text:
An Atlas of Sci-Art Water Diplomacy
Fountain of the Naiads at Piazza della Repubblica, Rome, Italy. This was originally the fountain of the Acqua Pia, connected to the aqua Marcia aqueduct, commissioned at this site by Pope Pius IX in 1870. (Photo by David McKelvey) Creative Commons license via Flickr
BRUSSELS, Belgium, May 9, 2017 (Maximpact.com News) – No longer is it true that water is a free and infinite resource as people once believed. Today conservation is essential as one in every 10 people across the European Union experiences water scarcity, according to the European Commission.
In an effort to manage water wisely so that everyone in the EU, and especially city dwellers, will have enough, the Commission has just published the first "Urban Water Atlas for Europe."
The atlas shows how different water management choices, and other factors such as food preferences, waste management and climate change affect the long-term sustainability of water use in cities.
Detailed factsheets in the Urban Water Atlas for Europe present the state of water management in more than 40 European cities and regions together with several overseas examples.
Tibor Navracsics, commissioner for education, culture, youth and sport, is responsible for the European Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), which produced the new atlas.
"To foster innovative water management and its public acceptance, scientific and technological knowledge must be accessible for all. The 'Urban Water Atlas for Europe' presents scientific and technical information in an intuitive and creative way, making it easy for everyone to understand what is at stake and act accordingly," he said.
The atlas was presented on April 27 during the meeting of ministers in charge of water management from the 43 members of the Union for the Mediterranean, hosted by the Maltese Government in Valetta.
The publication a result of the BlueSCities project, funded by Horizon 2020, the EU research and innovation program.
In its introduction, the Urban Water Atlas for Europe reveals the pioneering concept on which it is founded – Sci-Art Water Diplomacy.
This concept first appeared in a pilot scheme in Jordan which led to the exhibition "Science and Art in Water – Water through the eyes of Jordanian children," organized under the auspices of the Jordanian Minister for Education by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre and the partners of the Horizon 2020 Project, BlueSCities.
Schoolchildren from different countries were encouraged to consider the water problems facing their region and to describe their personal feelings through drawings. The children's thought-provoking, yet innocent images called on society to progress
towards a more ecological, more sustainable and more peaceful future, perhaps far more effectively than any scientific treatise.
The colorful results of this exercise laid the philosophical basis for the Urban Water Atlas for Europe.
"This is another great example of how the JRC helps to deliver solutions to the challenges facing Europe's citizens and the spaces they live in," Navracsics said.
On the scientific side, there are two online tools linked with the atlas that can help cities manage water more sustainably.
The City Blueprint is an interactive tool to support strategic decision-making by making it easy to access and understand the results of studies and expert knowledge.
The City Blueprint given for each city is a composite index that displays 25 indicators related to water, waste and climate change in one infographic, summarizing at a glance how well a city currently manages its water resources.
This tool gives an overview of a city's strong and weak points, and provides tailor-made options for making urban water services more sustainable.
This information is important to help identify priorities for further action and investment, but also to visualize strengths and weaknesses. The Blue City Index is the overall score based on these 25 indicators.
The City Amberprint is a tool for assessing a city's progress towards becoming smart and sustainable.
Karmenu Vella, commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said, "Water is an irreplaceable resource for society, but it is only renewable if well managed."
He emphasized the critial role of cities, saying, "Home to three out of four EU citizens, cities have no other choice but to become water-wise, and better manage this precious resource. A strong water policy is also essential for delivering on Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development both in the EU and internationally."
The atlas also presents the Urban Water Footprint of European cities, a measure of domestic water use as well as water use embodied in agricultural products consumed.
This measure aims to raise awareness of the large amount of water used to produce food and the variation in water needs among different diets. The atlas shows that healthier diets and lower meat diets could save as much as 40 percent of the water currently used to produce food.
The atlas also aims to encourage citizens to take an interest and get involved in water issues by combining the work of scientists, artists, politicians and municipal stakeholders with that of schoolchildren and teachers.
Some of the key messages in the atlas are, "Engage in true citizen engagement, employing a participatory and open approach," and "create a legacy and a true connection between generations, from the youngest to the oldest citizens."
The Urban Water Atlas stems from a collaboration of the Joint Research Centre with Fundació CTM Centre Tecnològic, the KWR Watercycle Research Institute, the (EIP) European Innovation Partnership on Water, and the Network for Water in European Regions and Cities, NETWERC H2O.
It follows a long tradition of other atlases produced by the Joint Research Centre, including those on soils and soil management across the globe and the European Atlas of Forest Tree Species.
Featured Image: Woman at a fountain at Catedral de Santa Eulalia de Barcelona, Spain (Photo by Clark and Kim Kays) Creative Commons license via Flickr
Maximpact's consultant network has a wide range of water experts that can help your organization with water related projects. Contact us at info(@)maximpact.com and tell us what you need.
BlueSCities city drinking water freshwater European city European Union food urban Urban Water Atlas for Europe water
Plant-centric Menus Offer Human & Planetary Health
Invaluable: Waters Clean Enough to Drink
A Balancing Act: Climate Change Control Without Water Stress
Wait: Don't Toss That Food, It Could Fuel the Car


How do i get rid of the split screen---and go back to full screen on each window?
Technician's Assistant: What Acer model do you have?
Can an update be refused or uninstalled permanently?
In the left navigation pane, click on Multitasking.
In the right pane, under Snap, change the value to Off.
Click on the Task View icon next to the Search box in the Taskbar and select desktop is available in the list.
I cannot get edge to start once it comes up on the screen.
How do I fix a horizontally split screen on a Gateway MG1.
I own an Acer Aspire One 722. "Update compatibility issues"


text:
Tag: Sophomore Spring
April is tough. And brilliant. ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ
Easter Egg: Screenplay at the end of the post. 🥚✨
♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪
🌏 Harvard China Forum 💡
April 12th to 14th, Harvard College China Forum happened.
Remember last year when I was the Programming Associate in charge of the Culture Panel (ft. Fang Wenshan 💕)? As the Programming Chair this year, I oversaw how my amazing team put together an entire conference's worth of content together. China's growth will be one of the defining stories of our time and perhaps, we have shaped that narrative somehow.
Nothing beats months of brainstorming, invitation-writing, cold-emailing, drafting of panel descriptions and discussion questions, numerous color-coded spreadsheets, coordination of individual speaker logistics (400+ WeChat notifications and overflowing inboxes every day), the introduction of panelists to each other, staying up late at night at the GSD (Graduate School of Design) reviewing design details, and of course, the three forum days when everything came together — like the greatest show, painstakingly and lovingly built, scripted, and performed by numerous hands; like something that seemed to pass too fast but still endures, gathering minds and presenting ideas like cradling two brilliant continental halves of an earthly heart before a thousand people.
The number of speakers:
120+ (including Kevin Rudd, Jin Liqun, Yu Zheng etc.)
With Kevin Rudd, the 26th Prime Minister of Australia, who spoke at our Closing Ceremony ✨
The number of panels:
11. (Finance, Entertainment, Pharmaceuticals, Technology, Arts, Culture, Philanthropy, International Relations & Development, Music, Philanthropy, and Entrepreneurship)
The number of keynote ceremonies:
Welcoming 4/12
Opening 4/13
Closing 4/14
The number of attendees:
Thank you to each of you who made this another great year. ❤ I've learned so much from this journey that never ceases to amaze me — at what other institution in the world would this be possible? The incredible caliber of speakers, the sheer depth of dialogue, the commitment from everyone involved, and the team that handles this professionally demanding role outside of our busy Harvard lives.
The other day at an IOP (Institute of Politics) dinner, I met another student who asked me intently, "Do you think we should be afraid of China? Like with their One Belt, One Road initiative?" It is moments like this when I'm convinced that there is a great need to bring thinkers from the U.S. and China in dialogue on all fronts, at a place of learning where misunderstandings and stereotypes really do still exist BUT, at least, where people are curious and seek more answers beyond the reign of media and the limits of historical subjectivity.
Blessed to be here and I hope I can keep growing alongside this forum.
(´・ω・`)
paper-writing woes 😪
In the dimly lit DeWolfe common room, I'm curled up on the couch against the floor-to-ceiling windows. I felt timeless. It could be 2AM or 5AM. The hours are collapsing into one other.
In the hours spent typing away, tiny black letters crawl over the blank page on my laptop screen like an ant army, expanding the boundaries, encroaching on the ever-expanding territory of whiteness… My thoughts flowing and flowing, like a stream punctuated by soft, rhythmic punches on the keyboard.
It's a draft for my History & Literature sophomore essay — 3000 to 4000 words in length, on any topic that has to do with 'empire' or 'imperialism.' My topic of choice? Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians (not the movie!!). What does CRA have to do with imperialism? At first glance, not much. After two days of reading, knee-deep in literature, all kinds of thoughts jump around my spinning head: what does the novel tell us about 'Chineseness'? How can we understand class — in particular, the elite Chinese diasporic subject? How are capitalism and mobility in interplay? In the background, against which all the drama, catfights, and ostentatious displays of wealth are set, there is the postcolonial city-state of Singapore, where I grew up in.
Behind me, tiny filaments of light are seeping through the blinds, painting my bare legs in stripes. Bleary-eyed, I press one finger on a blind and peer out of the window. Gentle, pale sunlight touches my cheek.
I look at the digital clock. It's 6:28 AM.
Here marks the first time in college I've stayed up all night writing an essay. It's not cool — the big, red pimple on my chin will be a battle scar — but it feels like a college ritual that has finally happened. Here's what happens when you have three papers due in one weekend.
April is tough, tough, tough!!!
ʕʘ‿ʘʔ
🤖 what have i been reading? 🧟
For the latest paper in one of my courses, "Forbidden Romance in Modern China," I've decided to write a screenplay adapted from the most violent scene in Yu Hua's Classical Romance 余华的《古典爱情》— it's a short story that parodies the literary archetype of the Scholar-meets-Maiden romance (think: Peony Pavilion 《牡丹亭》) by subverting it with irrational, absurd violence that recapitulates the trauma of the Cultural Revolution. A climactic moment in the story is when the scholar is in a tavern and discovers that his long-lost beloved is being chopped alive for consumption in an adjacent room.
I decided to re-write that particular scene of monstrosity and bleakness into the format of a screenplay. (Scroll to the bottom of the post for my short 6-page screenplay. Hands down, the most violent thing I've ever written.)
How to represent the unrepresentable? How to imply violence? How to avoid explicit gore, yet still create suspense and dread?
As someone who is adamantly and unabashedly terrified of horror and thriller films — the scariest movie I watched until I turned 16 was Spirited Away (imagine your parents turning into pigs?!) — I decided to approach this academically. I researched the best thriller films (they had dreadful names… Like Texas Chainsaw Massacre… And some that were more normal like Hitchcock's Psycho.) and read their screenplays to study how they conveyed violence.
The result? I was shivering in broad daylight and was terrified to turn off the lights at night. (My roommate also happened to be away. T_T)
In the meantime, to relax my English-addled brain, I also fell down the rabbit hole of Chinese novels which are CRAZILY GOOD. The genre of choice has been a mix of mystery and speculative fiction — one that I really liked is about being infinitely suspended in a Matrix-like game that simulates real-life unsolved cases.
Sigh, happily reading while floundering in a sea of deadlines. Now I'm five days away from leaving campus and ending my Sophomore year. Books are time machines!!!
Brevity: Renaissance Woman
March 10, 2019 March 10, 2019 1 Comment
"Dark" by Xuan Loc Xuan
Brevity features short posts on the interesting, incisive, or inexplicably moving ideas I encounter at Harvard. It's a record of the detail in those intellectual and creative moments, as well as an exploration of the curious questions that keep me up at the midnight hour. Here's an honest snapshot of my mind.
Sometimes, I realize how much more I have to go and then —
I saw on Facebook that someone in my year won the Wendell Prize (congratulations!). It's awarded to one Harvard sophomore annually, who is identified "as the most promising and broad-ranging scholar in his or her class." We were Facebook friends but I don't think we've ever met in real life. I Googled his name. What came up first was an article he had written for the Harvard Independent, titled "Getting In." It was beautiful — a portrait of a young artist rendered more evocatively, gently, and vulnerably than most writers on campus (myself included) could have.
How to be a modern-day Renaissance woman (or man)? In a few seconds, I just knew. This was it.
Returning to the page of search results, I clicked the second listed site. It was a Physics department page. He was an undergraduate researcher in the Department of Physics, doing "statistical and semiclassical analysis of thermal distortion potentials."
Before me was a vague outline of someone who was not just good but excellent at many things. I felt a burst of wonder and respect, but also intermingled in a tide of wistfulness, a dim sense of loss. It wasn't self-negating. Yet, this brief internet encounter with a silhouette of brilliance made me rethink why I found his straddling of fields so surprising.
Our instincts are honed by stereotypes. Somewhere along the path of my education, I must have subconsciously internalized the distinctions between the literary arts and the sciences, took their gulf for granted, and happily embraced specialization. Why should scientists not be able to write beautifully? (Carl Sagan and Paul Kalanithi come to mind.) Why would it be impossible that a writer be a scientist? (Like Nabokov and his butterflies.) Are their objects of inquiry — nature and culture — all that different? The universe and its truths. The human condition. A story with different building blocks.
With the platter of liberal arts options, I have thus far chosen to do a grand zero of problem set classes at Harvard. Truth is: I've willingly, single-mindedly boxed myself in a rigid taxonomy of disciplines, the boundaries of which might actually be more nebulous than I think. The divisions between fields that we presume as perennial are often recent constructs — e.g. philosophy and the natural sciences (for instance, phenomenology started as psychology under Brentano).
Not sure how I will move forward with these thoughts. After all, I count myself blessed to have found an irresistible love for the humanities and the opportunity to study them at a place like Harvard. But, honestly, where else could I have had such a close brush with the contours of a renaissance man, or this acute of a realization?
(Typed this in a flurry, during a break from writing a paper that's due tonight. Back to more practical tasks on hand!!!)
My Sophomore Spring Harvard Classes + Some Little Things
Belatedly, wishing all of you: Happy Year of the Pig!!! ❤ ❤ ❤
First things first, things that have served as brilliant reminders when life works weirdly:
1. Turn your FOMO into JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) — I would like to interpret it as loving yourself and realizing that doing nothing or doing less are all relative terms that we use to measure ourselves relative to something external. Though we might often doubt ourselves for not doing enough, not spending time on academics or extracurriculars might mean spending it with your body, your mind, or your soul. (Thank you, Marwah. x) That's as worthwhile and meaningful. We all have different paths and different destinations along the way. So the balance is to walk my own path while still keeping in sight where I want to go and to make sure I'm keeping pace with my internal calling.
2. Maintaining a healthy weight is a marathon not a sprint!!!
3. My classes. Let's say, Q = "Eating more brings weight gain" — at least, there's one thing in life that works by the same causal logic as proposition Q: reading and thinking more brings a better version of myself. I've slacked off quite a bit this long weekend (on Sunday, I curled up in a corner of Cabot Library and just read romance novels for an entire afternoon). No skimping on readings subsequently, Selina!!!
Now, a bit more about what I'm taking this semester:
AESTHINT 47 Forbidden Romance in Modern China
I was destined to take this class. Forbidden Romance? Check. China? Check. We've studied illicit love letters between Lu Xun and his female student, Yu Dafu's auto-erotic story of narcissism and patriotism, and the secret love affair between the married darling of modern China and Virginia Woolf's nephew.
Almost astonishingly, I've discovered that women back then had much greater latitude in exploring new forms of intimacy, constructing a new feminine subjectivity in romantic liaisons, and breaking from societal traditions. The many types of love (teacher-student, extramarital, eroticism, older woman-younger man) that flourished then amidst the post-May 4th zeitgeist might be considered taboo right now. Perhaps, the literary history of modern romance is a narrative of regression.
Professor David Wang, who teaches this, is so incredibly earnest and empathetic in his lectures. His lecture on the life of Yu Dafu (a writer who began his life with debauchery and ended up in martyrdom) was the first time I teared up in a lecture.
HIST-LIT 97 Sophomore Tutorial — Cultures of U.S. Imperialism
One of my main reasons for declaring History & Literature is to explore imperialism/postcolonialism and narrative historiography (empire and globalization through fiction) in tandem. We will be reading many authors who I have encountered before (which could be a good or a bad thing): E. M. Forster, Joseph Conrad (!!!), J. M. Coetzee, Wole Soyinka, and Jamaica Kincaid. Thus far, we've looked at the British empire as much as the U.S. empire. It's interesting being the only non-American a class as U.S.-centric as this one, and having grown up with a partially Anglophone education in Singapore that bears the indelible vestiges of British colonialism.
PHIL 33 Ethical Issues in Social, Cultural, and Artistic Representation
Telling other people about my classes this semester has been a mouthful because of Phil 33. Everyone's response is always a lull, followed by, Say again?
I didn't actually shop this class, but shopped numerous others. Expectedly, on the Friday of Shopping Week, I once again ended up in utter confusion and disarray about my course cart. After my friend told me in the afternoon about this class, I decided to enroll on a whim. I'm interested in the topics we have been discussing in class (it's just 8 of us) in the abstract, but not that much in the specific. Right now, we have been analyzing arguments on both sides of the Confederate symbol debate. How do we judge the past? What gives a symbol its racist meaning? How can we correct historical injustice?
Subsequent topics might resonate more:
Cultural Property and Cultural Appropriation
Ethics and Fictional Representations
PHIL 136 Phenomenology of Lived Experience
Taught by Professor Samantha Matherne!!! (She taught my Kant class last semester and was phenomenal.) Absolutely a blast so far. I wasn't familiar at all with the word 'Phenomenology' before taking this class and still am not quite sure. The central question is: what are the general structures that any experience involves?
We started by looking at treatments of the phenomenology of lived experience in general in texts by Brentano and Husserl (now Heidegger). I'm really excited to later work out the phenomenology of specific modes of lived experience in Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex, Frantz Fanon's Black Skin, White Masks, Emilio Uranga's "Essay on an Ontology of the Mexican," and Sara Ahmed's "Orientations: Towards a Queer Phenomenology."
I WILL DO MY READINGS THOROUGHLY!
If any of these ideas interest you, come talk to me about my classes anytime.
4. Happy Lantern Festival! 元宵节快乐~We've reached the fifteenth (and the last) day of the Lunar New Year celebrations so fast. There have been some dreary days and afternoons of seemingly incurable malaise, but also some mornings when I sit in class and look at the world in wonder, emerging from a vulnerable conversation into a kinder world.
Even though I haven't eaten tangyuans (those glutinous balls with black sesame or peanut paste fillings), I had a call with my mom tonight across continents and time zones, which put my life in perspective and filled me with faith. Thank you for always believing in me. You don't know how much it means to me, 妈咪 ❤ Sending this ball of positive energy to all of you. On cold nights with swirling snow weighing on gaunt treetops, think of this cute picture below.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We're here for whatever you need.
During peak times, we offer a live chat feature where you can connect with a Fargo Uber Expert and get questions answered 1 on 1.
Currently, live chat is not available. Please check back frequently for updated dates and times!


Makassar: The Australian Consulate General in Makassar held an East Indonesia-Australia Tourism Forum, which brought together tourism industry participants from across the Indonesian archipelago,tourism experts, industry leaders, and investors from Australia, for two days.
"Today, we hold the 2019 East Australia-Indonesia Tourism Forum, and this will be an annual agenda that will benefit both countries," the Australian Consul General in Makassar, Richard Mathews, stated at the opening in Makassar on Monday.
He noted that the tourism activities held for two days, from March 4 to 5, 2019, will enhance cooperation between the Australian and Indonesian tourism sectors.
Both countries will support each other in economic development in eastern Indonesia, especially in tourism. Indonesia itself consists of thousands of islands not far from the northern coast of Australia.
"This forum will strengthen relations between people through sustainable tourism and will raise awareness in Australia about investment opportunities in Eastern Indonesia. The forum will also increase awareness in Indonesia of Australia's great capabilities in the tourism, hospitality, and training sectors," he remarked.
Richard stated that as the main sponsor for this forum event, he presented experts from the world's best tourism and education city, Gold Coast (Queensland).
The East Australia-Indonesia Tourism Forum is also supported by the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism; Australia Awards Indonesia; partners from the Sustainability Research Institute (University of the Sunshine Coast) and Griffith Institute for Tourism (Griffith University, Queensland); and an Australian tourism company based in Bali, Travlr.com.
"I travel a lot and travel around, and I often meet with governors and district heads in Indonesia, especially in Eastern Indonesia. The big question at these meetings is that we want to build tourism and how we do it," he explained.


text:
EN / Abbaye de Noirlac
The Noirlac Bocage Farmland
The Garden Project
360° Visit
Noirlac, A Cultural Encounter Centre
Partners, Networks and Patronage
Mutli-Media Library
Visits & Activities
Visits for Schools and After-School Clubs
Artists' Residencies
Artistic and Cultural Education
How to contact and find us
Tea Room and Shop
Send an artist's application
Home The Abbey The Garden Project
In the heart of the bocage, the traditional local landscape comprising a patchwork of irregular fields bordered by hedgerows, the landscaping project designed by the gardener Gilles Clément for the Noirlac site will start at the end of 2018. It will re-establish links between the architectural order of the monuments and the natural disorder of the bocage fields, to enhance the site and invite visitors to enjoy a moment of contemplation.
Undertaking new projects in a site like Noirlac Abbey requires knowledge of its history, the spatial and domestic economy of a community of monks, the landscape and its structure, the relief, the river, the links with the city and the rationale behind the site's layout. It also means finding yourself confronted with the power of art at the service of "living and thinking" in a constant call to spirituality. The impact of the architecture, the ratio of light to shade, the simplicity of the transitional spaces, the generous proportions of the enclosures, the positioning of this whole structure within the site, together create a harmonious balance, with the central object, the magnificent white stonework of the abbey, blending smoothly with its surroundings.
Noirlac is an ensemble, from the top of the hill down to the banks of the Cher. In these conditions, it is a real challenge to try to create a garden.
Everything is already in place, so that a garden can only be a modest addition, an appendix. The selected project strives to respect these given elements, at times invoking the vanished memory of a former land use.
The new access from the car park to the bailey courtyard represents a significant functional and spatial change, contributing to the creation of a line-of-sight between the hill and the bocage farmland. This perspective crosses the Bruère-Virlay path, destined for walks.
Inside the abbey enclosure, the Forecourt and the Garden of Changing Roses are installations intended both to link different areas and to create pleasing spaces where visitors might wish to stop and rest. Finally, in the heart of the abbey, the Cloister Garden renews the ancestral and ongoing tradition of growing medicinal and culinary plants. The arrangement of the plants within an enclosed space, with plans for exuberant border species alongside predominantly blue vegetation and flowers, is intended to evoke a little corner of sky.
Find out about our news and events by subscribing to our newsletter.
18200 Bruère-Allichamps
Réservation : +33 (0)2 48 96 17 16
Informations : +33 (0)2 48 62 01 01
Cher Department
The Cher Departmental Council, the abbey's owner, initiated the creation of the Noirlac Cultural Encounter Centre
Centre-Val-de-Loire Region
French Republic Culture and Communication
Cookies ensure the proper operation of our services. By using these, you accept the use of cookies. Find out more OK


text:
Tag Archives: willie mays
"We'll Lick This Someday" But Will Someday Ever Come: Jackie Robinson, Branch Rickey, and Charles Thomas
John Jorgensen, Pee Wee Reese, Ed Stanky and Jackie Robinson on opening day 1947
Friends of Padre Steve's World.
Pitchers and catchers reported to training camps in Florida and Arizona today and will continue reporting tomorrow. Thursday is a Valentine's Day and thank God Easter falls late this year so it doesn't coincide with Ash Wednesday.
For the Baseball purist, the Priest and the inept romantic the combination is quite juxtaposing. For the fact of the matter I don't do either Lent which Ash Wednesday begins or Valentine's Day very well, thankfully Lent doesn't begin for a few more weeks.
That being the case I routinely screw both of the up and as hard as I try I struggle to reach the Mendoza Line in either one. Of course that leaves baseball which for me is a religion, as well as a social commentary on America, our values, and virtues, despite the fact that I also find much truth in Soccer, or as most of the world calls it Football. But I digress, this is about baseball, Civil rights, and America.
I'm not the first to say this an editor in Baseball Magazine wrote in 1921:
"Thomas Jefferson, when he wrote the Declaration, made proper provision for baseball when he declared that 'all men are, and of right out to be, free and equal.' That's why they are at the ball game, banker and bricklayer, lawyer and common laborer."
But for African Americans in the first half of the Twentieth Century the game was as segregated as as any town that adhered to Jim Crow in the South or the Sundown Towns in the North and West which excluded them from the political, social privileges enjoyed by Whites. In spite of their relegation to the Negro Leagues a lot of people in baseball knew their talent and ability, one of them was Branch Rickey. Rickey was the first to successfully integrate a team. Baseball Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis opposed early attempts at integration from 1920 until his death in 1944, as a result early attempts to integrate teams failed.
Charles Thomas
It was in 1903 when Rickey, then a coach for the Ohio Wesleyan University baseball team had to console his star player, Charles Thomas when a hotel in South Bend Indiana refused him a room because he was black. Rickey found Thomas sobbing rubbing his hands and repeating "Black skin. Black skin. If only I could make them white." Rickey attempted to console his friend saying "Come on, Tommy, snap out of it, buck up! We'll lick this one day, but we can't if you feel sorry for yourself."
Branch Rickey
Thomas, encouraged by Rickey was remembered by one alumnus who saw a game that Thomas played in noted that "the only unpleasant feature of the game was the coarse slurs cast at Mr. Thomas, the catcher." However, the writer noted something else about Thomas that caught his eye: "But through it all, he showed himself far more the gentleman than his insolent tormentors though their skin is white." Thomas would go on to be a dentist and remain a friend of Rickey until Rickey's death in 1965. He moved to New Mexico where he became on of the first African American dentists in that state. Mark Moore, the Executive Director of the New Mexico Dental Association noted:
"This was a time when being a professional was difficult for an African-American. As one of the first black dentists in New Mexico, Dr. Thomas helped desegregate dentistry. He had a significant impact on our national history and the dental profession."
Baseball like most of America was not a place for the Black man. Rickey, a devout Christian later remarked "I vowed that I would always do whatever I could to see that other Americans did not have to face the bitter humiliation that was heaped upon Charles Thomas."
In April 1947 Branch Rickey who was now the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers invited one African-American ballplayer to the Dodgers' Spring Training site in Daytona Beach Florida. The South was still a hotbed of racial prejudice, Jim Crow was the law of the land and Blacks had no place in White Man's baseball, but Rickey decided to challenge that rule and the player was Jackie Robinson.
The Dodgers had been coming to Florida for years. Rickey moved the Dodgers from Jacksonville to Daytona Beach in 1947 after Jacksonville had refused to alter its segregation laws to allow an exhibition game between the Dodgers International League affiliate the Montreal Royals, for whom Robinson starred.
That was the year that Rickey signed Robinson to a minor league contract with the Royals. When Rickey called up Robinson 6 days prior to the 1947 season Robinson broke the color barrier for both the Dodgers and Major League Baseball. However it would take another 12 years before all Major League teams had a black player on their roster.
It is hard to imagine now that even after Jackie Robinson had broken the color barrier that other teams did not immediately sign black players. However Rickey and Robinson broke the color barrier a year before Harry Truman had integrated the Armed Forces and seven years before the Supreme Court ruled the segregation of public schools illegal. But how could that be a surprise? The country was still rampant with unbridled racism. Outside of a few Blacks in the military and baseball most African Americans had few rights. In the North racism regulated most blacks to ghettos, while in the South, Jim Crow laws and public lynchings of progressive or outspoken Blacks.
Actor, director and civil rights activist Ossie Davis wrote in the book Baseball Nineteen – Oh – Seven" that:
"Baseball should be taken seriously by the colored player — and in this effort of his great ability will open the avenue in the near future wherein he may walk hand in hand with the opposite race in the greatest of all American games — baseball."
Larry Doby (above) and Satchel Paige signed by the Indians
The Cleveland Indians under their legendary owner Bill Veeck were not far behind the Dodgers in integrating their team. Veeck claimed that his effort to purchase the Philadelphia Phillies was rejected by Kennesaw Mountain Landis when he announced that he would desegregate the team. Under Veeck's direction the Tribe signed Larry Doby on July 5th 1947. Doby would go on to the Hall of Fame and was a key player on the 1948 Indian team which won the 1948 World Series, the last that the storied franchise has won to this date.
Hank Thompson and Roy Campanella
The St. Louis Browns signed Third Baseman Hank Thompson 12 days after the Indians signed Doby. But Thompson, Robinson and Doby would be the only Blacks to play in that inaugural season of integration. They would be joined by others in 1948 including the immortal catcher Roy Campanella who signed with the Dodgers and the venerable Negro League pitcher, Satchel Paige who was signed by the Indians.
Monte Irvin (Above) and Willie Mays
It was not until 1949 when the New York Giants became the next team to integrate. They brought up Monte Irvin and Hank Thompson who they had acquired from the Browns. In 1951 they would be joined by rookie Willie Mays to become the first all African-American outfield in the Major Leagues. Both Mays and Irvin would enter the Hall of Fame and both remained key part of the Giants' story. Despite their age have continued to be active in with the Giants and Major League Baseball, Mays still is but Irvin died in 2016.
Samuel Jethroe
The Boston Braves were the next to desegregate calling up Samuel "the Jet" Jethroe to play Center Field. Jethroe was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 1950.
Minnie Minoso
In 1951 the Chicago White Sox signed Cuban born Minnie Minoso who had played for Cleveland in 1949 and 1951 before signing with the White Sox. Minoso would be elected to 9 All-Star teams and win 3 Golden Gloves.
Ernie Banks (above) and Bob Trice
The Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Athletics integrated at the end of the 1953 season. The Cubs signed Shortstop Ernie Banks who would go on to be a 14 time All-Star, 2 time National League MVP and be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977 on the first ballot. The Athletics called up pitcher Bob Trice from their Ottawa Farm team where he had won 21 games. Trice only pitched in 27 Major League games over the course of three seasons with the Athletics.
Curt Roberts
Four teams integrated in 1954. The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Second Baseman Curt Roberts from Denver of the Western League as part of a minor league deal. He would play 171 games in the Majors. He was sent to the Columbus Jets of the International League in 1956 and though he played in both the Athletics and Yankees farm systems but never again reached the Majors.
Tom Alston
The St. Louis Cardinals, the team that had threatened to not play against the Dodgers and Jackie Robinson in 1947 traded for First Baseman Tom Alston of the Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres. Alston would only play in 91 Major League games with his career hindered by bouts with depression and anxiety.
Nino Escalara (above) and Chuck Harmon
The Cincinnati Reds brought up Puerto Rican born First Baseman Nino Escalera and Third Baseman Chuck Harmon. Harmon had played in the Negro Leagues and had been a Professional Basketball player in the American Basketball League. Harmon who was almost 30 when called up played just 4 years in the Majors. Both he and Escalera would go on to be Major League scouts. Escalera is considered one of the best First Baseman from Puerto Rico and was elected to the Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Fame. Harmon's first game was recognized by the Reds in 2004 and a plaque hangs in his honor.
The Washington Senators called up Cuban born Center Fielder Carlos Paula from their Charlotte Hornets' farm team in September 1954. Paula played through the 1956 season with the Senators and his contract was sold to the Sacramento Salons of the Pacific Coast League. He hit .271 in 157 plate appearances with 9 home runs and 60 RBIs. He died at the age of 55 in Miami.
Elston Howard
In April 1955 the New York Yankees finally integrated 8 years after the Dodgers and 6 years after the Giants. They signed Catcher/Left Fielder Elston Howard from their International League affiliate where he had been the League MVP in 1954. Howard would play 13 years in the Majors with the Yankees and later the Red Sox retiring in 1968. He would be a 12-time All Star and 6-time World Series Champion as a player and later as a coach for the Yankees. He died of heart disease in 1980. His number #32 was retired by the Yankees in 1984.
The Philadelphia Phillies purchased the contract of Shortstop John Kennedy from the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League at the end of the 1956 season. Kennedy played in just 5 games in April and May of 1957.
Ozzie Virgil Sr.
In 1958 the Detroit Tigers obtained Dominican born Utility Player Ozzie Virgil Sr. who had played with the Giants in 1955 and 1956. Virgil would play 9 seasons in the Majors with the Giants, Tigers, Athletics and Pirates and retire from the Giants in 1969. He later coached for 19 years in the Majors with the Giants, Expos, Padres and Mariners.
Pumpsie Green
The last team to integrate was the Boston Red Sox who signed Infielder Pumpsie Green. Green made his debut on 21 July 1959 during his three years with the Red Sox was primarily used as a pinch runner. He played his final season with the New York Mets in 1963. He was honored by the Red Sox in 2009 on the 50th anniversary of breaking the Red Sox color barrier.
It took 12 years for all the teams of the Major Leagues to integrate, part of the long struggle of African Americans to achieve equality not just in baseball but in all areas of public life. These men, few in number paved the way for African Americans in baseball and were part of the inspiration of the Civil Rights Movement itself. They should be remembered by baseball fans, and all Americans everywhere for their sacrifices and sheer determination to overcome the obstacles and hatreds that they faced. It would not be until August of 1963 that Martin Luther King Jr. would give his I Have a Dream speech and 1964 that African Americans received equal voting rights.
Robinson would become a vocal supporter of civil rights, especially after his experience at the 1964 Republican National Convention. Robinson, a Republican and friend of Nelson Rockefeller where he was threatened by a White delegate. He wrote:
"It was a terrible hour for the relatively few black delegates who were present. Distinguished in their communities, identified with the cause of Republicanism, an extremely unpopular cause among blacks, they had been served notice that the party they had fought for considered them just another bunch of "niggers". They had no real standing in the convention, no clout. They were unimportant and ignored. One bigot from one of the Deep South states actually threw acid on a black delegate's suit jacket and burned it. Another one, from the Alabama delegation where I was standing at the time of the Rockefeller speech, turned on me menacingly while I was shouting "C'mon Rocky" as the governor stood his ground. He started up in his seat as if to come after me. His wife grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
"Turn him loose, lady, turn him loose," I shouted.
I was ready for him. I wanted him badly, but luckily for him he obeyed his wife…" (From Jackie Robinson "I Never Had it Made" Chapter XV On Being Black Among the Republicans)
Spring training for the 2018 season begins tomorrow in Florida and Arizona, in what are called the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues. It is hard to believe that only 70 years ago that there was only one team and one owner dared to break the color barrier that was and still is so much a part of American life.
However despite opposition and lingering prejudice African Americans in baseball led the way in the Civil Rights Movement and are in large part responsible for many of the breakthroughs in race relations and the advancement of not only African Americans, but so many others. We can thank men like Charles Thomas, Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey for this and pray that we who remain, Black and White, Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern; Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu; Gay and Straight, as well as all others who make up our great nation will never relinquish the gains that have been won at such a great cost.
In an age were racism has crawled out from under the rock of social distain and has risen to such political prominence that civil rights and voting rights, as well as education, and employment, and healthcare for Blacks, other minorities, and the poor of all races are under attack it is important to remember the words of Branch Rickey to Charles Thomas in 1903: "We'll lick this one day…" It will certainly be a hard fight, but we have to fight
Filed under Baseball, civil rights, History, News and current events, Political Commentary, sports and life
Tagged as bob trice, boston braves, boston red sox, branch rickey, brooklyn dodgers, carlos paula, charles thomas, chicago cubs, chicago white sox, chuck harmon, cincinnati reds, cleveland indians, curt roberts, elston howard, equal rights, ernie banks, hank thompson, harry truman, i have a dream speech, integration of baseball, jackie robinson, jim crow laws, john kennedy baseball player, kennesaw mountain landis, larry doby, martin luther king jr, minnie minoso, monte irvin, new york giants, new york yankees, nino escalera, ossie davis, ozzie virgil sr, pee wee reese, philadelphia athletics, pittsburgh pirates, pumpsie green, roy campanela, samuel jethroe, satchel paige, spring training, st louis cardinals, st. Louis browns, sundown towns, tom alston, voting rights act of 1964, washington senators, willie mays
July 29, 2018 · 19:48
The Men of the Negro Leagues: Carl Long Day 2011
For tonight a reposting of an old article dealing with my friends from the Negro Leagues. These men were heroes, they played ball in the face of prejudice and discrimination and were a part of the Civil Rights movement. They were peers of Jackie Robison, Willie Mays, Satchel Paige, and Larry Doby.
This article is from 2011, my friend, Negro League Hall of Famer Carl Long passed away in 2015. I do miss him.
Carl Long Night: L-R James "Spot"King, Hubert "Big Daddy"Wooten, Dennis "Bose"Biddle and Carl Long at Historical Grainger Stadium
Friday I had the privilege of being invited to spend a portion of the day a number of former Negro League players, Minor League players and a couple of former Major Leaguers including one veteran of the 2004 Boston Red Sox World Series Championship team, Trot Nixon. In addition to the ballplayers I met Carl's lovely wife Ella as well city officials from the City of Kinston and regular folks, baseball fans and parents with their children.
Carl and Ella
It was a day to honor one of the few remaining veterans of the Negro Leagues. Carl Long played with the Birmingham Black Barons alongside Willie Mays and Country and Western singer Charlie Pride. He played against Hank Aaron and spent time in the minors with Willie McCovey and Roberto Clemente. He was the first black to play in the Carolina League and still holds the record for the most RBIs in a season inKinstonwhich has also seen such sluggers as Jim Thome, Alex White and Manny Ramirez play at Historic Grainger Stadium. Carl did not have a long baseball career, he injured his shoulder and his wife of over 50 years Ella, a local Kinston girl stole his heart. In Kinston he became the first black commercial bus driver in the state, the first black Deputy Sheriff in North Carolina, and first black Detective on the Kinston Police Department. Carl was presented with a certificate from the Mayor of Kinston during the
That evening the Kinston Indians hosted Carl Long Appreciation night. Carl as well as Dennis, James "Spot" King and Hubert "Big Daddy" Wooten and a number of local Negro League era players took the field near along the third base line as their names were announced. A local television station filmed the event and Carl made sure the members of the "Field of Dreams" Little League team each got a copy of his signed baseball card. It was a night of emotion, appreciation and history.
Carl broke barriers wherever he went and credits his father with ensuring that he got his education, a mantra that he repeats to every young person that he meets. I met Carl earlier in the season and knew that I was in the presence of a pioneer and a great American. When I am in Kinston there is nothing that I enjoy more that listening to Carl's stories of life in the Negro Leagues and breaking the baseball's color barrier in the Deep South.
Hubert "Big Daddy"Wooten"
It is hard to imagine now just how deep the poisonous river of racism ran in 1940's, 50's and 60's America. Then it was a fact that segregation was not only acceptable but widely practiced in much of this country. Institutionalized racism was normal and violence against blacks and whites that befriended them was commonplace. We like to think that we have overcome racism in this country but unfortunately there is a segment of the population that still practices and promotes this evil. Even this week there was a Ku Klux Klan attack on the home of a black pastor in the South. His offense….supporting a white candidate for county sheriff. While we have overcome much there is still much work to be done. I think this is why I believe it is so important to remember the men and women of the Negro Leagues.
One of the men at today's events was Dennis "Bose" Biddle who played for the Chicago American Giants in 1953 and 1954. He was in the process of having his contract purchased by the Chicago Cubs when he suffered a devastating injury to his leg and ankle going hard into Second Base. When he couldn't play in the Majors he went to college and became a Social Worker. Dennis said to me "you know that "take out" sign at restaurants? We started it" referring to how black players would have to get their food at the back of a restaurant or eat in the kitchen out of sight of white customers.
Dennis "Bose"Biddle autographing a baseball
The truth of the matter is that the players of the Negro Leagues were torch bearers in our society. The men and women of the Negro Leagues barnstormed and played against white teams when baseball was still segregated. When Branch Rickey signed Jackie Robinson it was a seismic event with great social connotations. A barrier had been broken and I dare say that without the men of the Negro Leagues that the work of other Civil Rights leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have had a less fertile audience in White America and probably a even less friendly reception than they had as they worked to fulfill the vision of a better America where men and women of every race, color and creed could aspire to great things.
Carl Long giving a baseball and good advice to a young fan
Men like Carl Long are responsible for this. Some made their impact at a national level while others like Carl and Dennis on a local and regional level. Like the men and women of the "Greatest Generation" this fellowship grows smaller with each passing year. Hubert "Daddy" Wooten was one of the last Negro League players; he played for and later managed the Indianapolis Clowns in the years where they barnstormed. During that time he managed the legendary Satchel Paige. "Big Daddy" Wooten is the youngest of the he surviving Negro League players a mere 65 years old. Most are in their mid-70s or in their 80s. It is important that their friends and neighbors write down their stories so they are not forgotten.
Baseball in particular the Negro League Hall of Fame and Museum has done a credible job of trying to preserve the contributions of these men to baseball and the American experience. Yet many more stories are still to be told. I hope that as I continue to visit with Carl, Sam Allen in Norfolk and other players that I will be able to help them tell more of those stories.
Filed under Baseball, civil rights, History, Loose thoughts and musings
Tagged as alex white, boston red sox 2004 world series, branch rickey, carl long, charlie pride, chicago american giants, civil rights movement, dennis "bose"biddle, dr martin luther king jr, grainger stadium, hank aaron, hubert "big daddy" wooten, jackie robinson, james "spot" king, jim thome, kinston indians, kinston nc, ku klux klan, manny ramirez, negro leagues, racism, Roberto Clemente, trot nixon, willie mays, willie mccovey
Remembering My Friendship with Carl Long, Negro League Hall of Famer and Civil Rights Pioneer
Today was a day of recovery from a long week with little sleep, lots of work, contractors in the house doing renovations, and a lot of stress. Last night it took me forever to get to sleep even though I went to bed early I could not get to sleep until about four AM. I big part of the problem was that I had my sleep meds lapse as there was a problem between my military provider, the military pharmacy, and the civilian pharmacy that my meds get transferred to. I put on my CPAP and with the lights off I laid in bed for almost four hours before I finally went to sleep. I slept until two PM. I did go out and pick up some melatonin and Advil PM to try to help me sleep tonight. We did get a bit more work done in the house today but not nearly what I hoped to get accomplished.
This evening I had a twitter exchange with a few people including the President of the Negro Leagues Hall of Fame in Kansas City. One of the people encouraged me to write down my memories of the Negro League players that became my friends. The best was the late Carl Long who is in the Negro League Hall of Fame. So tonight I am reposting an article about the beginning of my friendship with him. I will post another tomorrow night.
So until then,
Me with Carl Long
On Friday, after a long and stressful week at work I decided to head to Kinston to see a ball game. It was a rough week, my staff and I dealt with the death of an 11 year old girl that came through our ER on Monday morning. I found that a Marine that I had served with while serving with 3rd Battalion 8th Marines in 2000-2001. Staff Sergeant Ergin Osman was killed around Memorial Day with 7 of his fellow soldiers in Afghanistan. His death hit me hard. I remembered the great Marine and wonderful young man that I knew back then. That night I went out and sat in the light of the half moon and cried. Some other things went on and I finished work Friday caring for a family that lost their unborn baby and knowing that I was going to have to come in during the early morning hours Saturday for another still-birth. I needed something and for me that "something" is baseball.
So when I was done with work I loaded up my trusty 2001 Honda CR-V and drove from LeJeune to Kinston. The trip across rural Eastern North Carolina was relaxing, there was little traffic and despite a passing thunder shower was uneventful, not even a driver doing well less than the speed limit in a no-passing zone to annoy the spit out of me. Eastern North Carolina has its own charm, small towns and settlements dot the farm fields and forests of the area. It is not uncommon to drive by a former plantation or to pass gas stations and country stores that seem to have stopped in time.
Kinston is one of those towns that have seen better times, the outsourcing of the garment industry to Central America and Asia has hit the town hard. While a budding aviation industry promises better times many of the poorer and less educated people in the city have little opportunity. While there are some very nice areas in town the central part of the city, especially downtown shows the real effect of what economic damage has been done to our country by the actions of industries to relocate overseas and actions by successive administrations and congresses to help them abandon Americans in order to increase profits.
However Kinston has had a team in the Carolina League for years and Minor League Baseball has been in the city continuously since 1937, with a four year break between 1958 and 1962 when the Kinston Eagles became part of the Coastal Plains League. Grainger Stadium was built in 1946. The team became part of the Carolina League in 1956. Over the years the Kinston team has had various affiliations with Major League teams as well as various names. The Team was called the Eagles until 1982 when they became the Blue Jays until 1986 when they again became the Eagles. Then in 1986 they became the affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, a relationship that they maintain until this day. Before the 2011 season it was announced that the team had been sold and was being moved to Zebulon North Carolina to replace the Carolina Mudcats which are moving to Pensacola Florida. The team owner is seeking to bring another team to Kinston in time for the 2012 season. It will be a sad day if a team cannot be found to bring to Kinston which has one of the nicest parks in Class "A" ball.
I got to the game and was able to relax talking with new friends and moving around the ballpark to take pictures. When I moved back to the first base line I saw a man that I had watched a game with earlier in the year in his season ticket box. John is a retired Navy Supply Corps Officer and really nice to spend time with. This particular evening he was sitting beside a heavy set older African American man wearing a Negro League cap. I came up and John invited me to sit with them and I got to meet the man, Carl Long.
Carl had played ball in the Negro Leagues with the Birmingham Barons and played with Willie Mays and for legendary manager Buck O'Neal and he was the first black player in the Carolina League playing with the Kinston Eagles when they were with the Pittsburgh Pirate organization. In 1956 he led the team in home runs with 18, hit .299 and had 111 RBIs a season record that still stands in Kinston.
It was really nice just to be able to listen and to spend time with one of those great men of the Negro Leagues and pioneers of baseball integration. He played with Mays, McCovey, Clemente and against Aaron and even country and western singer Charlie Pride. He played on a number of minor league teams until the end of 1957. He was 22 years old and had a lot of good years left in him but he had married the woman of his dreams and he elected to settle in Kinston with her. They are still married and went on to become the first black deputy Sheriff and first black Detective on the Kinston Police Department and even the first black commercial bus driver.
Carl is part of the Living Legends of surviving Negro League players and makes many appearances, the most recent at Rickwood Field in Birmingham the oldest ballpark in the country and home of the Barons. He will be honored on July 22ndin Kinston with other Negro League players, including Sam Allen who I know from Norfolk.
I plan on visiting more with Carl as I enjoyed the man immensely. When he found my interesting in baseball history and the Negro Leagues he gave me an autographed baseball card.
I drove home through the night feeling much better even knowing that I would be called in to deal with sad situations at the hospital, but once again I was blessed to have the opportunity to spend time with Carl and John and to meet some other really nice people.
Thank God for baseball and the Church of Baseball, Grainger Stadium Parish.
Tagged as birmingham barons, buck o'neal, carl long, carolina league, charlie pride, coastal plains league, eastern nc, hank aaron, kinston blue jays, kinston eagles, kinston indians, kinston nc, living legends, negro leagues, outsourcing, rickwood field, Roberto Clemente, sam allen, textile industry, willie mays, willie mccovey
"We'll Lick this One Day…" Branch Rickey, Charles Thomas, Jackie Robinson and the Desegregation of Baseball
Tomorrow Spring Training begins. It is also Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day. For the Baseball purist, the Priest and the inept romantic the combination is quite juxtaposing. For the fact of the matter I don't do either Lent which Ash Wednesday begins or Valentine's Day very well. I routinely screw both of the up and as hard as I try I struggle to reach the Mendoza Line in either one. Of course that leaves baseball which for me is a religion, as well as a social commentary on America, our values, and virtues.
Tagged as Baseball, bob trice, boston braves, boston red sox, branch rickey, brooklyn dodgers, carlos paula, charles thomas, chicago cubs, chicago white sox, chuck harmon, cincinnati reds, cleveland indians, curt roberts, elston howard, equal rights, ernie banks, hank thompson, harry truman, i have a dream speech, integration of baseball, jackie robinson, jim crow laws, john kennedy baseball player, kennesaw mountain landis, larry doby, martin luther king jr, minnie minoso, monte irvin, new york giants, new york yankees, nino escalera, ossie davis, ozzie virgil sr, pee wee reese, philadelphia athletics, pittsburgh pirates, pumpsie green, roy campanela, samuel jethroe, satchel paige, spring training, st louis cardinals, st. Louis browns, sundown towns, tom alston, voting rights act of 1964, washington senators, willie mays
The Slow Integration of Major League Baseball
Back in 1947 Branch Rickey told Jackie Robinson, "Jackie, we've got no army. There's virtually nobody on our side. No owners, no umpires, very few newspapermen. And I'm afraid that many fans will be hostile. We'll be in a tough position. We can win only if we can convince the world that I'm doing this because you're a great ballplayer, a fine gentleman."
My friends, last week pitchers and catchers reported to their teams for the 2016 Baseball Spring Training, and it is time to reflect again on how Branch Rickey's signing of Jackie Robinson helped advance the Civil Rights of Blacks in the United States. What Rickey did was a watershed, and though it took time for every team in the Major Leagues to integrate, the last being the Boston Red Sox in 1959, a dozen years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier.
Branch Rickey shook the foundations of America when he signed Jackie Robinson to a Major League deal in 1947, a year before President Truman desegregated the military and years before Jim Crow laws were overturned in many states.
Robinson and the early pioneers of the game did a service to the nation. They helped many white Americans see that Blacks were not only their equals as human beings, and as it was note about Ernie Banks and others that soon "little white boys wanted to grow up and be Ernie Banks."
But for Rickey the crusade to integrate baseball began long before 1947. In 1903, Rickey, then a coach for the Ohio Wesleyan University baseball team had to console his star player, Charles Thomas when a hotel in South Bend Indiana refused him a room because he was black. Rickey found Thomas sobbing rubbing his hands together and repeating "Black skin. Black skin. If only I could make them white." Rickey attempted to console his friend saying "Come on, Tommy, snap out of it, buck up! We'll lick this one day, but we can't if you feel sorry for yourself."
Thomas, encouraged by Rickey was remembered by one alumnus who saw a game that Thomas played in noted that "the only unpleasant feature of the game was the coarse slurs cast at Mr. Thomas, the catcher." However, the writer noted something else about Thomas that caught his eye: "But through it all, he showed himself far more the gentleman than his insolent tormentors though their skin is white."
In April 1947 Rickey, now the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers had one African-American ballplayer at the Dodgers' Spring Training site in Daytona Beach Florida. The South was still a hotbed of racial prejudice, Jim Crow was the law of the land and Blacks had no place in White Man's baseball. That player was Jackie Robinson.
That was the year that Rickey signed Robinson to a minor league contract with the Royals. When Rickey called up Robinson 6 days prior to the 1947 season, it was Robinson broke the color barrier for the Dodgers and Major League Baseball. However it would take another 12 years before all Major League teams had a black player on their roster.
It is hard to imagine now that even after Jackie Robinson had broken the color barrier that other teams did not immediately sign black players. However Rickey and Robinson broke the color barrier a year before Harry Truman had integrated the Armed Forces and seven years before the Supreme Court ruled the segregation of public schools illegal. But how could that be a surprise? The country was still rampant with unbridled racism. Outside of a few Blacks in the military and baseball most African Americans had few rights. In the North racism regulated most blacks to ghettos, while in the South, Jim Crow laws and public lynching of progressive or outspoken Blacks.
But Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey helped bring about change, and soon other teams were following suit.
Roy Campenella
The Cleveland Indians under their legendary owner Bill Veeck were not far behind the Dodgers in integrating their team. They signed Larry Doby on July 5th 1947. Doby would go on to the Hall of Fame and was a key player on the 1948 Indian team which won the 1948 World Series, the last that the storied franchise has won to this date.
Willie Mays and Monte Ervin
It was not until 1949 when the New York Giants became the next team to integrate. They brought up Monte Irvin and Hank Thompson who they had acquired from the Browns. In 1951 these men would be joined by a young, rookie Willie Mays to become the first all African-American outfield in the Major Leagues. Both Mays and Irvin would enter the Hall of Fame and both are still a key part of the Giants' story. Despite their age have continued to be active in with the Giants and Major League Baseball.
The Boston Braves were the next to desegregate calling up Samuel "the Jet" Jethroe to play Center Field. Jethroe was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 1950. In 1951 the Chicago White Sox signed Cuban born Minnie Minoso who had played for Cleveland in 1949 and 1951 before signing with the White Sox. Minoso would be elected to 9 All-Star teams and win 3 Golden Gloves awards during his illustrious career.
The Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Athletics integrated at the end of the 1953 season. The Cubs signed Shortstop Ernie Banks who would go on to be a 14 time All-Star, 2 time National League MVP and be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977 on the first ballot and sadly he died a year ago. The Athletics called up pitcher Bob Trice from their Ottawa Farm team where he had won 21 games. Trice only pitched in 27 Major League games over the course of three seasons with the Athletics.
Four teams integrated in 1954. The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Second Baseman Curt Roberts from Denver of the Western League as part of a minor league deal. He would play 171 games in the Majors. He was sent to the Columbus Jets of the International League in 1956 and though he played in both the Athletics and Yankees farm systems but never again reached the Majors. The St. Louis Cardinals, the team that had threatened to not play against the Dodgers and Jackie Robinson in 1947 traded for First Baseman Tom Alston of the Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres. Alston would only play in 91 Major League games with his career hindered by bouts with depression and anxiety. The Cincinnati Reds brought up Puerto Rican born First Baseman Nino Escalera and Third Baseman Chuck Harmon. Harmon had played in the Negro Leagues and had been a Professional Basketball player in the American Basketball League. Harmon who was almost 30 when called up played just 4 years in the Majors. Both he and Escalera would go on to be Major League scouts. Escalera is considered one of the best First Baseman from Puerto Rico and was elected to the Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Fame. Harmon's first game was recognized by the Reds in 2004 and a plaque hangs in his honor. The Washington Senators called up Cuban born Center Fielder Carlos Paula from their Charlotte Hornets' farm team in September 1954. Paula played through the 1956 season with the Senators and his contract was sold to the Sacramento Salons of the Pacific Coast League. He hit .271 in 157 plate appearances with 9 home runs and 60 RBIs. He died at the age of 55 in Miami.
In April 1955 the New York Yankees finally integrated 8 years after the Dodgers and 6 years after the Giants. They signed Catcher/Left Fielder Elston Howard from their International League affiliate where he had been the League MVP in 1954. Howard would play 13 years in the Majors with the Yankees and later the Red Sox retiring in 1968. He would be a 12-time All Star and 6-time World Series Champion as a player and later as a coach for the Yankees. He died of heart disease in 1980. His number 32 was retired by the Yankees in 1984.
Spring training for the 2016 season is about to begin in Florida and Arizona, in what are called the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues. It is hard to believe that only 68 years ago that only one team and one owner dared to break the color barrier that was, then, and often today is still a part of American life.
However in those 69 years despite opposition and lingering prejudice African Americans in baseball led the way in the Civil Rights Movement and are in large part responsible for many of the breakthroughs in race relations and the advancement of not only African Americans, but so many others.
We can thank men like Charles Thomas, Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey for this and pray that we who remain, Black and White, Asian, and Latin American, as well as all others who make up our great nation will never relinquish the gains that have been won at such a great cost.
Today we have a Black President who has the same kind of racial epitaphs thrown at him every day by whites who as they did to Charles Thomas, Jackie Robinson and so many other pioneers, Frankly such behavior can only be called what is it, unrepentant, unabashed, and evil racism. The fact is that such people don't think that any Black man should hold such high an office, just as they did not think that Blacks should be allowed to play integrated baseball. It is anathema to them, and that is why their unabashed hatred for Obama runs so deep. They may disagree with his policies, but I guarantee if Obama was white, their opposition to him would be far more civil and respectful. But because he is half-black, and has a funny name they hate him with a passion, a passion that scares me, because words and hateful beliefs can easily become actions.
Racism still exists, but one day thanks to the efforts of the early ball-players as well as pioneers like President Obama, and the undying commitment of decent Americans to accept people regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or even sexual orientation, we will see a new birth of freedom.
Filed under Baseball, civil rights, History, Political Commentary
Tagged as Baseball, bill veeck, bob trice, branch rickey, carlos paula, chuck harmon, curt roberts, dr martin luther king jr, elston howard, ernie banks, hank aaron, hank thompson, integration of baseball, jackie robinson, larry doby, minnie minoso, monte irvin, nino escalera, ozzie virgil sr, pumpsie green, roy campenella, samuel jethroe, satchel paige, tom alston, willie mays
The Desegregation of Baseball and Its Importance Today
"Jackie, we've got no army. There's virtually nobody on our side. No owners, no umpires, very few newspapermen. And I'm afraid that many fans will be hostile. We'll be in a tough position. We can win only if we can convince the world that I'm doing this because you're a great ballplayer, a fine gentleman." Branch Rickey to Jackie Robinson
My friends, in just a few days pitchers and catchers report for the 2015 Baseball Spring Training and it is time to reflect again on how Branch Rickey's signing of Jackie Robinson helped advance the Civil Rights of Blacks in the United States. What Rickey did was a watershed, and though it took time for every team in the Major Leagues to integrate, the last being the Boston Red Sox in 1959, a dozen years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier.
But for Rickey the crusade to integrate baseball began long before 1947. In 1903, Rickey, then a coach for the Ohio Wesleyan University baseball team had to console his star player, Charles Thomas when a hotel in South Bend Indiana refused him a room because he was black. Rickey found Thomas sobbing rubbing his hands and repeating "Black skin. Black skin. If only I could make them white." Rickey attempted to console his friend saying "Come on, Tommy, snap out of it, buck up! We'll lick this one day, but we can't if you feel sorry for yourself."
The Young Branch Rickey
Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey
But Jackie Robison and Branch Rickey helped bring about change, and soon other teams were following suit.
Samuel "the Jet" Jethroe
President Obama throwing out the First Pitch for the Washington Nationals
Tagged as 1964 civil rights act, Baseball, bob trice, boston braves, boston red sox, branch rickey, brooklyn dodgers, carlos paula, charles thomas, chicago cubs, chicago white sox, chuck harmon, cincinnati reds, civil rights, cleveland indians, curt roberts, elston howard, equal rights, ernie banks, hank thompson, harry truman, i have a dream speech, integration of baseball, jackie robinson, jim crow laws, john kennedy baseball player, larry doby, martin luther king jr, minnie minoso, monte irvin, new york giants, new york yankees, nino escalera, ossie davis, ozzie virgil sr, pee wee reese, philadelphia athletics, pittsburgh pirates, president barak obama, pumpsie green, racism, roy campanela, samuel jethroe, satchel paige, spring training, st louis cardinals, st. Louis browns, tom alston, voting rights act of 1964, washington senators, willie mays
The Long and Slow Integration of the Major Leagues: A Reflection on Desegregation and Spring Training
"Thomas Jefferson, when he wrote the Declaration, made proper provision for baseball when he declared that 'all men are, and of right out to be, free and equal.' That's why they are at the ball game, banker and bricklayer, lawyer and common laborer." – Baseball magazine (1921)
"Baseball should be taken seriously by the colored player — and in this effort of his great ability will open the avenue in the near future wherein he may walk hand in hand with the opposite race in the greatest of all American games — baseball." Ossie Davis
It was in 1903 when Branch Rickey, then a coach for the Ohio Wesleyan University baseball team had to console his star player, Charles Thomas when a hotel in South Bend Indiana refused him a room because he was black. Rickey found Thomas sobbing rubbing his hands and repeating "Black skin. Black skin. If only I could make them white." Rickey attempted to console his friend saying "Come on, Tommy, snap out of it, buck up! We'll lick this one day, but we can't if you feel sorry for yourself."
In April 1947 Branch Rickey, now the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers had one African-American ballplayer at the Dodgers' Spring Training site in Daytona Beach Florida. The South was still a hotbed of racial prejudice, Jim Crow was the law of the land and Blacks had no place in White Man's baseball. That player was Jackie Robinson.
It was not until 1949 when the New York Giants became the next team to integrate. They brought up Monte Irvin and Hank Thompson who they had acquired from the Browns. In 1951 they would be joined by rookie Willie Mays to become the first all African-American outfield in the Major Leagues. Both Mays and Irvin would enter the Hall of Fame and both are still a key part of the Giants' story. Despite their age have continued to be active in with the Giants and Major League Baseball.
Spring training for the 2013 season has begun in Florida and Arizona, in what are called the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues. It is hard to believe that only 66 years ago that only one team and one owner dared to break the color barrier that was, and often still is a part of American life. However in those 66 years despite opposition and lingering prejudice African Americans in baseball led the way in the Civil Rights Movement and are in large part responsible for many of the breakthroughs in race relations and the advancement of not only African Americans, but so many others. We can thank men like Charles Thomas, Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey for this and pray that we who remain, Black and White, Asian, and Latin American, as well as all others who make up our great nation will never relinquish the gains that have been won at such a great cost.
Filed under Baseball, History, laws and legislation, Political Commentary
Tagged as Baseball, bob trice, boston braves, boston red sox, branch rickey, brooklyn dodgers, carlos paula, charles thomas, chicago cubs, chicago white sox, chuck harmon, cincinnati reds, cleveland indians, curt roberts, elston howard, equal rights, ernie banks, hank thompson, harry truman, i have a dream speech, integration of baseball, jackie robinson, jim crow laws, john kennedy baseball player, larry doby, martin luther king jr, minnie minoso, monte irvin, new york giants, new york yankees, nino escalera, ossie davis, ozzie virgil sr, pee wee reese, philadelphia athletics, pittsburgh pirates, pumpsie green, roy campanela, samuel jethroe, satchel paige, spring training, st louis cardinals, st. Louis browns, tom alston, voting rights act of 1964, washington senators, willie mays
A Midsummer Night Dream: Memories of MLB All Star Games Past and Present
"I think the National League has better biorhythms in July." – Earl Weaver (1979 All Star Game)
Before the days of inter-league play and free-agency and the multitude of national and regional television outlets for baseball the All Star Game was the one time outside of the World Series that fans of in a National League town or American League town could watch players from the opposing league play their "boys."
MVP Melky Cabrera homers in the 4th inning. (Getty Images)
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=22979315&topic_id=34326704
My dad was typical of his generation. He was a National League fan. He grew up with the Cincinnati Reds and when he moved west with the Navy he became a San Francisco Giants fan. When the All-Star Game rolled around at was if time itself would stop as we gathered around the TV as a family to watch it.
Me with Angel's Manager Lefty Phillips in 1970 at Anaheim Stadium
I think that is in large part why I have such a veneration for this annual event. As I mentioned back then there was no inter-league play and with free agency very limited players spent their careers in the same organization or with teams of the league that they played.
As far as what league I am for it is hard to say. My dad took me to so many California Angels games at Anaheim Stadium when we were stationed in Long Beach in 1970 and 1971 that I became much more familiar with the players of the American League than the National League. That American League attachment grew stronger when we moved to Stockton California where the local minor league team, the Single A Stockton Ports of the California League were then affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles and because of going to Oakland Athletic's games when the team was in its first era of World Series dominance. He also took me to an occasional Dodger's game when stationed in Long Beach and sometimes to Candlestick Park to see the Giants but most of the exposure that I had to baseball in my early years was with the American League.
My favorite teams, with the exception of the Orioles tend to be West Coast teams, the Giants and the A's. My dad was not a fan of the American League, especially of Earl Weaver's Orioles but between the Ports and seeing the Orioles constantly in the playoffs or World Series in the late 1960s and early 1970s I became a closet Orioles fan. I remember the greats of that team, Brooks Robinson and Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, Paul Blair and Pitcher's like Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, Pat Dobson and Dave McNally the team was amazing to watch. I became fascinated with the "Oriole way" which to use Cal Ripken Sr.'s phrase "perfect practice makes perfect" really is a model for success in any field.
Despite this I also love the National League primarily because it does not use the designated hitter and there is more emphasis on pitching and because the San Francisco Giants are a National League team.
Both Leagues have had eras where they dominated the game. Between 1963 and 1982 the National League won 19 of 20 games and the American League won 12 of 13 between 1997 and 2009, the only game that they did not win was the 2002 debacle where Commissioner Bud Selig ended a tie game in the 11th when the teams ran out of substitute players, the only previous tie was in 1961 when rain stopped a tie game in the 9th inning at Fenway Park.
There are some All-Star Game moments that stand out to me more than most. The was Pete Rose plowing over Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star Game.
Pete Rose collides with Ray Fosse in the 1970 All Star Game
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=5766041
I remember reverently casting my ballot at Anaheim Stadium that year, which was the first time that fans voted in for All-Stars since 1957 when after a ballot box stuffing scandal by Cincinnati Red's fans caused then Major League Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick to end the practice. I still remember taking that paper ballot and putting it in that box and those votes probably were more important than any political ballot that I have cast, at least I felt like my vote mattered. Of course now the vote early vote often philosophy which has exploded on the internet takes away some of the reverence that I have for the All Star voting process, but at least no-one checks your ID to vote.
In 1971 I remember the massive home run hit by Reggie Jackson off Dock Ellis at Tiger Stadium, the longest home run in the history of the game, a home run that had it not hit a electrical transformer on the roof was calculated as a 532 foot home run.
Reggie Jackson's massive home run in the 1972 All Star Game
I remember the 1973 All-Star Game which was the last for Willie Mays, it was his 24th trip to the game, a record that still stands.
The 1999 All-Star Game at Fenway Park was one that brought tears to my eyes. It was magical as Major League Baseball announced its "All Century Team" including the great Ted Williams. It was an exceptionally emotional experience for me as I watched many of the living legends who I had seen play as a child walk out onto the field.
Ted Williams at the 1999 All Star Game where the All Century Team was Inducted
But I think one of the most memorable for me was watching Cal Ripken Jr. in his final All-Star Game when Alex Rodriguez insisted that Ripken start the game at Shortstop where he had played most of his career and when Ripken went yard in his final All-Star Game plate appearance.
Alex Rodriguez pushes Cal Ripken Jr. to Short in the 2001 All Star Game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unF087sArpg
Tonight's game was played in Kansas City, a town with a remarkable Baseball history especially with the Negro League Kansas City Monarch's. The Negro Leagues were founded in Kansas City in 1920 and it is the home of the Negro League Hall of Fame. The Athletics played there between their time in Philadelphia and Oakland, and the Royals began as an expansion team in 1969 and opened Kaufman Stadium in 1973. I saw the Royals play for the first time in Anaheim against the Angels. The Stadium was unique in its era because it was the last non dual-purpose stadium built until Oriole Park and Camden Yards opened in 1991. As such it was and is a beautiful yard and with the renovation completed in 2007 is still among the most beautiful parks in the Major Leagues and there is a seat designated in honor of the late Monarch's player and manager Buck O'Neil and the home of such greats as Satchel Page.
Buck O'Neil
Tonight like most All-Star Games I was torn my feelings. Unlike my dad I am not an exclusivist regarding the American or National League. I have favorite teams and players in both leagues. Tonight my Giants have a number of starters on the field including the Starting Pitcher Matt Cain, Catcher Buster Posey, 3rd Baseman Pablo "The Panda" Sandoval and Outfielder Melky Cabrera. The Giants contingent aided by the ballot stuffing San Francisco Fans dominated the game.
On the other hand the American League had three Orioles on it for the first time in a long time, Closer Jim Johnson, Catcher Matt Wieters and Outfielder Adam Jones. There are future Hall of Famers on the field including Atlanta Braves 3rd Baseman Chipper Jones who is played in his final All-Star Game and got a soft single in the top of the 6th inning.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=22978231&source=MLB
Justin Verlander was hit hard giving up 5 earned runs in the top of the 1st and Pablo Sandoval had a bases clearing triple. Joe Nathan of the Rangers pitched the 2nd inning and David Price of the Rays pitched the third while Matt Cain pitched 2 shut out innings and was relieved by Gio Gonzalez of the Cardinals. I hope that the game produces a great moment that will be replayed forever.
Managing the game for the National League is Tony LaRussa the now retired former Manager of the 2011 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals. The American League Manager is Ron Washington of the Texas Rangers.
Pablo Sandoval hits a bases clearing Triple off Justin Verlander in the 1st Inning (Photo Getty Images)
Well the National League won 8-0 led by a home run by Melky Cabrera in the top of the 4th inning. Five of the 8 National League runs were produced by members of the San Francisco Giants. Cabrera was the Most Valuable Player and Matt Cain got the win. It was a long night for the American League especially with the pitchers due to pitch including National's Stephen Strasburg, Met's Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, Dodger's ace Clayton Kershaw, and three closers, Jonathan Papelbon of the Phillies, Ardolis Chapman of the Reds and Craig Kimbrel of the Braves. As Earl Weaver said "The only thing that matters is what happens on the little hump out in the middle of the field."
Filed under Baseball, Batlimore Orioles, sports and life
Tagged as 1963 all star game, 1970 all star game, 1972 all star game, 2001 all star game, 2002 all star game, 2012 all star game, adam jones, alex rodriguez, all century team, all star balloting, all star game, all star game home runs, american league, anaheim stadium, aroldis chapman, baltimore Orioles, boog powell, brooks robinson, buck o'neil, bud selig, buster posey, cal ripken jr, cal ripken sr, California Angels, camden yards, candlestick park, chipper jones, cincinnati reds, clayton kershaw, dave mcnally, doc ellis, earl weaver, ford frick, frank robinson, jim johnson, jim palmer, jonathan papelbon, justin verlander, kansas city royals, kaufman stadium, los angeles dodgers, matt cain, matt wieters, melky cabrera, mike cuellar, national league, negro league hall of fame, negro leagues, oakland athletics, oriole park, pablo sandoval, pat dobson, paul blair, Pete Rose, r a dickey, ron washington, san francisco giants, satchel page, st louis cardinals, stephen strasburg, stockton ports, ted williams, texas rangers, tiger stadium, tony larussa, vote early vote often, voter id, washington nationals, willie mays
Blowing out the Candle(stick)…Power Goes out During Big 49ers – Steelers Game
I hesitate to call Candlestick Park old. It opened the year that I was born just across the bay. I have never been to a 49er's game but saw the Giants a number of times at the venerable yard. However even in the 1970s it was cold and dank, especially during the summer. Monday night however the old stadium lost power twice the first time just before kickoff and the second during the second quarter of the game between the 49ers and Steelers.
The stadium has been the scene of some of the most memorable moments in sports history. One was "The Catch" when the 49ers defeated the highly favored Dallas Cowboys on January 10th 1982. Tight End Dwight Clark leaped to grab a pass from Joe Montana in the NFC Championship game, a game which ended the decade long Cowboys dominance of the conference.
It was also the site of the 1989 World Series. The cross bay Oakland Athletics had taken the first too games in Oakland and the pre-game activities were in full swing when a massive earthquake, the Loma Prieta Earthquake struck Northern California. Measuring 6.9 (7.1 surface wave) the quake hit at 5:04 PM on October 17th 1989 and was the first earthquake ever recorded on national television. I was a seminary student and I remember sitting in front of my television in our run down East Fort Worth home, a neighborhood known for its frequent appearances on the TV show COPS. Judy was in the kitchen getting something to drink if I recall and I watched the event occur. It was surreal and being from California I knew that it had to be a bad quake.
The Giants never won a World Series will playing at the "Stick" despite having some of the greatest players to ever play the game grace the field. Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Bobbie and Barry Bonds, the Alou brother's outfield, Felipe, Manny and Jesus who became the first "all brothers" outfield in 1963. Of course there were pitchers like Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry. 49ers greats Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young and Ronnie Lott all made their names in the cavernous confines of Candlestick.
The 49ers moved to the Stick in 1971 from Kezar Stadium while the Giants moved to the new Pac-Bell or AT&T Park in 2000. The Beatles player their last full concert there on August 29th 1966. The biggest event I ever saw at Candlestick was Giant's pitcher Ed Halicki no-hitting the Mets back on August 24th 1975.
The power outage was called embarrassing by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and the Pacific Gas and Electric had no immediate explanation for the outage. The fact that it happened on a nationwide broadcast of Monday Night Football gave it fare more attention than in might have received. Fortunately for the 49ers approval of a new stadium in Santa Clara are almost done and by 2015 the team should be in its new home so long as the ghosts and demons of the Stick don't find their way south.
Filed under Baseball, football
Tagged as 1989 world series, alou brothers, barry bonds, bobby bonds, candlestick park, candlestick park blackout, dallas cowboys, dwight clark, earthquake world series, ed halicki, ed halicki no bitter, felipe aloe, jerry rice, jesus alou, joe montana, la prieta earthquake, manny alou, mayor ed lee, monday night football, PG&E, pittsburgh steelers, san francisco ca, san francisco giants, san fransisco 49ers, steve young, the catch, willie mays, willie mccovey
A Quiet Achievement: Jim Thome Hammers Two Home Runs to join Elite 600 Home Run Club
Jim Thome Hits Number 600 (AP Photo)
"Not only is he a great player, but he's a great individual… I think he was a little apprehensive about passing me up. I said, 'Jim, I passed a lot of guys up myself along the way. I hope you hit 100 more.'" Harmon Killebrew on Jim Thome passing him on the home run list with 574 Home Runs in 2010.
There was little build up or fanfare leading up to the Twins and Tigers game tonight. There should have been as one of baseball's "good guys" did something that only 7 other Major leaguers had ever done, hit 600 home runs. Maybe it is because he now plays for the Minnesota Twins who are in the midst of one of their worst seasons in recent memory. Minneapolis is not exactly the center of the sports media universe like New Yorkwhere almost every at bat of Derek Jeter was covered in his quest to reach the 3000 hit mark. However to me it doesn't matter. I have been a Jime Thome fan for a long time and while I may be in North Carolina I was watching live when ESPN switched from the Giants-Braves game to the Twins-Tigers game to cover Thome's at bat in the 7th inning.
A Smile and a Handshake (Getty Images)
Thome came to the plate after hitting home run 599 a two run shot off of Rick Porcello during his previous at bat in the 6th inning. He was facing Tigers pitcher Daniel Schlereth and with a 2-1 count and two runners on base Thome hit Schlereth's pitch over the Left Field fence for number 600. He rounded the bases at Comerica Park in Detroit to a standing ovation given by the Tiger fans as well as his teammates and his family who were also in attendance who also greeted him on the field. On the scoreboard the home team congratulated Thome's achievement;Detroit does recognize great baseball achievement's even when it comes at the bat of an opponent.
It was a special moment that all baseball fans should celebrate and that non baseball fans should also take note of because Thome accomplished this huge feat, a feat even great than Jeter reaching 3000 hits Out of the 17,000 plus players that have played in the Majors only 8 have hit 600 or more home runs while 28 players have over 3000 hits.
Thome Honored by Teammates and Opposing Fans
Thome has struggled with injury this year and has not had his best year. He is beginning to show his 40 years the oldest player to reach the 600 mark, the previous being the then 38 year old Sammy Sosa in 2007. Despite this he was the second fastest player to reach 600 home runs reaching it in at bat 8137 games as opposed to Babe Ruth who by far reached it faster than anyone else needing only 6921 at bats to reach 600 on his way to 714. In reaching the 600 mark Thome joins Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa in the 600 club.
Thome reached the mark without a lot of fanfare or for that matter controversy. He was never tainted by the steroid controversy and is one of the nicest people in baseball, not hesitating to talk to children that come up to him in public or people that knew him in his early days. His teammate Michael Cuddyer said "He is the nicest, gentlest, kindest guy you will ever meet … When he walks in a room, everyone watches everything he does. It's the way he treats people, it's the way he respects the game…."
His manager Ron Gardenhire said "He's like Babe Ruth around here…The fans here get all mad at me for not playing him every day."
Thome is known around the league for his work ethic and will to win. He worked hard at his craft initially beginning as an outfielder before being converted to Third Base. Unassuming he once said "I always had to work to be good, because I never was very good. I mean, I always had to work to get where I wanted to be. It was never easy. It still isn't. It still isn't." He is called by some today's Harmon Killebrew, a complement by any standard of measurement. I'm sure that Harmon is looking on now cheering and probably telling Saint Pete stories about just how big of an achievement that Thome's feat is because Thome won't do it when he meets Saint Pete.
Filed under Baseball, sports and life
Tagged as 3000 hit club, 600 home run club, alex rodriguez, babe ruth, barry bonds, Baseball, comerica park, daniel schlereth, derek jeter, detroit tigers, hank aaron, harmon killebrew, jim thome, ken griffey jr, michael cuddyer, minnesota twins, rick porcello, ron gardenhire, sammy sosa, willie mays
"There are only two sides to the question. Every man must be for the United States or against it. There can be no neutrals in this war, only patriots – or traitors" The Words of Stephen A. Douglas and Padre Steve for Today


text:
NEWS | CAREERS | CONTACT | PRIVACY POLICY
Request a Lunch and Learn
Equipment/Capabilities
Safety/Training
Synthetic Acid
Industry Headlines
Oil Prices Slide Again
Oil slid by the most in three weeks as a stronger dollar and weak US economic data stoked concerns over an economic rebound.
HAL Electric Frac First and More
Here are some of Rigzone's top upstream stories during the last week, just in case you missed them...
US Targets CNOOC in Late Anti-China Push
The Trump administration blacklisted China's third-biggest oil company over its drilling in the South China Sea.
Oil Retreats as Stronger Dollar Dents Rally
Oil declined from a 10-month high as the dollar strengthened, taking the steam out of a recent rally.
Oil Futures Gain Amid $2T Stimulus Hopes
Oil rose to a new 10-month high in New York.
Today in Energy
Fossil fuel production expected to increase through 2022 but remain below 2019 peak
In 2020, fossil fuel production in the United States declined by an estimated 6% from the 2019 record high of 81.3 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu). Based on forecasts in the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) January 2021 Short-Term En…
U.S. oil and natural gas production to fall in 2021, then rise in 2022
In its January 2020 Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts that annual U.S. crude oil production will average 11.1 million b/d in 2021, down 0.2 million b/d from 2020 as result of a decline in drilling…
EIA expects higher wholesale U.S. natural gas prices in 2021 and 2022
In its January 2021 Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts that the annual natural gas spot price at the Henry Hub will rise 0.98¢ per million British thermal units (MMBtu) to average $3.01/MMBtu in 20…
Nuclear and coal will account for majority of U.S. generating capacity retirements in 2021
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) latest inventory of electric generators, 9.1 gigawatts (GW) of electric generating capacity is scheduled to retire in 2021. Nuclear generating capacity will account for the largest share of t…
Renewables account for most new U.S. electricity generating capacity in 2021
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) latest inventory of electricity generators, developers and power plant owners plan for 39.7 gigawatts (GW) of new electricity generating capacity to start commercial operation in 2021. Solar …