The "The Sad Tale Of Emmett Till" Story

The National Museum of African History & Culture

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at a rather gruesome photograph of a fourteen year old boy that is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of African History & Culture (NMAAH&C) in Washington, DC.  The boy, Emmett Till, an African American, had been beaten and shot to death for allegedly whistling at a white woman in a small grocery store in a Mississippi town.  It was 64 years ago that Emmett and his cousin Curtis walked into Bryant's Grocery and Meat Market where 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant was working by herself.  It was reported that Emmett accosted her both verbally and physically.  When Carolyn's husband Roy returned from a fishing trip Carolyn told him her version of the encounter.  

14 year old Emmett Till and mother Mamie.

Wasn't long before Roy and his half-brother J.W. set out on a mission of revenge and racial terrorism that ended with the brutalizing and murder of Emmett.  The two men were acquitted on all charges by an all-white jury in a trial in September of 1955.  In recent decades Carolyn recanted much of her testimony, such as the physical part of her confrontation with Emmett.  But, the fact that he was brutalized and lynched hasn't changed.  The story of Emmett is told at the NMAAH&C while showing the actual casket in which Emmett was buried after his early September funeral in Chicago.  At the time of his death Emmett lived with his single mother Mamie in Chicago.  Mamie's parents had left Mississippi as part of the Great Migration when she was just two years old, but in the summer of 1955 Emmett went to Mississippi to visit with Mamie's uncle and his family.  

The open casket at the funeral for Emmett.

The memorial at NMAAH&C tells a great deal about Mississippi, the South and America in 1955.  The Department of Justice exhumed Emmitt's remains as part of a 2005 investigation into his murder, and he was re-buried in a new casket while the old casket was stored at the cemetery and discovered once again in 2009.  At the time NMAAH&C, still in development at the time, acquired the casket to allow the museum to tell the true story.  Emmett's mother told that she wants people to feel like she did and feel the complexity of emotions that surrounded his death.  The story of Emmett's mother is also told at the Museum.  She married at 18 to Louis Till who was consistently abusive which led to his choking Mamie to unconsciousness in 1942, a year after Emmett was born.  He was arrested and then chose to join the Army rather than face prison.  

The sad part of this story is what you see above.  This sign
was placed at the site where he was killed in Mississippi.
A few have decided to use it for target practice.  T

Three years later he was court-martialed and executed in Italy for murder and rape.  When Emmett was murdered Mamie chose to have an open-casket service to show the world what the two men had done to her child.  Mamie embarked on an NAACP-organized speaking tour to tell the story of her son and her tour has been an inspiration to all that hear her story.  Her audiences can feel her pain and understand her loss.  To this day this senseless crime is still shocking.  Has the state of Mississippi changed?  Hopefully someway, somehow, continued understanding of America's racial problems and tensions will improve.  At times it feels as if we as a nation haven't figured out a solution.  Seems that those that began to make progress have been replaced with another generation that doesn't have the slightest clue of how to keep racial peace.  Perhaps it is just a blip in the road to a truly peaceful reconciliation between all races and nationalities.  And, hopefully the NMAAH&C can be the glue to hold our nation together as we strive for equality for all.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "I Don't Think I Could Be A Judge!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with my brother Steve about an event that happened about three years ago near the property where he used to live in East Cocalico Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  About 10 years ago Steve's son Matt had taken over his mom and dad's home, which was next to a large farm with quite a bit of woodland.  Then, in February of 2016 the news broke of a group of seven friends who were shooting a rifle at a stump about a quarter mile away from Matt's home.  Seems that somehow a bullet from the rifle traveled through that quarter mile, the wooded area, and pierced a kitchen window of a home near Matt's place.  The accidental shot lodged in the neck of a young girl sitting at her kitchen table.  The bullet remains in her neck today due to the chance of further damage if it would be removed.  She incurred major hospital expenses and is limited in what physical activities she can do today.  It was not determined who fired the shot, since all were shooting the gun.  So, all were charged with reckless endangerment, as well they should have been.  But, that's not the end of the story.  Seems that one of the shooters, a young girl who is 23 at present, has a big problem.  After she was charged, a county judge placed her in a first-time offender program that diverted her from a trial or guilty plea.  In about 10 years her court and police records will be automatically sealed under Pennsylvania's new Clean Slate law which gives low level offenders a second chance, provided they don't break the law again.  She will no longer be part of the criminal justice system.  Now, I know this doesn't sound like a big problem...but, wait.  If you happen to "Google" her name in 10 years you will find it, along with her criminal record.  How can that be since she will no longer have any record of the shooting event?  Seems that search engines on the Internet are not required to wipe all the links to the girl from their site.  Should the news media sites honor the spirit of the Clean Slate law and delete those posts about criminal activity from their site?  The authors of the Clean Slate law realize that they don't have a say about sealing court and police records in the media.  This young girl claims that her chance to get a good job might be diminished if a future employer "Googles" her name and sees that she might have shot someone and had a criminal record.  

The news media association argued that any effort to limit access to criminal records likely will fail because many records live on in private data archives.  A local newspaper managing editor said the newspaper would violate its role of bearing witness to community events if it deleted crime-related articles.  He went on to say that while they understand the interest some have in erasing their criminal records, but the newspaper cannot, and should not, erase history.  They do not approve of censorship when it comes to news.  The newspaper publisher said that perhaps technology companies would be regulated, but not the media.  Would you want to know if someone you were hiring had a criminal record?  Would you want to hire someone convicted of rape or maybe child or sexual abuse?  If a judge thought you should have your record sealed in certain amount of time, should that be taken off the Internet as well as from legal files?  In Spain five years ago a young man was going to have his home repossessed.  That fact, even thought it is not relevant today, had a negative impact on his landing a good job, since employers might think he is not a responsible person.  The courts ruled in his favor and "Google Spain" had to remove the material.  In 2015 in New Zealand the Harmful Digital Communications Act passed and harmful content had to be removed.  New York, Hawaii and Massachusetts are all working on bills to do the same, but have not passed them yet.  I'm not sure how I feel.  If a Judge felt it was safe to exhume your record, why shouldn't it be taken offline as well!  But, doesn't the First Amendment of our Constitution read:  Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.  How are the states going to get around that?  And...should they?  I don't think I could be a Judge trying to make that decision!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Will The Carrousel Turn Once Again?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading once again about the Rocky Springs Carrousel that at one time was a favorite of many children in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

Advertisement for the Dentzel Carrousel Company

It was built by the world renowned G.A. Dentzel Company, located in Philadel- phia, PA, in 1924.  Some of the animals on the carrousel were made as early as 1895.  The carved pieces included 25 jumpers, 8 standing, 15 menagerie and 2 chariots.  It was in the Carrousel house at Rocky Springs from 1924 until it was sold to a theme park in Michigan in 1983 where it entertained riders until it moved to Dollywood in Tennessee in 1990.  

The Rocky Springs carrousel building was a special place

In the late 90's Rocky Springs Carrousel Association was formed and re-purchased the carrousel for $1.5 million and brought back home to Lancaster.  Since 2005, 15 of the original pieces have been restored and replaced on the carrousel and now wait in a warehouse for their new home.  But, where will that be?  

Photo showing a protest at the swimming pool

Recently an article was published in the Lancaster Newspaper saying that Lancaster's new Mayor, Danene Sorace, said that the carrousel will not be installed on city-owned property under her adminis- tration due to the history of discrim- ination at the Rocky Springs Park swimming pool in the late 1950s and 1960s.  She, as well as previous Mayor Rick Gray, opposed placing the carrousel in downtown Lancaster as had been suggested, due to Rocky Springs past history as well as having to maintain and operate it in the future.  

An all-white rule in effect at the Rocky Springs Pool

It has been well documented that the Rocky Spring Park's swimming pool was off-limits to black patrons.  I remember going swimming at the pool and never once did I see anyone other than a white bather.  I had many black friends whom I played summer baseball with who told me they were not allowed to go swimming at the pool.  

Ticket to ride the Carrousel

Wasn't long before my mom wouldn't take us to the pool.  But, the story in the paper today asks, should the history of one attraction, being the pool, affect the attitudes toward another attraction?  Current younger residents believe perhaps it should, but those who lived in the 50s and 60s aren't so sure.  All races enjoyed the carrousel, but not so with the swimming pool which was located in the same general area.  It may not matter one way or another, since a local couple who own Stone Gables Estate and have already moved some of Lancaster's historical structures including the National Christmas Center collection, have shown an interest in placing the carrousel on their property for all to use once again.  Maybe I may once again get to ride on one of my childhood's favorites.  That's provided they don't take too many years getting it running again and hopefully all residents of Lancaster County can agree that the carrousel can join all races together.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Early photo shows the Rocky Springs carrousel in operation

A happy rider

A worker at the William H. Dentzel Carrousel and Organs Manufacturer

 

The "Negroes Are America's Last Pioneers" Story

The Reverend Stanley Imboden

It was an ordinary day.  Wishing Reverend Stanley Imboden a "Happy Birthday" on Facebook.  After writing my birthday greeting I decided to take a look at a few of Stan's posts on his Facebook page.  One of the first posts I observed featured the green cover of "THE NEGRO MOTORIST GREEN-BOOK".  A publication I had never heard of before, but one that I will now never forget after reading his comment as well as a few online articles about the publication which defined "Negro" travel throughout the United States during its history.  As a young child my parents took my brother and I on weekend trips as well as a week-long vacation during the summer months.  Not once did I ever notice, or even think of, Negroes being anywhere near the locations we were visiting.  We took trips to the Chesapeake Bay for fun in the sun; swimming and playing in the sand.  As I grew older I entered elementary school in an up-scale white school district.  It was at this time that I began to notice and associate with Negros.  At age 12 I wanted to to play organized baseball so bad that I talked my father into allowing me to join a team.  He found one in the newspaper that practiced in the south end of the city, which was where most of the Negroes lived.  After my first practice I was part of the team.  There were 15 boys on the team; five of us white and the rest Negroes.  

Cover of the Negro travel guide.

I loved it!  We were coached by two men, one Negro, Mr. Hawkins, and one Caucasian, Mr. Keifer.  My dad volunteered to drive through the south end of the city to pick up boys for every practice and game.  To me, we were all part of a team.  Skin color didn't mean a thing to me.  Today, as I viewed "The Green Book" I learned of an entirely new world that existed in the late 1940s and early 1950s that I never knew existed before.  As I read online I found a book written in 1965 by John A. Williams titled "This Is My Country Too" that said he didn't believe white travelers had any idea of how much nerve and courage it required for a Negro to drive coast to coast in America.  Items needed for travel where nerve, courage, a great deal of luck supplemented by a rifle and shotgun, a road atlas and Travelguide which would list places in America where Negroes could stay without being embarrassed, insulted, harassed or worse.  He noted that black drivers needed to be particularly cautious in Southern states where they were advised to wear a chauffeur's cap or have one visible on the front seat and pretend they were driving a car for a white person. Along the way you would have to endure a stream of "insults of clerks, bellboys, attendants, cops and strangers in passing cars."  "The Green Book" helped the Negro traveler by listing accommodations for black travelers, places that would allow Negroes to eat as well as use the restroom and even places to refuel.  Not once did my dad or mom ever tell me the hardships that those boys on my team faced when they tried to go on vacation as we did after the baseball season ended.  As I grew I went to junior high and high school and never once did I have a Negro in any of my classes.  As a student at Millersville State Teacher's College in Millersville, Pennsylvania I did see a few Negroes on campus, but didn't have any in my classes.  After graduating from college and having more time, I began to coach baseball and went back to the same neighborhood where I played to form a team of young boys.  We, too, were very good.  I totally enjoyed the experience while driving the same streets as my dad did years earlier, picking up the boys to take them to practice and games.  Once again we were a multi-cultural team.  While teaching in the same high school from where I graduated, I began to have Negroes in classes.   I had Negroes as well as Latinos and many other nationalities on my Yearbook Staff.  All of my adult life I have realized the animosity suffered by most minority groups and have tried my best to alleviate that animosity in my classes and extracurricular activities.  But, I am sorry to say, I did not realize the total abuse that Negroes faced just to take a simple vacation with their family in the late 1800s and most of the 1900s.  As I read the post by Rev. Imboden today he told of a good friend of his whom I had the honor to meet years ago.  Rev. Imboden wrote:  "Jim Crow" Southern States and many Northern "Sundown Law" Communities harshly discriminated against African Americans, especially as they sought places to stay during travel. The Green Book previously posted on FB by another person listed the familiar name of our late friend, true gentlemen and Lancaster civic leader, the honorable Nelson Polite who for many years welcomed weary travelers of all colors to his Lancaster home. Nelson is in heaven now and there's no Green Book needed there. For years Nelson and I served on the founding Board of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Fund in Lancaster city. He is dearly remembered.  That book cover will forever remind me of the hardships faced by the Negroes as they attempted to take their young families on summer vacations such as my mom and dad did for years when I was a young child.  I'm positive it still happens, but hopefully not to the extent that is used to happen.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "MLK: I've Been To The Mountain Top - My Memories Part II" Story

Lancaster's Intelligencer Journal

It was an ordinary day.  The newspapers cried the news to the nation: "Martin Luther King Is Killed by Assassin at Memphis Motel!"  The Lancaster morning newspaper, the "Intelligencer Journal" covered the entire front page with stories about the shooting from telling that the shooter had eluded the police to a headline that said, "It Doesn't Matter What Happens Now."  The evening paper titled "Lancaster New Era" told of the memorial rites that will be held to a story saying "Assassination Starts Wave of Negro Violence."  At Lancaster city's Edward Hand Junior High the students heard noises outside the school right after noon.  Seems the African Americans at the local McCaskey High School had walked out of school and walked the mile or so to the Junior High where they began yelling.  The black leaders called all to the Crispus Attucks Center and to the Conestoga Elks to try and calm the students down and have someone talk with them to remind them how important it was to remember Dr. King's message of keeping the peace. But, there were other adults in the crowd who didn't want to keep the peace and they began burning buildings down as well as a food market in the southeastern end of Lancaster.  

Lancaster's mayor sets curfew for city.

Fire bombs were thrown at other homes and "trash riots" filled the intersections of city streets.  Dr. King preached peace, but many of the African Americans were fed up.  Dr. King was the hope for many blacks and now he was gone.  Much of Washington D.C. was ablaze by April 5 with clouds of smoke rising from the burning buildings and rioting throughout the city.  Army troops were brought in to quell the riots.  In Lancaster Mayor Thomas Monaghan ordered a curfew for the city with police patrolling the streets.  46 people died as riots broke out in 110 United States cities.  It took 23 months to find Dr. King's assassin who was James Earl Ray.  He was found in London after an airline ticket agent recognized his alias Ramon George Sneyd and notified authorities.  So, what has changed due to Dr. King's death, other than the holiday that bears his name as well as the memorial in Washington D.C. that  draws many visitors.  

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I must admit that I thought greater reform would come from his death, but I can't see that.  Why did it take almost 50 years before we elected our first African American President?  And why are so many young black men dying on the streets of our inner cities.  Dr. King's thoughts and teachings on justice, labor, race and peace need to be heard as much today as they did when he was alive. How can we better do that?   A few years after his death I decided to coach baseball and headed to the south end of the city to form a team.  The same area where I first joined a team at the age of 12 that was mostly young African American boys.  I talked the Hamilton Watch Company in Lancaster into sponsoring the team and we were one of the best teams in the county with a few of the boys becoming stars at Lancaster city's McCaskey High School. One young boy eventually was drafted by the Minnesota Twins.  The high school I attended is no longer entirely white children but has a variety of nationalities and ethnic groups as students.  I taught there for almost 35 years and still produce their yearbook and enjoy immensely walking the halls taking candid photos that show that feature in the yearbook.  

A panoramic view of the monument for Dr. King in Washington, D.C.

I recently made a visit to the Bethel AME Church in the predominately African American section of the city and wrote a story about my visit.  This was the same church that I wrote about yesterday telling about a white woman from my church, St. James Episcopal, who joined the NAACP and took youth groups from the Bethel AME church on trips to larger cities to hear speakers who spoke about African American issues.  The woman, Mrs. Betty Tompkins felt strongly that the minorities, the poor and the oppressed were being discriminated against by the legal system.  She ended up in debt to the county due to bail bond forfeitures incurred due to her beliefs.  St. James Episcopal Vestry members felt her style of witnessing to her beliefs was counterproductive, but did ask members of the church to help with donations to get her out of debt.  At times there are heroes of all colors who lead the way for all of us to follow by teaching not only civil rights, but Christianity.  Greater things must come to all communities if we expect to continue to thrive as a nation.  Let's hope Dr. King's legacy can come to fruition.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Pompey Museum And Slavery In The Bahamas" Story

The Pompey Museum in Nassau, Bahamas.

It was an ordinary day.  Standing inside the Pompey Museum on Bay Street in downtown Nassau.  The museum is located in a place known as the Vendue (derived from the French word meaning sold) House which served as the Bahamian locale for the slave auctions of the Eighteenth Century.  The museum is a short walk from the harbor and water taxis and is a permanent exhibit which illustrates the history of slavery, abolition and emancipation in the Bahamas.  

The original Vendue House where slaves were sold at auction.

The building was constructed sometime before 1796 and was named for the slave, Pompey, who lived at Steventon on the island known as Exuma.  The Vendue House originally was a single story cut-limestone building with opened arches and colonnades.  

An artist rendering of the Vendue House.

It was called the Bourse and Vendue which are French words that define the nature of the sales business that was an important part of the govern- ment's financial enterprise until the 1880's.  Enslaved Africans were an integral commodity sold from the auctioneer's block at Vendue House.  The building was electrified in 1909 and eventually became the home of the Utilities Corporation.   In 1992 it became the Pompey Museum.  

Pompey Square where auctions were held on a regular basis.
This square stands to the left of the Vendue House.

In September of 2001 the building was engulfed in flames when a fire at the nearby Straw Market, a shopping commons, spread to the Vendue House.  Ten years later on December 2nd, after a temporary straw market that was built directly next to the Vendue House caught fire, the Vendue House once again caught on fire one.  The building that Carol and I are standing in today has been totally redone and is a beautiful museum.  The Vendue carries the name of Pompey Museum in honor of the courageous slave, Pompey, who lived on the Rolle Plantation on Steventon.  In 1830, 77 slaves on Lord Rolle's plantation were given only one week's notice that they were going to be relocated from Exuma to Cat Island.  

Pompey Square stands on this side of the museum.

The response was a rebellion initiated by a 32-year-old slave named Pompey.  The enslaved African men and women fled to the bush rather than be moved before they could harvest their crops.  When provisions ran out, 44 or them returned and seized Lord Rolle's salt boat.  With Pompey at the helm, they headed for Nassau, hoping to appeal to anti-slavery governor Carmichael Smith.  Apprehended en route, they were thrown into the Nassau workhouse, tried and found guilty.  Since the slaves move to Nassau was illegal, the governor had Pompey and his followers returned to Exuma where they were greeted with mass celebration.  Eventually the government made an example of Pompey and publicly gave him 39 lashes.  Pompey's Revolt was a major triumph of the anti-slavery movement in The Bahamas.  

Our personal tour guide Byron

Abolition of slavery would come on August 1, 1834 and full Emancipation in 1838 following a period of apprenticeship.  Our guide today was Byron who showed us around the museum and pointed out the highlights of the displays.  Most of the displays consisted of boards that carried written material telling of the hardships and imaginable punishment  and horrors of slave trade.  Outside the building was the Pompey Square where slaves were placed on the auction block for sale to the highest bidder.  There were visuals that we could view which featured shackles and chains used to hold the slaves from escaping.  Hard to imagine what life must have been like for the human beings that, because of their skin color, were destined for a life of cruel slavery.  At times Carol and I both felt sick to our stomachs realizing the pain and anguish that these humans had to go through in life.  We finished our tour and thanked Byron for his time and knowledge of the musuem.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

These are rings of metal worn on the arm or wrist by Africans and used as a medium of exchange.  Known as Manillas, they were traded on the West African coast for slaves.

A slave shakle made of wrought iron and used on slave ships to confine enslaved Africans on the lower deck.

Double transportation slave collars used in the late 1700s.  They were made of metal with hand forged road hooks.  Both collars are in a closed position with a 12 inch iron rod linking them.  Primarily used when transporting enslaved Africans to auction houses or to an awaiting slave ship.

Crab style runaway collar that was made of wrought iron.  This collar was used on plantations in the deep south of the United States as a device to track runaway slaves if they escaped from a plantation.  A few enclosed stones made a rattling noise when in motion.

The "The Little Bottle That Meant So Much To So Many" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Turned on the TV and found a show on the Travel Channel that I find interesting.  Show called "Mysteries at the Museum" which takes you to museums around the United States and picks unusual items in the museum and tells a tale  about them.  

Front door of the National Museum Of Civil War Medicine
located in Frederick, Maryland I visited with my granddaughter.

One of the museums visited on the particular show I was watching was the National Civil War Museum of Medicine in Frederick, Maryland.  Same museum that my Granddaughter Camille and I visited this past summer when Carol and I made a weekend visit to see them in Urbana, Maryland.  Frederick is about fifteen minutes from Urbana and I talked Camille into making the visit with me.  

The little bottle that meant so much to so many.

On Wednesday, August 31 I posted a story about our journey to the museum and what we found interesting.  One item that I found interesting was the "Mystery" that was talked about on the TV show today.  The item was a minute bottle housed in a small display case that was highlighted with a spotlight. The bottle displayed an old label that read "Nitrate of Silver".  As I listened to the show, it told the story of the bottle and how it saved so many lives during the Civil War.  Not at all what I had imagined when the show started, but still rather interesting.  The story dealt with battles near the city of Nashville, Tennessee.  Seems that Nashville had legalized prostitution before the war and when the Union troops began to arrive they found their way to the infamous Smokey Row where more than 200 prostitutes were housed.

Major General William Rosecrans

In February of 1852 Major General William Rosecrans' army seized Nashville and the prostitutes rose to over 1,500.  And with that, so did the rise in "private diseases." Nearly one in ten Union soldiers contracted either syphilis or gonorrhea and many of them died.  Rosecrans enlisted the help of Union Lt. Col. George Spalding to help with the problem and he suggested they load all the prostitutes on a steamboat and take them upriver to Louisville, Kentucky.  The steamboat "Idahoe" was requisitioned and loaded with all the prostitutes much to the dismay of the boat Capt. John Newcomb.  The boat soon became known as the "Floating Whorehouse" and the boat's name seemed to fit it well (I-da-hoe).  

A license that was needed to practice prostitution.

Armed guards in Louisville, and later Cincinnati, refused to allow the passengers to disembark so they returned to Nashville.  Rosecrans once again asked Spalding for help and he suggested they license all the prostitutes and require them to have medical exams every week to make sure they were free of venereal diseases.  There would be a weekly fee of 50 cents and if they were healthy, they would be given a license to practice their trade.  

The field hospital that was built to help infected prostitutes.

With the money they collected they opened a field hospital and treated the infected women at no charge.  And, this is where the small bottle I saw at the museum comes into play.  The bottle contained Silver Nitrate which was used to treat venereal disease during the civil war by injection or intravenously.  Of the approximately 620,000 soldiers who died in the Civil War, two-thirds of those deaths were from disease.  Having already visited the Civil War Museum of Medicine made the story on "Mysteries at the Museum" seem more real.  And now I understand the reason why that small bottle with the light to attract your attention was so important.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.     

The "Breaking Barriers In Baseball" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished watching Ken Burn's two-night documentary "Jackie Robiinson."  I had seen a few other shows about Jackie Robinson and his breaking the race barrier in baseball, but I just had to watch one more show about perhaps the most important black player who ever played professional baseball.  It was in 1947 that he took the weight of American racism on his shoulders when he broke into professional baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  The death threats, racist names and chants and even resentment from his own teammates was unbelievable.  The President of the Dodgers, Branch Rickey, wanted to end racial discrimination and needed an outstanding player with strong character, great skills and the ability to withstand the onslaught of criticism that he was bound to receive.  

No. 42, Jackie Robinson

Faith helped Jackie get through the tough times.  What bothered me the most after watching and reading many of the accounts of his journey through those first few months was the incredible blatant racism that was poured on him from my favorite team, the Philadelphia Phillies.  Some of the most crude comments came from those 1947 Phillies when he visited the city of "Brotherly Love" for games against the Phillies.  Then, when the Phillies played in Brooklyn that year, the Phils manager, Ben Chapman, led the players on his bench in calling out insults and threats to Robinson.  Later in the season that year he was denied a room at the Philadelphia hotel where the rest of his Dodger teammates were staying.  And remember, this, as I stated before, is allegedly the city of "Brotherly Love."  The experiment that he and Mr. Rickey tried that year turned out to be a huge success winning the hearts of most of the fans who came to watch him that year.  Jackie ended up with an outstanding 10-year baseball career and won the very first "Rookie Of The Year" award in 1947.  He played in six consecutive All-Star Games and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949, naturally the first black player to do so.  He played in six World Series and contributed to the Dodgers 1955 World Series Championship.  He died October 24, 1972.  In 1997 Major League Baseball retired his uniform #42 across all major league teams and in 2004 initiated "Jackie Robinson Day" where every player on every team wears #42 on April 15.  Robinson's character, his use of nonviolence, and his unquestionable talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation which then marked many other aspects of American life. He had an impact on the culture of and contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement.  Then in 1969, Curt Flood challenged Major League Baseball, after having played for the St. Louis Cardinals for 12 years.  

No. 21, Curt Flood

In 1968 he was traded to Philadelphia with three other players and he refused to go, even though his contract had a "reserve clause", which had been in place since the 1880s, that bound players to their teams even after their contracts had expired, which was the case in this situation.  On December 14, 1969, Flood sent a letter to baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn telling him that "I do not feel I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes."  Curt Flood, by doing this, wanted to be declared a free agent, capable of signing with whomever wanted him or whom he wanted to play for at the time.  Well, Kuhn denied the request and it ended up in 1972 with the U.S. Supreme Court allowing the clause to stand and denying Curt his wish.  But, the stage was set for the Player's Union to gain free agency in 1975.  Flood stood alone against baseball and even though he never benefited from what he started, baseball players on the whole gained the right to, after a set amount of years, change teams if they wished.  It was said that while Flood championed Civil Rights issues, race never entered his suit against baseball.  He still was accused of making his quest for freedom a Civil rights issue.  After he filed his complaint he was bombarded with multiple death threats each day.  His alcohol addiction grew and he finally was admitted into a psychiatric hospital.  Curt Flood was supported in his initial quest by a man named Jackie Robinson.  The Jackie Robinson who wore #42.  It only seems fitting that in 1992 Curt Flood was given the NAACP Jackie Robinson Award for contributions to black athletes, and in 1994 he gave a speech on solidarity to the players as they prepared to go on strike where the players gave him a standing ovation.  He died at the age of 59 in 1997 from throat cancer.  My love of baseball began as soon as I could wear a baseball glove and throw a ball.  I have gained many friends through the sport and appreciate my ties to the sport. And, I appreciate all that both Jackie Robinson and Curt Flood did to enhance my enjoyment of the game of baseball; America's Game.  But, I must admit, my favorite all-time player was, and still is, Willie Mays.  Anyone who can make an  over-the-shoulder catch in dead center at the 420 foot sign, turn around and throw it back into the infield to keep the two baserunners from scoring is the greatest player in my mind.  I can still remember it as if it was yesterday, an I was only 10 years old at the time which means I was it on Black an White.  Kind of like a Civil Rights catch!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.