It is a beautiful day today, but cool and windy. I could have been outside, but I was able to access the Boston vs. Tampa Bay game, played at Fenway Park. This is the Fentennial, the 100th anniversary of the opening of the park http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=20577587&c_id=mlb
Fenway has lots of traditions, including the singing of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" http://www.bostonspastime.com/sweetcaroline.html. When there is national coverage for the Red Sox, they most often show the fans singing in the middle of the 8th inning.
Today is Jackie Robinson Day. Today the breaking of the color barrier in Major League Baseball, by Jackie Robinson is acknowledged and celebrated http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/jrd/. He is heralded as helping so much to make this happen, and happen well. It took a great deal of courage by him, and an understanding that he had to behave with the dignity and respect he was not going to be accorded by so many, many people.
I heard an old timer today talk about him, and about how especially the players raised in the South did not know any better than to behave the way they did. True but sad. Very sad for the minority players who still, sometimes, have to deal with inappropriate racial barriers.
But baseball is integrated. And it is integrated with players from the Caribbean countries, Mexico, Central and South America. Andi it is integrated with players from Asia.
A friend of mine wrote me about hearing about Margaret Mitchell. One of the comments she had about Gone With the Wind was how blacks reacted to her treatment of slaves in the book. I cannot imagine how much suffering so many people have endured in our country, including in the sport of baseball. It makes me feel good that America's Pastime acknowledges the heritage of Jackie Robinson.
Tonight, I get to watch the Yankees and the Angels play at Yankee Stadium. So, this is a day when I have had the chance to be at the old ball game.
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