Jackie Robinson – Sandy Rosenberg

Jackie Robinson Day

April 15, 2022 | by delsandy | Uncategorized | No Comments

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.

Jackie, Brooks, Frank, and Mrs. Glenn

March 29, 2018 | 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

April 4, 2016 | 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.

Going to Bat

July 11, 2012 | by delsandy | featured, Sandy's 2012 Legislative Diary | No Comments

It’s the time of year when I’m working on my legislative agenda for next winter and my Legislation Class syllabus for this fall.

My interest in welfare was piqued by a discussion in the American Prospect. Peter Edelman, who has been working on poverty issues since he was on Robert Kennedy’s Senate staff, spoke of America’s inability to have an objective, non-pejorative discussion of the intersection between the structural issues bearing on poverty and the question of individual responsibility.

I agree, but how do you translate those ideas into policy? So I emailed Professor Edelman: “Do you have any suggestions on what policies a state government could consider that address both aspects of this problem?”

He replied: We need to convince the conservatives that their calls for individual responsibility are appropriate but woefully inadequate if not accompanied by public policy and vice versa – liberals need to add individual responsibility to their agenda. Push the structural agenda – minimum wage, earned income tax credit, school reform, and affordable housing, but also push initiatives that will help build personal responsibility – home visiting by health care and social workers and programs that work with young people to help get them to go in the right direction.

My next step will be discussions with liberal coalitions – the Maryland Alliance for the Poor, Welfare Advocates, and the Maryland Interfaith Legislative Coalition.

I will keep you updated.

—

Some of my bills I don’t expect to pass. I introduce them to draw attention to an issue – to bring about progress on a neighborhood concern, in most instances, without my legislation becoming the law.

But none has had an impact as profound as the one I learned about from Barry Steelman’s lecture on “The Jewish Influence on Major League Baseball” at the Jewish Museum of Maryland this past Sunday.

The Red Sox needed the unanimous approval of the Boston City Council to play on Sundays in the 1940’s. Councilman Isadore Muchnick said he would oppose this exception to the Blue Laws unless the team had a tryout for Negro players.

One of the three prospects at Fenway Park on April 16, 1945 was Jackie Robinson. The Red Sox did not sign him, but Branch Rickey learned about the tryout and did.

I’ve added a book excerpt about the tryout to my Legislation Class syllabus at UB and UMd Law Schools, along with a bill of mine that did not pass but achieved its purpose.

Prepared for Opening Day

April 5, 2012 | by delsandy | Sandy's 2012 Legislative Diary | No Comments

“I don’t think that bill is moving,” another delegate answered when I asked if she supported my proposed amendment.

“Best to be prepared,” I responded.

We agreed to act like Boy Scouts.

Not everyone is, unfortunately.

A bill I thought was uncontroversial is still sitting in committee.

I learned which committee member was the likely culprit. Then I asked the lobbyist for the affected Cabinet department to find out why the bill is being held.

No word yet.

—-

We expect the House will be in session until late tomorrow afternoon.

That means I won’t be going to the Orioles game.

However, I will again be offering the opening prayer for the House of Delegates on the Opening Day of the baseball season.

On Opening Day in 1947, the rookie first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers went hitless. By season’s end, Jackie Robinson hit .297 and led the National League in stolen bases and sacrifice hits. He was named Rookie of the Year.

Robinson told the crowd at the 1972 World Series, “I’d like to live to see a black manager, I’d like to live to see the day when there’s a black man coaching at third base.” Nine days later, he died of a heart attack. Three seasons later, Frank Robinson broke a different color barrier as manager of the Cleveland Indians.

Perhaps a future Hall of Famer is making his major league debut this afternoon. Or an obscure utility player may get the big hit or make the play in the field that wins the game. A parent may take a child to their first game together.

It will all begin when the umpire says, “Play ball!”

Accomplishments, an officer, and an icon

February 20, 2012February 22, 2012 | by delsandy | Sandy's 2012 Legislative Diary | 1 Comment

Pimlico Race Course, repeal of the death penalty, and stem cell research were on my list of issues to deal with when the day began.

It’s premature to discuss the substance of my power breakfast, meetings, and emails.

But I can say that the commitment made, the contacts planned, and the drafting initiated were what I hoped to accomplish.

—

On my way to that power breakfast, a police car pulled up alongside.

Before I could ask, “Is there a problem, Officer?”, I was informed that my left brake light was not working.

“I’m a legislator on my way to Annapolis for the week,” I responded. “I’ll get it fixed this weekend.”

“I was there Friday for the marriage bill,” the officer said.

“I voted for it,” I replied.

“I know you did, Delegate Rosenberg,” she answered.

—

My words on the House floor during the marriage equality debate were echoed in a Baltimore Jewish Times interview w Rebecca Alpert, author of Out Of Left Field, a book about Jews and Black baseball:

“Jackie Robinson was a Jewish icon. If he could integrate baseball, Jews could become American.”

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Tag: Jackie Robinson