Ryan ChartrandCourage is often defined as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger or pain without fear.
Trying to describe Jackie Robinson with one word just isn’t possible, but I think the definition of ‘courage’ describes Robinson as closely as you’re going to get. This is a man who not only influenced Major League Baseball, but all professional sports. He helped create change in a society that didn’t want to change.
Most people in life tend to follow the easy path instead of being willing to create a new trail.
Not Robinson.
He was able to create a trail not just for African-Americans, but people of all racial backgrounds, and flourish in a country that was so racially divided.
Last Sunday marked the 60th anniversary of Robinson breaking the color barrier in pro baseball. Players all over the country wore his famous No. 42 Sunday. Even though he has been dead for nearly 35 years, his impact and name almost becomes more legendary with time.
Being a die-hard baseball fan, it’s hard to even imagine baseball without black players. Being a Giants fan, I can’t comprehend life without No. 25. Love or hate him, Barry Bonds on the field will forever change baseball.
My love for baseball really began with a center fielder in Seattle. He was young, always had a big smile and he was arguably the most talented player the game had ever seen. Ken Griffey Jr. made the game cool with his backwards hat, silky-smooth swing and a fearless mentality in the outfield.
I never looked at these two as being black or white, just great players. We all owe Robinson the honor of being able to watch them play.
But Robinson did more than just break the color barrier in baseball; he changed an entire culture.
Think about a few things.
Who were the coaches for both Super Bowl teams? Who’s the No. 1 player in golf? The head coach for the best team in the NBA? The secretary of state? The presidential candidate from Illinois?
Robinson mapped the way for African-Americans not in just sports, but in life. He helped make it possible for these individuals to succeed at the highest levels of their professions.
Let me put something into perspective.
The Rosa Parks incident happened eight years after Robinson broke into the major leagues. It wasn’t until nearly 17 years later that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed.
Robinson was a true pioneer. Black, white, purple or green, Robinson changed everything in this nation and opened doors for millions.
Though times are always changing and the racial dynamics in this country are completely different from what Robinson experienced, it’s obvious he was the match that would start the fire.
Men like Martin Luther King Jr. and Muhammad Ali felt Robinson’s impact, all the way to a man like Barack Obama, who could be our next president.
All of these men felt and continue to feel Robinson’s impact. He has made so much possible for so many people in this country. Too often, sports stories become almost larger than life, when at the end of the day, they’re just about a game.
But this story is about so much more than a game, more than just a man.
Thank you for having courage. Thank you for not being afraid. Thank you for enduring racism in a time when it couldn’t have been more prevalent. Thank you for refusing to stop fighting for something you knew was right.
Most of all, Jackie Robinson, thank you for making this great country a better place.