15
2012
No. 42 Touches All Of Us
An article by 
I know a lot of Mets fans will see that No. 42 standing proudly at Cit Field and still question whether or not it belongs there. I know Jackie Robinson never played a game for the Mets, but when I see that No. 42, I see a lot more than Jackie Robinson.
- I see Tommy Agee diving head first toward the wall in center field to rob Paul Blair of a bases loaded triple in the 1969 World Series.
- I see Steve Henderson hitting a grand slam and giving all of us something to believe in, if only for just one day.
- I see Dwight Gooden making his electrifying debut on his way to 17 wins and 276 strikeouts in his rookie season.
- I see Mookie Wilson chugging his way to first base as Ray Knight races home with the winning run in game six of the 1986 World Series.
- I see so many amazing Met memories that may have never been if not for the courage, ability and determination of the man who gave new meaning to the No. 42.
I couldn’t let the day pass without acknowledging the greatness of Jackie Robinson and the tremendous, lasting effect he has had on our National Pastime. I can’t even pretend to understand what it must have been like for him to break through that color barrier against such overwhelming odds, but I can say how grateful I am to him for persevering and having the courage to pull it off with such overwhelming class and a profound respect for the game. I count Ken Griffey Jr., Dwight Gooden, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes among my favorite all time players in baseball. Thank you Jackie, for making it all possible.
They say that the true measure of a man is not what he says about himself, but what others say about him.
“Upon his death in 1972, he left a legacy that every player aspires to leave: one that both creates memories of your playing time and has a sustainable impact from your contributions off the field. Robinson was ahead of his time in his ability to master both stages, and he did it with nobility and a dedicated belief in America’s potential.” – Doug Glanville
“The moment he stepped onto the field it reached out to everyone. As a child growing up in Oklahoma I knew then that I could realize my dream if I worked hard and had the skills.” - Frank Robinson
“I don’t care if the guy is yellow or black, or if he has stripes like a *ucking zebra. I’m the manager of this team and I say he plays.” – Leo Durocher
“Thinking about the things that happened, I don’t know any other ball player that could have done what Jackie Robinson did. To be able to hit with everybody yelling at him. He had to block all that out, block out everything but this ball that is coming in at a hundred miles an hour and he’s got a split second to make up his mind if it’s in or out or down or coming at his head, a split second to swing. To do what he did has got to be the most tremendous thing I’ve ever seen in sports.” – Pee Wee Reese
“There is no person more central or more important to the history of baseball for his pioneering ways. His impact on our game is not fully defined without the mention of his extreme courage.” – Hall of Fame President, Jeff Idelson
“He led America by example. He reminded our people of what was right and he reminded them of what was wrong. I think it can be safely said today that Jackie Robinson made the United States a better nation.” – Former American League President Gene Budig
“He knew he had to do well. He knew that the future of blacks in baseball depended on it. The pressure was enormous, overwhelming, and unbearable at times. I don’t know how he held up. I know I never could have.” – Duke Snider
“He struck a mighty blow for equality, freedom and the American way of life. Jackie Robinson was a good citizen, a great man, and a true American champion.” – President Ronald Reagan
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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We need to keep the memory of Jackie Robinson alive not just for the man and all that he sacrificed and gave of himself but so that future generations never forget the cruel injustices that required such a deed to begin nor be blind to such atrocities in whatever form they make take in the years to come.
Dick Young (who many may only remember helped drive Tom Seaver from flushing) had written “If there was one flaw in Jackie, it was the common one. He believed that everything unpleasant that happened to him happened because of his blackness.”
It is that type of ignorance that we can never allow to sprout again.
No Jackie Robinson was not a Met Hero, the fact we honor him seems to be a problem for some people which I fail to understand…
The NY Mets are trying to represent NY Baseball and honor NY Baseball History!
Robinson was a big part of NY baseball history, he was a NY baseball Hero and more than that….
He was a National American Hero!
He personifies what it is to be an American, What it takes to achieve the American Dream!
The man who suffered through Death Threats, Segregation, and a strong desire to see him fail (including from his own teamates) who shrugged it all off and did not let those issues affect his drive to perform and succeed!
A Lesson Terry Collins is trying to instill in our Current team! Pay no attention to what they say and focus on shutting them up with your actions!
I Applaud the Mets for making an effort to keep alive the place NY played in Baseball and American History.
The Classless Self Promoting Yankees sure aren’t going to do it are they?
Personally I think all the griping abot that giant 42 has more to do with patent anti-wilpon hatred and niggling than anything to do with how they feel about Robinson or our decision to Honor a great American hero.
Hi Metsi,
I think the problem has less to do with being anti-Wilpon than it is a lack of understanding and appreciation of the points you and I have been raising. The example I gave of what Dick Young contested is, unfortunately, true with so many people still today. Ignorance. I won’t go so far to say that it is out of racial bigotry though I’m sure to a degree that’s a part of it as well.
Well a few I have read are hardly based on Race…They Lament Wilpon’s love of the Dodgers mostly….
I don’t really care about who he rooted for as a kid. This franchise has always served as the NY team who has maintained all the NY Baseball History not related to the Yankees!
We brought back Willie Mays, Named a rotunda after Robinson, And wear the colors of the two teams who left to remind us just how much LOYALTY can be a one way street and if you take your teams for granted they might just leave!
I have never heard the Mets threaten to move to Jersey!
Can’t say the same for the Yankees! LOL
Our team reflects the city, Some would prefer it reflect the owner and since they do not deem our owner worthy of reflection they scorn the few parts of it that do reflect his love of NY baseball and NY History!
Hi Metsi,
I myself hated Citi Field being designed as a tribute to the old Dodgers – and you know I despise the Wilpons – but on this one, they got to be admired and respected and indeed do deserve all the praise due them. It’s a beautiful tribute.
So I think it’s not those who lament the Wilpons but those who lament them and are also ignorant. If they had any sense about Jackie Robinson and his times, they would be able to distinguish between the two.
Joey just for thre record I make no argument for against the reasoning for hating the stadium or the Wilpons…
Just pointed out that many who have griped about the Stadium are the same people who have griped about Ownership. And it gets added as just another thing on the list of things to hate Wilpon for…
There are PLENTY of reasons to hate Wilpon on his own I just don’t think the Stadium honoring the Dodgers and Robinson is a valid one!
Better to hate them for reducing ticket prices and then adding on a service fee that puts the price right back at old price levels and not even keeping it consistent and charging more to serve the same tickets based upon how much the ticket costs!
It doesn’t cost anymore to mail and sell a $140 Ticket than it does a $40 one but the service fee is about three times the price for the $140 ticket!
I am not saying it is right or wrong to hate the WIlpons all I’m saying is the Stadium honoring the Dodgers isn’t one of them!
To me it’s kind of like complaining about the team colors being Orange and Blue which are the colors BECAUSE those were the colors of the Giants and Dodgers!
If we really are so ticked off by remembering those two teams then we should all welcome the Black Mets jerseys withopen arms because they don’t look anyhting like the Giant or Doger unis! LOL
Thats all I’m getting at here.
Hi Metsi,
Reducing ticket prices and then adding on a service fee that puts the price right back at old price levels which puts a financial burden on the average working class family, building an elitist park with blocked views for us on top and always trying to trick people into buying tickets by covering up injuries – not saying they are bad individuals, just that I have little use for them because of it.
Talking about Jackie Robinson as Joe D. did in terms of when he saw TommyAgee playing, I remember something written by Dick Young either in 1970 or 1971. Tommy was unable to buy a certain house he wanted because he was an African-American. Young was so shocked at the treatment Tommy had received that he wrote a scathing editorial on it. But what I noticed in that well-intentioned article was Young’s naevity about the extent of racial prejudice in America, even at that time. He was angry and shocked by it where I think most of us were angry but not shocked at all. Of course, that’s why I used him as an example of ignorance, even when the intention is honorable.