Opening Day!

They say that in springtime, hope springs eternal.  Especially among baseball fans – even, and maybe more especially, for the fans of the Minnesota Twins!

When I think of baseball and tolerance, there is only one story that leaps to mind – 1947, the season that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball.

The story is well-documented on how Branch Richey, owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, scoured the Negro Baseball Leagues to find not only the best black baseball player, but one who could and would take the enormous abuse that was certain to accompany the first black baseball player to put on a major-league uniform.  Many biographies have been written[i].  A recent hit movie was released – one of many feature movies and television shows – about Number 42.

And several songs – many songs – have been written and performed extolling the skills of this wonderful ballplayer.[ii]

One of the most interesting songs was written and performed by John McCutcheon.  Here is his description of this song, Cross That Line:

In 1947 Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the Major Leagues, joining the Brooklyn Dodgers. He and PeeWee Reese, a former wire splicer from western Kentucky, formed one of the great double play combos of the age. Robinson endured unimaginable taunting, threats, and dangers almost everywhere he played that year. Dodger owner, Branch Rickey, had obtained a promise from Robinson not to retaliate to such provocations. The Dodgers first series that season at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field was met by a particularly antagonistic crowd. PeeWee, from just across the Ohio River, was a local favorite despite playing for the rival team. During the course of the game he’d simply had enough of the crowd’s abuse of Robinson and called time. He walked over to Robinson, put his arm around Robinson’s shoulder and casually talked to him. The crowd sat in stunned silence. This one’s for PeeWee.

The last lines of the chorus speak to us all:

Who knows the place, who knows the time
When you are moved to cross the line?[iii]

We may be faced with that critical time when we may have the choice to take a stand or turn away.  I would hope that, when that time may come for me, that I will have the courage to “Cross that line.”[iv]

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[i] See list.

[ii][ii] As an example, see the video of Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball? here.

[iii] The complete lyrics can be found here. 

[iv] There is much evidence that the incident described here never happened.  See an ESPN story here.  In the Ken Burns / PBS Film Jackie Robinson, Mrs. Robinson says it never happened, but that PeeWee was a true friend and teammate, despite their different backgrounds.  The story, and the song, may not be factual, but they do tell a moral story of friendship and loyalty that should not be lost.