Jackie Robinson Day is a Cheap Gimmick
In honor of Jackie Robinson day, I felt that I should reiterate some of my earlier points about why Major League baseball’s celebration is an outrage.
Jackie Robinson was a great person. He showed astounding strength and performed a necessary service for both baseball and society. There is nothing wrong with celebrating his legacy or having a day to honor him.
For the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut in 1997, MLB retired his number 42. This was seemingly well intentioned, but, as with many Selig institutions, it has become an overblown farce. The act shifted the emphasis to his number, 42, something that was entirely trivial, rather than the player himself. He is no longer a civil rights hero, but a bombastic blue plaque in every ballpark.
Last season for the 60th anniversary, baseball allowed Ken Griffey Jr. to wear 42, followed by every team having a designated 42, followed by all the Dodgers wearing 42, followed by an eventual free-for-all with no individual or team wanting to be out 42-ed. This year they will do the same.
The original gesture was cheap. The secondary one is a mere gimmick.
The worst part is, it has ruined the only legitimate tribute, allowing an African-American player to wear 42 every day, in his own solitary tribute.
disagree with your point about the day being only about the number 42. i think since MJ was 23 and jersey sales became the biggest way for leagues to measure a person’s popularity, the MLB sees 42 as the best way to relate to the fans. and by relate, i mean sell jerseys.
jackie robinson day in baseball is a good thing. the same way that the US celebrates MLK day every year, time is taken out from the news, from classrooms, and from government jobs to reflect on his legacy. MLB sees jackie robinson as their equivalent and you can’t really disagree with that. (i know you don’t, just saying in general)
lastly, i can’t wait for the majors to celebrate SAMMY SOSA day. for teaching the rest of the players how to effectively testify in front of congress.
I agree with having the day. I would just do things that actually make a difference, such as having educational exhibits at stadiums, setting aside tickets children at poor schools, using their archive footage for a documentary or little segments they could air between innings at the ballpark.
The stuff with the uniform and the number draws attention away from things that would be educational and important and turns it into a cheap gimmick to make money, like much of the Selig reign. Having an entire team with no black players wearing #42 is not a tribute to Jackie Robinson. It’s just stupid.
I think uniform things can be tasteful, like Manchester United wearing their old sponsorless uniforms to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a plain crash that killed much of their team. But, it is different if they actually sell the jerseys.
Well I don’t think any team will ever NOT sell the jerseys. Once all the idiots from Philly bought the baby blue Eagles jerseys, it was all over.