From a Man to a Movement: Jackie Robinson Day

Picture credit score: © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports activities

It’s the seventy fifth anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut. Though, it hasn’t precisely been a celebration for these full 75 years, it’s been a protracted line of celebrations that largely look the identical. That’s certainly not diminishing the importance of such a historic second, however it’s me saying it has turn into a blur.

Because the MLB-imposed lockout inched nearer and nearer to April and Commissioner Rob Manfred began the performative act of canceling video games, there began to be murmurs of “will probably be a stain on the league if there is no such thing as a Jackie Robinson Day at the present time!” outrage and I began to ask, “however wouldn’t it?” I imply actually. It was absurd how dramatic individuals have been getting over it. It felt prefer it confirmed my ideas that the day was extra self-serving than something. Have a look at what we did. Additionally, Jackie was a union man.

Clearly I don’t personally know what Jackie thinks, however as I’ve stated in the past I feel he gave us clues by the way in which he lived. I think about he’s, wherever he’s, rolling his eyes at how distant we’ve gotten from his mission, from his goal. So I’d prefer to suggest one thing totally different… what if we made Jackie Robinson Day, a day the place we rejoice all of the firsts. Each single crew had a primary. Integration was not a excessive velocity prepare, it was extra like a glacier, slow-moving however impactful. There’s a lengthy checklist of gamers whose legacies rarely get touched. We’re nonetheless celebrating the primary girl on many groups with nonetheless far more to go. Within the yr of our Lord two thousand twenty-two. And whenever you have a look at it this manner, doesn’t it really feel a little counterproductive to all the time be seeking to the previous?

I do know in addition to anybody that baseball is a sport that’s deeply rooted in nostalgia. We love the previous. We love that shit. However we should always begin utilizing the previous to tell the current and create a greater future, not spend the current patting ourselves on the again for the previous. I’ve written advert nauseum in regards to the shortcomings of the league on the problems of race and gender so I actually received’t get into it proper now, however we may actually pay homage to Jackie Robinson by flipping the script.

Let’s have a day of service the place groups get into their native communities and help wherever it is likely to be wanted. As a substitute of each crew sporting 42, possibly each crew wears the variety of their first. Or, and this one would possibly trigger a bit extra chaos, let the gamers select which first they’d prefer to signify. Are you able to think about José Abreu sporting a Minnie Miñoso White Sox jersey? Or how about Jackie Bradley, Jr. in a Pumpsie Green quantity 12? Honoring Jackie isn’t nearly a person, it’s a motion. And in representing a motion one should take away “me” for the “we.” Every crew sporting their “first” (or participant’s alternative), brings the thought of Jackie Robinson and ALL the firsts to the micro stage. It makes it particular person, it makes it native. It brings groups and followers collectively by connecting them to the story as an alternative of constructing them merely observers. And isn’t that what all of us need? To be lively contributors in a legacy.

To lastly give these whose names are within the file books their simply due is a sign to the longer term that we’ve new objectives, and people objectives transcend generic pablum and cursory nods to historical past. Highlighting the precise people who broke their respective groups’ coloration traces is necessary as a result of it’s extra particular whereas remaining symbolic. The true basis of this suggestion, although, is the day of service which can bind the groups and their histories (for good and in poor health) to the local people in an act that can transfer each events ahead.  As a result of finally, the sport should transfer ahead and our ft can’t stay within the mud of some corn discipline in Iowa. Baseball is a sport of the individuals, give it again to them.