Does anyone else think that Jackie Robinson day is hypocritical?

With no disrespect to Mr. Robinson, I think this day is a sham. I have nothing against blacks, I really don't care what color anyones skin is - which is why this day is a complete paradox - everyones promoting equality and diversity, while the main theme of the day was to point out that blacks and whites are so different, and how blacks are declining in the MLB. Who really cares what color of skin someone has, I definately don't need a day to remind me of it. I think it was heroic that Jackie broke the color barrier, but really...isn't the point of the day to celebrate equality - not be constantly told that blacks are somehow different than whites. The ESPN broadcast just said to me "It's time everyone stop being racist and be colorblind.....now this is how different blacks are!"

Does anyone else think that Jackie Robinson day is hypocritical?
Just another way for baseball to compete with the NBA/ NFL marketing. They mentioned on the national telecast last night about getting kids to the game, but no one is doing that.


OK, you have an African American kid who lives in the inner city and wants to go to the ball game. I will use a Yankee/ Mets game as an example:





1- Bleacher seat (450 ft. away from the action) $25


2- Concessions (Hot Dog %26amp; Soda) $15


3- Transportation (NYC Transit) $4





Ok, it would cost an inner city kid $50 to go to the game.


Little Leagues are non-existent, and I don't see Joe Morgan coming down into the inner city to promote baseball.





So yes, the fact that we had a big celebration to honor a man who played ball through a time when the color of your skin mattered seems insufficient. Does color still matter today.......unfortunately sometimes.


Why didn't the Dodgers fill the stadium with kids who can't afford or who have never been to a game.


MONEY is the biggest reason why you can't get these kids involved in baseball.


For example, when I was a kid growing up in Brooklyn, there were many parks to play baseball in without being harrassed for a permit to use a field. Or the same parks now have closed gates because it is only for permit/ High School use.


To play football or basketball, all I need is a ball. to play baseball....well I won't go there. An inner city kid can't go to a store and buy a bat without spending at least $40.


I can go on and on with the problems of baseball in the inner city, but I don't have the time.


Oh yeah, and they tried to bash scouts for not going into the inner city to see kids. OK, if inner city kids aren't playing, then why go. They have the balls to say that and they never do it themselves, hmm.
Reply:Jackie Robinson wasn't even the first black player in the Majors. There were several that came before him, so he's mislabeled as the first. You're right though the idea is to not judge based on skin colour and this completely thwarts that idea. Report It

Reply:Well Paul, I can see that you ave not been paying attention to your history. Yes negroes played pro-baseball, but it was not recognized by the rest of th country.


Could you please show me some references/ proof to your statement...I am very interested. Report It

Reply:I think you nailed it right on the head.





I'm not racist or anything, but the whole day was pretty much pathetic and anyone who thought it was brilliant just got had.





All I hear from players is "Without Jackie Robinson, we wouldn't be playing today."





Um, do you really think that if Mr. Robinson had not played for the Dodgers, then an African American would not be in the majors today? Do you really think that after the 1960's Civil Rights movement, baseball would still have been integrated.





I heard plenty of stories today. All the bad times Robinson had, all the players who hated him, the Cardinals threatening to strike. I heard how Robinson made leeway for the players of today. I heard how it was a shame we didn't see Satchel Paige in his prime, and how a lot of the Negro league players would have given some of the other players a run for their money. But through all the praise and what not, one thing that disappointed me was the lack of credit given to Branch Rickey. If anyone really cared about equality, I can't see how his name wasn't brought up. The name represents (in my opinion) fairness and equality to the T. Rickey put all judgement aside and did his job: signed an awesome baseball player, regardless of skin color. So when's Branch Rickey day?
Reply:no it isnt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!well kinda.
Reply:I totally agree with the person who asked about Jackie Robinson day being hypocritical!!! I don't need a special day to remind me what a great person Jackie was!!! We need to start being COLOR BLIND in this country!!! It was the same thing during the last Superbowl!!! Tony Dungy's black....Lovie


Smith is black.....wow....how amazing!!! It wasn't amazing....they happened to coach the two best teams that year....that should be it!!! I love the kind of MEN that Dungy and Lovie Smith are......and THAT IS WHY I CHEER THEM!!!


Jackie Robinson was a great person too...and that is why I remember him!!! I would like these people if they were pink, green or purple too!!!


Can we PLEASE start honoring PEOPLE that deserve it and STOP talking about their shade of skin!!!
Reply:oh my god... we can't have a day to acknowledge an achievement of a black man?


The day wasn't to point out how different blacks and whites are, but to make sure that we don't forget such an important part of American history.


Separate but equal didn't work out, but it's ok to be different and equal.


If you really think that "the main theme of the day was to point out that blacks and whites are so different" then you missed the point completely.


The day wasn't hypocritical at all... if anything (that makes it a sham) it was a day of marketing to try and get more black americans into baseball, thereby getting more fans and getting more money.


I assume if you don't need a day to remind you of Mr. Robinson breaking the color barrier, it's because you're a baseball fan and can appreciate the historical importance of it, however, for the more casual fan, it's a day to market baseball as well as acknowledge an American icon.
Reply:The term is Afro-American. And if you don't care about color than stop using it to describe people.





That's what's wrong with this country today and your question.





There's a shortage of Eskimo players too. People are people. That's that.
Reply:Its played up too much. I think its the higher ups in major league baseball doing two things 1) Its to try to assuage the white guilt apparently felt by many in the baseball establishment, and 2) Its an attempt to get more black kids interested in playing baseball. Now, don't get me wrong; anyone who DOESN'T appreciate what Robinson had to deal with and how well he succeeded in spite of it all is not being honest with himself. And it was wonderful listening to the reminisces of Rachael Robinson(exceptional woman-shes got to be about 80, and shes in great shape and sharp as a tack); but its being made into a production like it is makes it obvious that ulterior motives were in play here; IMHO, probably to rekindle a love for baseball back into the black community, especially among the youth.
Reply:I ain't black, white, Afro, Indo, Chino, none of that crap. I'm American. And I love baseball. And I have no problem celebrating one of the great ones. I would honestly like to see this happen more often, the honoring of the great men who played the game and left their mark. I would love it if like every first baseman wore Gehrig's number for a day, or long into the future if every centerfielder wore Ricky Henderson's number. Race should not even be a factor in the AMERICAN pass time.
Reply:I sort of agree with you. I like the idea of the day, I think they just might have gone a little overboard. But I noticed how some people before talked about how if Jackie didn't come, that another black player would have eventually come and I think that's true. But the main point for the day and for Jackie Robinson's life is that he perservered all the pain that came with the chance. I think this should mostly be a chance to remember Jackie, not broadcast around the world how different blacks and whites are. I feel it's just a reminder saying, "Hey, rember Jackie and all that he has done for baseball and civil rights."
Reply:I don't think it was a bad thing to have the day but it was probably a little overdone.Jackie went through a lot to get here so he deserves to be honered but most of the game and during the day people were talking about Jackie not baseball.Jackies did many great things,opening the doors not only for balcks but for hispanics and everone else as well but it was a little overdone.
Reply:I agree that just having special days is not enough if that's all we are doing. However, Jackie Robinson coming into the MLB is/was an historic event that has to be recognized. Baseballl broke the colour barrier before schools, public places, armies, etc. Some might say he paved the way for it.





The fact is that the US has a very ugly history, not just for all the atrocities around the world, but also at home. I can understand if people do not wish to look back on it and just wish that earlier generations had been more enlightened. We are lucky that we live in times where segregation seems so foreign to us, but it was not that long ago that it was a part of daily life in the US and affected all aspects of one's day. To recognize and honour Jackie Robinson is not only great, but necessary. The only problem for me is that it does not go far enough in mainstream society. This man dealt with oppression and racism most of us cannot imagine. We have to remember that he played to hostile crowds wherever he went, other players were racist towards him, one even kicking him in the leg when finishing a ground-out.





We cannot escape the past, but it is definitely important to learn from it.
Reply:Nothing against Jackie Robinson personally but I gotta ask why doesn't Branch Rickey have a day ? It was Branch Rickey who showed true moral courage and had the most to lose when he and the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers decided to break the color line.
Reply:I don`t mind a Jackie Robinson day, but shouldn`t we then have a day celebrating the first Hispanic, or Asian, Australian, Russian, Greek, etc.............. If you set a group of people out in the spotlight %26amp; say " look how much they`re like us, we`re equal", You automatically give the impression of inequality. Treat every person in baseball according to one criteria, How Well You Play The Game, and then you have equality. If they want to celebrate this type of day, they should have a day set aside for each nationality in the game...
Reply:I think that it was a very good idea,


but I think that to many blacks tried


to use it to say that whites are all racists.


That is wrong. There always a few white


people who are racists, and a few black


people who are racists.But I do think it


was good to honor Jackie Robinson.
Reply:yes it is , black representatives bring this stuff up and if mlb said no , they would be attacked as being racist by guess who - jesse jackson + al sharpton - its a joke how they are okay with a "black miss america" for instance but if there was a "white miss america" all hell would break out. just play the games.