Happy Jackie Robinson Day

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."-Jackie Robinson



Today marks the 62nd anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Jackie's impact on America went far beyond the baseball diamond. Sure he revolutionized the sport professional baseball by opening the door for future stars like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Roy Campanella, Bob Gibson, Frank Robinson, Ken Griffey Jr, Roberto Clemente, Ichiro, and so on. But this moment had a greater impact on the Civil Rights movement of 1960s. Dated 7 years before Brown v. Board of Education and 16 years before Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" Speech, Jackie Robinson proved to many African American during the the 1940s and 1950s, to be a role model on and off the field. He inspired the younger generation, black and white, to reach their goals even when they hit obstacles, to strive for equality, and to live with a passion.



Robinson did not quit his cause after he retired from baseball in 1956. From 1957 to 1964, Robinson served as the vice president of personnel for Chock full o'Nuts. In doing so, he became the first African American vice president of a major American corporation. He severed on the board of the NAACP for 10 years and continued to push for equal civil rights. He chaired the NAACP's million dollar Freedom Fund and even marched with Dr. King. As the writer George Will put it, "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was the most important individual for African Americans in the 20th century. In a very close second, Jackie Robinson almost equally as important." Dr. King once added, "Without Jackie Robinson, no Martin Luther King."



Today baseball will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day in ballparks all across the country. His widow, Rachel, will be in New York at the Mets' new ballpark to commemorate The Jackie Robinson Rotunda. I hope that some of you will tune into ESPN or our local stations to catch a glimpse of the day's festivities. More importantly, I hope that you take Jackie's example and try to follow his work ethic and purpose.


Video of Jackie's debut and his reflection of the game

"Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you're wasting your life."- Jackie Robinson