How many times have we seen the face of our civilization change over night? The horrifying events of September 11, 2001, where a nation was left in shock to witness the remains of what once was the World Trade Center and the western wall of the pentagon. Neil Armstrong became the first man to step foot on an extraterrestrial land, gracefully making his mark on the moon for his country on July 21, 1969.
Enter April 15, 1947.
It was nearly a decade before Rosa Parks refused to surrender her seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Ala. Seventeen years before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood to deliver one of the most influential speeches in history, presenting his dream where all individuals could live as equals.
Prior to these life-changing events, Jackie Robinson struck the public’s eye first, making his Major League Baseball debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Robinson finished his professional career with a stellar career scorecard. A native of Cairo, Georgia, the UCLA product finished his career with a batting average firmly over the .300 marker (.311), an unstoppable reputation created on the base paths, a ridiculous 734:197 walk to strikeout clip, and a birth into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Throw out all the numbers, all the achievements. Everything.
Jackie Robinson was the first African-American born athlete to dawn a Major League Baseball uniform. No human being had crossed baseball’s color line in the sport’s 57-year history. The never-ending racial slurs being thrown his way; being harassed by the likes of an entire nation. Jackie Robinson stood for everything that the United States of America had the potential to become.
Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig honored the request of Ken Griffey Jr., allowing players to unveil Robinson’s no. 42 jersey to honor the late superstar on the 6oth anniversary of his big league debut this past Sunday. While the intentions of the action was clearly formulated with good intentions, questions were left to be asked as to how the number was to be treated.
Opinions varied greatly, displaying everything from Torii Hunter’s concerns about too many people wearing Robinson’s jersey to Garret Anderson opting not to bear the number because he did not feel worthy of what “42” symbolized.
Nothing left me more speechless than watching the Dodgers, the franchise Robinson played the entirety of his 10-year career with, take the field with each and every individual wearing a Jackie Robinson jersey.
While it may be true that some people did not understand the significance of the jersey, no one should question its role. I do not believe that having as many athletes and coaches as possible wearing Robinson’s number takes away from the story – it enforces the meaning further.
I have a great sense of respect for the principle set forth by Garret Anderson. No one is worthy of hearing their name uttered in conjunction with Jackie Robinson, but that’s not what Sunday was about. The events of this past April 15th were to remind our country what Robinson went through for the development of an entire society. I feel confident in saying that no athlete will ever do more for the greater good than Jackie Robinson did by fighting his way onto a Major League diamond.
This is why I wear no. 42.
It’s been said before and it will and should be said again. By forcing his way into a Dodger uniform, Jackie Robinson changed our culture. No matter how you choose to slice and dice it, this story can never be told enough. It’s an honor to wear his number, tell his story.
Baseball isn’t supposed to be real life – it’s a mere entertainment source. This break from reality caused a revolution for the United States because of one man. Robinson’s struggles go far beyond African-American heritage – Jackie Robinson fought for racial and ethnic equality for all people. Robinson saw a greater future, and more importantly, wasn’t going to let anything stop him from finding the peace he knew our society was capable of.
Baseball is a game. Jackie Robinson changed the world.
Adam Loberstein is truly proud to have the opportunity to write about the fearless man who changed the future of our civilization, Jackie Robinson. Loberstein can be reached at adamloberstein@gmail.com.