Robinson Changed the World

Tonight I was tempted by many request to rant about the Brewers and their pathetic start to the 2009 season, but that must be put on hold...at least for a day, because Wednesday is Jackie Robinson Day throughout Major League Baseball.

One of the better things that Bud Selig has done in his tenure was to recognize the impact that Jackie Robinson had not only on baseball, not only on professional sports but on a country.

"We ask for nothing special. We ask only to be permitted to live as you live, and as our nation's Constitution provides."

That is what Robinson told a New Orleans newspaper when he was asked as to how he would like to be remembered. While he may not have lived long enough to see his dream come to complete fruition, Jackie Robinson is remembered for much more than that quote.

Another Robinson quote reads "A life is not important, except for the impact it has on other lives."

If that quote holds true, Robinson's life was quite important and that is why #42 will be worn by every player tomorrow, he has impacted them all. Ken Griffey Jr. approached Selig on the idea of letting him wear #42 on Robinson day and this season Selig is having each and every player don #42.

Sure, if Robinson wouldn't have broke into the big leagues as its first African America, somebody else would have done it. But the fact of the matter is that he did it and did it at a time that was troubling for our nation. The game of baseball has a powerful impact on this country and when Robinson broke into the game in 1947, the US was recovering from World War II. Robinson fought off the hate crimes, the people talking behind his back, the death threats...he just wanted to play the game he loved and wanted all others to get the chance to do what they love, no matter what color their skin was. This country was still seven years away from the desegregation of schools when Jackie Robinson took the field for Brooklyn 62 years ago.

Robinson didn't just impact baseball. He paved the way for Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper and Nat Clifton to become the first African American's in the NBA. His impact stretches far past sports, his name is synonymous with social change in America.

Hank Aaron hit it right on the head when he said that Jackie Robinson was bigger than the hate. He was bigger than his teammates that tried to petition him off the team, bigger than the pitchers that threw at him, bigger than the runners that dug their spikes into his legs.

Robinson let players like Hammerin' Hank dream of playing professional baseball. He let young African American's have dreams for the first time ever. Now the spirit of Robinson lets everyone dream...regardless the feat, you can achieve what you believe in, because somehow Jackie did.

Tomorrow we celebrate the day that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier of a nation and changed its history forever. While #42 went hitless in his debut 62 years ago, he did score the winning run for the Dodgers and for a nation.