As every baseball historian, and most current fans know, Jackie Robinson was the first to break the "color barrier" in major league baseball. That happened way back in 1947 when a guy named Harry Truman was occupying the White House. At that time, saying it was a very controversial decision by the then Brooklyn Dodgers to do such a thing would be a gross understatement.
It raised a firestorm in many circles. Segregation was rampant in America. The KKK still held much sway, particularly in the south. "Jim Crow" laws were the norm, and it would be another 17 years until the historic Civil Rights Act, first pioneered by President Kennedy, would finally be signed into law by his successor, Lyndon Johnson, in 1964.
In baseball itself, few would doubt that Robinson endured a lot of taunts and jeering when he was first allowed to play in the major leagues. Not only from the fans, at home and especially on the road, but the players themselves. Opponents are one thing, but it's likely some of his own teammates gave him a hard time. Such is the way it was back then.
Yet his breakthrough eventually morphed into much more. Look around at the major leagues. From front offices, to managers, coaches, players, trainers and scouts -- people of "color" are making new inroads every day. Latino players abound on seemingly every major league team's roster -- probably because they're really good. Several Japanese players have been welcomed into the major leagues, complete with a translator on their team's payroll, because they can't speak any English. It would appear MLB has done it's fair share in not only allowing, but promoting diversity in the last few decades.
Jackie Robinson played for 10 years in the major leagues, the last being 1956. Over the course of that decade, he was certainly a terrific player. With a career batting average over .300, he could field, throw, and had great speed on the base paths. About the only thing he didn't do was hit a lot of home runs.
In 1972, 16 years later, the LA Dodgers decided to retire his number 42. On the very same day, they also retired the numbers of Sandy Koufax and Roy Campanella, who had both come and gone long after Robinson's heyday. Jackie was never afforded his "own" day, but had to "share". It should also be noted that in June of 1972, when this happened, Robinson was gravely ill with heart disease complicated by diabetes. He would die a scant few months later at the age of 53.
Regardless, the LA Dodgers did it the way they saw fit at that time, and we all know Jackie Robinson will forever be enshrined in baseball's Hall of Fame. Whether his career statistics were Cooperstown worthy is debatable, but it's pretty much universally accepted that he belongs there, if only for being the pioneer that would eventually radically change the make-up of the game.
But something very strange happened. In 1997, 41 years after Robinson had played his last game, and 25 years since his number had been retired by the Dodgers, and died shortly thereafter -- it was decided that every major league team would retire Robinson's # 42. No other player -- ever -- will be allowed to wear that number.
And that's just wrong for a few reasons.
First, consider when Robinson played. Jackie spent his whole career with the Brooklyn Dodgers. They didn't move to LA until after he had retired. During his era, the other 7 teams of the National League consisted of the Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Boston/Milwaukee Braves, and the NY/San Fran Giants. Like all sports leagues, every team wanted to beat the others. Despite the racial tensions that Robinson's presence created, he was just one player. During that time -- and to this day -- certain intense team rivalries exist. Back then, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the NY Giants had a regular family feud going on. With or without Robinson's presence, from owners down to batboys, they would have still hated each other. Think Michigan-Ohio State, Yankees-Red Sox, Hatfields and McCoys, Oprah and Dave, Charles Barkley and golf swing coaches. Some things just aren't meant to work out.
So why, pray tell, when their job was to beat the Dodgers every time they played -- should the above mentioned teams have to retire Jackie Robinson's number?
And how about the American League teams? Back in Jackie's day, television was in it's infancy. No dishes, no internet, not even ESPN. While fans of AL teams had no doubt heard of Robinson, it's likely most of them never even saw him play. So why should all the American League teams have to retire his number as well, when he never even played in that league?
What's more ridiculous is certain teams that came into existence, through "expansion", even though it was many years after Robinson died, have to keep his number 42 off-limits as well for their current and future players. Their fans couldn't care less about what Robinson did back in the 40's and 50's. They're rooting for their home teams, and hoping some of their own might go on to terrific careers, maybe even Hall of Famers someday, so they can retire THEIR numbers.
Regardless of what Jackie Robinson endured and accomplished during his major league career, his number 42 should NOT have been force-fed down every other team's throat as to "retiring" it forever after.
It's just wrong.
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