highest level when almost everyone wanted him to fail. His own teams fans booed him and threw drinks at him. He had every excuse to fail.
If Robinson had failed it would have pushed the cause back 5 more years. Instead he flourished- winning Rookie of the year in his first season.
The way the media portrayed minorities began to change. At that time racial slurs were printed in newspaper columns. Now 60 years later Don Imus is fired for questionable comments.
The level of tolerance in this country has improved leaps and bounds and Mr. Robinson played a huge role in the progress.
Thank you Jackie. Your contribution to our American pastime has changed our entire society. 60, 80, or 100 years later your Legacy should not be forgotton.
Don Ford
from www.salukihoops.com
Its kind of ironic that a team like the Cardinals chooses to don the entire team in the #42 attire, considering the birds were known well for their racist leanings. From 1925 to 1948, the Cards were the only team in MLB to host segregated seating at home. Enos Slaughter (from personal accounts) was a huge racsist...but Hall of Famer. The Cardinal organization threatened to strike in 46 if Jackie was brought into the big leagues. The Cards hired a full time major league black player in Curt Flood in 1958 only after Auggie Busch expressed concern of a boycott of AB products by the black community. He bought the team in 54.
There is no team in baseball that has more to be ashamed of when it comes to racial inequity as the St. Louis Cardinals, and for then to ALL were #42 is a Joke. My take is that the only black player, Preston Wilson, on the team should wear that number.
I can't agree with Anonymous less.
You are talking about player's grandfathers or older were alive, much less adults. A different corporation owned the team then. Can you imagine buying a MLB team and then breaking the color barrior the next year? I can't.
It seems like there are lots of players with dark skin, who wouldn't be able to play on the Cardinals, who aren't American born. Their first basemen, he couldn't have played before "42"could he?
Do you blame a 20 year old German for the Nazi's too?
Good for the Cardinals for all wearing 42. Who cares what happened before their father's were born, that stain isn't on them.
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