Jackie Robinson Day

[celtic745]

I was just wondering what you guys thought. I just feel like people have lost a lot of respect for Jackie Robinson. Maybe because it was a while ago now, people have seemed to lose his importance. Maybe saying that people have "lost respect" for Jackie Robinson is a bad way to put it, but even I am guilty of forgeting about Jackie Robinson Day until I actually read something about it online. I don't hear a lot of people talking about this that much, when really this is the aniversary of some major MLB and American history. If it weren't for this guy, Hank Aaron and tons of other guys wouldn't have been able to do what they have done. Just thought I'd put that out there.

I personally think it's cool to see a lot of guys wearing the 42 tommorow ( even though there are some, Mariano Rivera comes to mind first, that still wear the number on a regular basis. )
The dodgers are all wearing 42 I read. That sure won't be confusing or anything.

 

[notredomer23]

yeah its cool that all the dodgers are wearing the number 42 tomorrow, but they are beating this story to death more than anna nicole smith. I cant stand when they say african americans have lost respect for baseball because i know at least half the schools in my area are at least half african americans. But its cool that they are having this day, he was a true, inspiring person

 

[Hero]

I never like that a lot of teams have actually retired the number when he never played for them. I think if we're going to have a day celebrating his debut it's only fair we do the same for the debut of the first Asian, first Dominican, first Cuban, and so on. I'm aware this is impossible but thats my point. This has been absued and means nothing now. They should have had a special opening during the DODGERS game and only the Dodgers game and ran 1 piece on it on ESPN not 40,000,000 of them every half hour.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

I have alot of respect for Jackie Robinson. It would be hard to be the first, but at least he WAS the first. Think about ALL of the players who had the talent and ability and never got a chance to earn a living/respect by not playing in the majors. How many were comparable in talent that we will never hear about, or have seen play. Damn shame, I say.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

I believe every MLB team has retired #42 in honor of Robinson. Like Celtic said, I don't think it's a lack of respect, but ignorance by young people who equate sports excellence as being featured on SportsCenter highlights. I believe I heard that there are now less than 100 black American players on MLB rosters today. That's too bad, but in our ADHD world, kids look at baseball as boring & not as sexy as NBA or NFL w/ the instant show-stopping highlights.

Some experts say Jackie Robinson was one of the best college athletes of all time. The guy excelled in everything at UCLA incl. baseball, football & track. Today, he'd have his pick of which sport to play professionally. God bless Jackie & Rachel Robinson.

 

[Newc]

IrishDodger, I couldn't agree with you more. I definitely respect Jackie Robinson and really who can't? He was an incredible ball player and an incredible man to have done what he did. However, I think the whole lack of black MLB players discussion put a very sour note on the celebration of a great man and player. I don't really think you can blame MLB for the lack of african american players in the league right now. Basketball and football are much more "sexy" sports to young kids right now. They are full of action and glory which make them very desireable sports to be involved in. I think it was Cal Ripken who was talking over the weekend about how its not only african american players who are declining but all americans. He said it broke his heart that there were so few kids playing pickup baseball games out on the fields these days, which was a staple of childhood 30 years ago. Its the changing tides of our society, kids want action, they need their attention to be kept at all time and quite frankly kids get bored standing in right field waiting for a fly ball and getting an at bat once every three innings, I think thats why you see so many kids playing lacrosse in the spring now.

I appologize for the rambling, but I think it was overdone with the lack of african american players talk when we were supposed to be celebrating a legend.

 

[Hero]

I believe every MLB team has retired #42 in honor of Robinson. .

Not the Yanks

 

[celtic745]

Not the Yanks

yeah well, I think the deal was that anyone who currenty was wearing the number before the retirement was able to keep the number. I think he's the only one that still wears the number now.

 

[SillyIrish]

it was grandfathered in. Any player having the number in 97 I believe was able to keep it.