500 HRC Sluggers Celebrate Black History Month By Remembering Jackie Robinson
Written by Jim Rednour
Saturday, 22 January 2011
In honor of Black History Month – which was established
to encourage Americans of all races to recall and celebrate the positive
contributions to our nation made by people of African descent – we’ve assembled
quotes from members of the 500 Home Run Club® on what Jackie Robinson meant to
the sport of baseball as it has evolved over the years, as well as what Jackie
meant to them personally and professionally.
Robinson Erase MLB Baseball Color Line
Baseball's color barrier was shattered on April
by Jackie Robinson when Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey signed him.
intended Robinson to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the National
he made his first appearance with the Montreal Royals in the
League. After a single season with
Montreal, where he endured epithets and death threats, he joined the
club and helped propel the Dodgers to a National League pennant. Along
he also earned National League Rookie Of The Year honors.
Robinson's success opened the floodgates for a
stream of black players into organized baseball. By 1952 there were 150
players in organized baseball, and the "cream of the crop" had been
lured from Negro League rosters to the integrated minors and majors.
"A life is not important except in the impact it
on other lives,” Robinson said when asked about his influence on
his role as an innovator in the sport and American society. "The way I
figured it, I was even with baseball and baseball with me. The game did
for me, and I did much for it."
Jackie Robinson got his fondest wish and more in
of lasting respect, admiration from his peers and fans worldwide. In addition to shoving the door wide
open for thousand so future black players (of African, Cuban, Puerto
Costa Rican, Venezuelan, Dominican heritage), Jackie Robinson showed
anyone with the god-given skills, tenacity, courage and longevity can
at the highest level – in the Major League.
When he was breaking into the league with the
Brewers, Hank Aaron found himself face-to-face with the man who had made
possible for him to pursue a career in the Major Leagues…Jackie
Robinson. "I had just turned 20, and Jackie
told me the only way to be successful at anything was to go out and do
said baseball was a game you played every day, not once a week."
In 1970, soon after collecting his 3,000th hit,
Aaron utilized his heightened national visibility as an opportunity to
encourage Major League Baseball to provide African Americans with
management and front office opportunities. When
asked to comment on the progress that black players had
made in the major leagues, he stated frankly: "I have to tell the truth,
and when people ask me what progress Negroes have made in baseball, I
the Negro hasn't made any progress on the field or in the commissioner's
office. I think we have a lot of Negroes capable of handling
and…it's time that the major leagues and baseball in general just took
themselves and started hiring some of these capable people."
When asked about his memories of Jackie
Hammerin’ Hank said: “Jackie had the strength to suppress his instincts,
sacrifice his pride for his people's. It was an incredible act of
that brought the races closer together than ever before and shaped the
of an entire generation,” he observed “I was 41 home runs short of Babe
career record when Jackie died, and I really felt that it was up to me
his dream alive. I was inspired to
dedicate my home-run record to the same great cause to which Jackie
his life. I'm still inspired by
Jackie Robinson. Hardly a day goes by that I don't think of him.”
“Junior” Pays Tribute to Jackie Robinson
On April 4, 1997, Ken Griffey Jr. called MLB
Bud Selig with the idea of wearing Jackie Robinson's No. 42 on April 15
celebrate the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's breaking of the
barrier in baseball.
"It’s just my way of giving that man his due
respect," Griffey said of his one-day switch from a Seattle Mariner’s
uniform No. 24 to No. 42 (Robinson’s uniform number with the Dodgers).
it weren't for Jackie Robinson, I wouldn't be able to put on the uniform
wearing today," Griffey said. "He should be an inspiration not only
to baseball players but to anyone who fights prejudice and hatred."
Selig liked Griffey's idea so much, he has
other clubs to have a player wear No. 42 on Jackie Robinson Day. "This is a wonderful gesture on Ken's part and a
fitting tribute to the great Jackie Robinson and one, I believe, that
will eagerly endorse," Selig said in a statement released by Major
Baseball. "To make this happen, I gladly will temporarily suspend the
official retirement of uniform No. 42 on that day. Jackie continues to
inspiration to all of our players, and his impact will be felt for as
our game is played. I thank Ken for finding another special way to mark
Reggie Speaks His Mind
"After Jackie Robinson the most important black
baseball history is Reggie Jackson, I really mean that,” “Mr. October
told LIFEMagazine in January of 1988. He
went on to say that he believed that his success and popularity among
common fan, especially people of color, made him an important figure in
"I couldn't quit, because of all the kids, and the
blacks, and the little people pulling for me. I represent both the
the overdog in our society."
"I used to dream how good it would be to be
Mantle and Ted Williams, now the only difference between me and those
great Yankees is my skin color."
Willie Mays Praised Jackie For Opening The Door
Dubbed the “Say Hey Kid” when he played
baseball at the age of 16, Willie Mays joined the Birmingham Black
the Negro National League in 1948, playing only on Sunday during the
year. The National League
New York Giants paid the Barons for his contract when he graduated from
Fairfield Industrial High School in 1950. After two seasons in the minor
leagues, Mays went to the Giants in 1951.
"Every time I look at my pocketbook, I see Jackie Robinson,” said
“Say Hey” Willie, but in his 1988 book, entitled “Say Hey: The
Ernie Banks Followed Jackie From Negro Leagues
In 1948, at the age of 17, the young man who
would go on
to earn the beloved nickname “Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks began his baseball
playing semipro baseball with a barnstorming black team for $15 a game. But that didn’t last for long, as
"Cool Papa" Bell saw him and signed him to play for the Kansas City
Monarchs of the Negro Leagues, a team full of eventual major leaguers
by Negro Leagues icon Buck O'Neil.
Banks, who never played minor league ball,
directly from to the Chicago Cubs, said he was greatly inspired by
Robinson. "Jackie Robinson
impacted my life tremendously,” said Banks, who went on to hit 512 home
and win two MVP awards in a Hall-of-Fame career, “So much so that I
be like Jackie."
Frank Robinson Wished Jackie Could See Him Named
Black Manager in MLB
When he was named manager of the Indians in
Robinson told the media, "If I had one wish in the world today, it would
be that [the late] Jackie Robinson could be here to see this happen."
And that pretty much sums it up for all African
players in the Major Leagues.