Jackie Robinson Day

[Dry1313]

I was not implying the Robinson family should hold a grudge against the Yankees, just that the Yankees are the odd choice seeing as they were the team Jackie was trying to beat in the World Series ever year.

I see your point.

[HollywoodLeo]

Didn't you just remember?

And isn't it relevant to a discussion like this? As far as people caring, that's completely subjective. You can't say for certain that people don't and I can't say that people do, but in an opinion debate, it appears that we both have opinions on the topic. I'd call that caring, at least to some extent.

You just made my point for me.

It really doesn't matter how many people know about it, they still made their marks with different teams and playing the twilight of their careers in other uniforms doesn't detract from that.

[Dry1313]

It really doesn't matter how many people know about it, they still made their marks with different teams and playing the twilight of their careers in other uniforms doesn't detract from that.

But the Dodgers traded him to their arch rival, and they didn't even run it by him.

It was cutthroat, through and through. The Yankees severed ties with Ruth because he was more trouble than he was worth at that stage and sent him back to where he started his career, and it was not to a rival. Aaron was traded also, but he hit 40 HR the year after and it was to Milwaukee, a place that he had played, and it was not their rival. Mays was traded after he too was scorned by Horace Stoneham who stonewalled him financially and diminished his role with the Giants.

I can go on and on here, but no one hated the Giants like Jackie did, and that was known. It was analogous to when Sal Maglie came to the Dodgers in 1955, except Maglie didn't have the historic relevance that Jackie did.

The point is that there are stories behind all of these moves, and they are interesting and relevant to many people. And while it may not detract from it in your eyes, there is definitely something to be said for staying in one uniform your whole career. Also, there is something to be said for a team wanting to be the only team to identify with you. The Dodgers were willing to forego that, and that was my point.

Also, the Robinsons wanted to spend the day in NY, where Jackie played his career. The Yankees were home, the Mets were in Atlanta. They were the only choice.

[realmofotalk]

Hey, I'll give you it was a cutthroat move by Bavasi. But you can't help but be cutthroat when you once served as an infantry machine gunner in World War II. Besides, I like to think the time Bavasi challenged the Red Sox farm team to a fight after they used racial slurs at Campanella and Newcombe speaks more to him as a person than any move he made from a business standpoint.

And your point about needing to staying in one uniform throughout one's baseball career is nitpicking. Is Juan Marichal any less of a Giant in your eyes than Jackie Robinson was as a Dodger because Marichal pitched his final game as a Doyer?

[Dry1313]

Hey, I'll give you it was a cutthroat move by Bavasi. But you can't help but be cutthroat when you once served as an infantry machine gunner in World War II. Besides, I like to think the time Bavasi challenged the Red Sox farm team to a fight after they used racial slurs at Campanella and Newcombe speaks more to him as a person than any move he made from a business standpoint.

And your point about needing to staying in one uniform throughout one's baseball career is nitpicking. Is Juan Marichal any less of a Giant in your eyes than Jackie Robinson was as a Dodger because Marichal pitched his final game as a Doyer?

Neither of them are less of a player, but it tarnishes their legacy with their former team because of its existence. It has to. I'm not a fan of ignorance in any form, especially when it comes to MLB playing careers.

Bavasi was a great GM, he gets smacked for some of the things he did, but Don Zimmer raved about him in his bio.