Jackie Robinson Tribute
There is a story reporting that some MLB players are annoyed with other players wearing Jackie Robinson's number. The basic idea is that more people wearing it will "cheapen" it. This strikes me as just ridiculous. If there are more people that want to pay tribute to Robinson on one day, good. Who's to decide who gets that right? I think it's nice more players want to do that. And quite frankly the root of the issue to me seems totally egocentric. It's not about Robinson - it's about the players complaining. *They* want to be the focus rather than Robinson. Maybe the players interviewed (who all happen to be black) think it's an issue of the legacy of Robinson being African-American players and it should be just African-Americans wearing the number. That actually seems a more reasoned stand to me based on what Robinson meant to the sport. But if it's just an issue of only wanting a few people to wear the number because that will bring more focus to you (and that's what it seems like to me), I think that's a pretty pathetic stand.
posted by Todd Martin at 10:17 AM
4 Comments:
Things like this usually display people's true motives in wanting to commemorate someone else. Usually it has more to do with leaving a personal legacy than it does with remembering the legacy of someone else.
A lot of social figures today in general do the same thing. They position themselves in a way that they look like advocates for a certain group, even if they're not wanted to be, because they want to be known as that group's advocate.
Maybe the players interviewed (who all happen to be black) think it's an issue of the legacy of Robinson being African-American players and it should be just African-Americans wearing the number.
I hope you're analyzation of how African American players think was as fun for you to write as it was for me to read. How is this even close to a reasoned stand? Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier would not have even been possible without the cooperation of whites. Since the players are actually IN the locker rooms and hear the various reasons that players may be joking around saying why they would wear the number could be a problem, that and the fact that (the African American players interviewed) see the owners are trying to cheapen it by making it an event to draw money, instead of an event to celebrate... off the top of my head the Houston Astros don't feature a person of color on their everyday lineup other than Carlos Lee and not a single one in their rotation and yet their entire roster will wear 42. What the article didn't mention was whether or not Robinson's widow gave MLB the right to let anyone wear it. Poor Reporting.
Ultimately, if she's fine with it, I'm fine with it.
African-Americans in baseball today are Jackie Robinson's legacy. The white players aren't. Thus it seems a perfectly reasoned stand to say that when recognizing Robinson they should recognize the result of his efforts rather than simply those who admire him.
Right, but the game of baseball today is Jackie Robinson's legacy, therefore any player who admires the game should be able to show their appreciation.
I did see that every 42 was being auctioned off with the money being donated to his foundation, if I'm a team like the dodgers, I'm putting names on the back of who's wearing the jersey to really show support which would be reflected in the bidding.
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