Tag: Frank Robinson

Jackie Robinson Day

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Jackie Robinson will be honored at every major league ballpark today.

On Monday, the Opening Day of the Orioles home season and the last day of the legislative session, I offered this prayer.

 

75 years ago, on Opening Day in Brooklyn, the Dodgers started a rookie at first base, Jackie Robinson, and broke baseball’s color barrier.

No one will wear Robinson’s Number 42 today or this season.  It has been permanently retired.

Prior to Opening Day in 1966, the Orioles new right fielder and team leader, Frank Robinson, left spring training early.

In Baltimore, no one would rent a decent home to Frank’s wife.  Oriole owner Jerry Hoffberger came to Frank’s assistance and helped him find a home in Ashburton – in the 41st Legislative District.

The next year, this General Assembly enacted Chapter 385, which made it unlawful for a person owning 5 or more dwellings to refuse to rent or sell to persons based on their race, color, religious creed, or national origin.

Honored before the start of Game 2 of the 1972 World Series, Jackie Robinson said, “I am extremely proud and pleased to be here this afternoon but must admit, I am going to be tremendously more pleased and more proud when I look at the third-base coaching line one day and see a black face managing in baseball.”

Nine days later, Jackie died.

Two seasons later, Frank Robinson broke another color barrier.  He was the player-manager of the Cleveland Indians.  In his first at bat, he hit a home run.

Watching the game in my Manhattan apartment, instead of studying in the law school library, I cheered – for two reasons.

Frank had made history, and the score was Cleveland 1, the Yankees 0.

It’s Opening Day.  Play Ball.

Amen.

Opening Day

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On Opening Day in 1975, Frank Robinson hit a home run in his first at bat as the player-manager of the Cleveland Indians – breaking the color barrier as Jackie Robinson had done in 1947.

I saw that game on tv.

Despite its historic significance, It was not on cable.  There was no such animal.

The Indians were playing the Yankees, and I was a law student at Columbia University, living in Manhattan.

On Opening Day in 1992, Rick Sutcliffe pitched a nine-inning shutout for the Orioles in the first game at Camden Yards.

The game ended on a called third strike.

I saw that 27th and final out on tv.

I was in the Senate Lounge in Annapolis.  It was the last day of the session.

No time off to go to the ball game.

This was supposed to be Opening Day of the 2021 season for the Orioles, but their game was postponed due to rain at Fenway Park.

The Green Monster awaits tomorrow.

100%

| by delsandy | Uncategorized | No Comments

Once again, I was honored to give the Orioles Opening Day prayer for the House of Delegates.

This was a sad winter for members of the Hall of Fame.

Frank Robinson died.

So did Don Newcombe, great pitcher for the Dodgers.

Babe Ruth’s daughter.

And we learned that Tom Seaver has dementia.

I had a conversation with Frank Robinson that I want to share.

I said to Frank, “I never saw Jackie Robinson play. You’re the most intense competitor I’ve ever seen. Who taught you that?”

“My high school coach,” Frank replied. “He said, ‘You’re not going to make a great play in the field every game. You’re not going to get a big hit every day. But you can play 100%.’”

In these final days of the session and afterwards, may we do the same.

Play ball.

Amen.

Number 20

| by delsandy | Uncategorized | No Comments

Frank Robinson died today.

I had this conversation with him at an Orioles Fantasy Camp.

“I never saw Jackie Robinson play, but you’re the most intense competitor I’ve ever seen. Who taught you that?”

“My high school coach,” Frank responded. “He said, ‘You’re not going to make a great play in the field every game. You’re not going to get a big hit. But you can play 100%.’”

I later learned that in 1966, his first year as an Oriole, Frank and his wife could not find a decent home to rent in segregated Baltimore.

Jerry Hoffberger, the Orioles owner, helped him find a place on Cedardale Avenue in Ashburton.

That house is in my district.

This weekend, I will go there and pay my respects.

Jackie, Brooks, Frank, and Mrs. Glenn

| by delsandy | Sandy's 2018 Legislative Diary | No Comments

This is the prayer I gave at the start of today’s session of the House of Delegates.

This is the earliest Opening Day in Orioles history.

Fifty years ago, Opening Day was delayed one day.

The day before, the funeral service was held for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Among those in the funeral march was Jackie Robinson.

In 1968, there were two Robinsons in the Orioles starting lineup.

Brooks had graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1955, two years before federal troops were needed to enforce a court order to desegregate the school.

When Frank Robinson arrived in the segregated Baltimore of 1966, he was initially denied a decent home to rent.

I told that story in my Opening Day prayer two years ago.

Later, at the game, I met a woman who had read my prayer online.

Mrs. Glenn and her husband have season tickets in my section.

We have become baseball friends.

Two future Hall of Famers hit home runs on April 10, 1968 – Brooks and Reggie Jackson. The Orioles beat the Oakland A’s, 3-1.

I don’t remember if I was at Memorial Stadium that day.

I may have been across the street in a City College classroom.

My parents, unlike the Speaker, did not always give me the day off from school on Opening Day.

Play ball!

April 4 – Opening Days

| by delsandy | Sandy's 2016 Legislative Diary | No Comments

I gave this prayer at the start of today’s General Assembly Session.

 

Seventy years ago, the Opening Day second baseman for the AAA Montreal Royals, was making his minor league debut. Jackie Robinson made history that Opening Day.

He hit a three-run homer in the third inning. His next at bat, he reached on a bunt single, stole second, and advanced to third on a ground out.  Dancing off third base, he scored when the pitcher balked.  No disputed tag by Yogi Berra this time. But the way baseball was played had changed.

Twenty years later, the Opening Day right fielder for the Baltimore Orioles was making his American League debut. In his first plate appearance, Frank Robinson was hit by a pitch.  Two at bats later, he hit one over the Green Monster as the Orioles beat the Red Sox, 5-4, in 13 innings.

“We knew how to play,” says Brooks Robinson, “but starting with spring training, Frank taught us how to win.”  The Oriole way of playing baseball had changed.  All the way to the World Series that October.

Frank left Florida early that spring. He needed to find a home in Baltimore.  No one would rent to his family in all-white neighborhoods.

The previous winter, Cardinal Sheehan was booed when he spoke in support of a fair housing ordinance at the War Memorial Building in Baltimore. Our predecessors did not pass a state law until 1967, but it was full of exceptions.

When Jerry Hoffberger, the Orioles owner, learned that his star player had no place to live, he helped the Robinsons rent a home on Cedardale Road in Ashburton – what is now the 41st District.

Before he went to the team party after Game 4 of the World Series, Frank and his wife celebrated with their neighbors.

On this Opening Day, let’s recall two – Jackie and Frank Robinson.

Access to justice and opportunity

| by delsandy | Sandy's 2016 Legislative Diary | No Comments

Frank Robinson left spring training early in 1966, his first year with the Orioles.

He needed to find a place to live. No one would rent to him in segregated Baltimore.

I spoke about that at a meeting of the Access to Justice Commission this morning.

In 1966, I was a student at City College. So was another speaker this morning, Congressman Elijah Cummings.

City College, I said, was our access to opportunity.

My access to justice bill this session would provide legal counsel on a pilot basis in a child custody case or for either party in a protective order proceeding resulting from domestic violence.

My access to opportunity bill would provide scholarship money for low-income students attending four-year colleges.

More on Frank Robinson http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-frank-robinson-housing-0124-20160122-story.html

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