On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He played first base. In subsequent years he was the game’s premier second baseman. The first black player in the major leagues endured insults, taunts, threats, slurs. He was a terrific player, a Hall of Famer and World Series hero, with guts and nerve to match his god-given abilities on the field. On April, 15, 1947, some teammates bitched about having to play with a black man. To them Dodger manager Leo Durocher said “I don’t care if the guy is yellow or black, or if he has stripes like a … zebra. I’m the manager of this team, and I say he plays. What’s more, I say he can make all of us rich. And if any of you can’t use the money, I will see that you are traded.” Jackie’s uniform number 42 is permanently retired and April 15 now universally observed as Jackie Robinson day in the major leagues. And to think I would have seen him steal home at Ebbets Fieldif the man in front of me, a man of gargantuan size, hadn’t stood up, blocked my view, and shouted, “Jacklie’s stealing home! Jackie’s stealing home!”
Go to Source
Author: The Best American Poetry
