Los Angeles – A number can’t quantify Juan Pierre’s admiration for Jackie Robinson.
When Pierre jogs onto the field at Dodger Stadium tonight, he and his teammates will wear No. 42 to honor the 60th anniversary of Robinson breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier. Pierre’s respect for Robinson extends beyond a one-day celebration. It reaches from his childhood to his current Miami home.
When Pierre was in the third grade in Alexandria, La., he wrote a book report on Robinson. He felt overwhelmed by the Hall of Famer’s courage. That memory stuck. Long before he ever considered signing with the Dodgers, Pierre bought a huge framed portrait of Robinson performing his famous hook slide at home plate with the umpire signaling safe.
It’s the first thing visitors see when they walk into Pierre’s house.
“That was not an accident,” Pierre said. “As athletes we can get caught complaining about this and that in their lives, but it’s insignificant when you consider what Jackie went through and accomplished. It’s why it’s going to mean so much to me to wear his number.”
More than 200 players, including six entire teams, will don Robinson’s No. 42 tonight. Reliever LaTroy Hawkins will represent the Rockies, following the lead of Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., who requested permission to honor Robinson in this fashion.
“First of all, I don’t think I am worthy,” said Hawkins. “But really, who is worthy besides Jackie? He stands for everything that is right about sports.”
Fewer following footsteps
The tribute to Robinson comes at a time when African-American players continue to slowly disappear from the national pastime. African-Americans represented only 8.9 percent of players on this season’s opening-day rosters, according to USA Today.
African-American participation peaked in 1975 at 27 percent and has sharply declined over the past two decades from 18 percent in 1991 to 8.4 percent in 2006.
“Jackie would definitely be disappointed,” said Hawkins.
As recently as 2003, the Rockies led baseball with five African-American players – Shawn Chacon, Preston Wilson, Charles Johnson, Darren Oliver and Jay Payton. Hawkins is their only current African-American, a phenomenon hardly unique in the sport. There are two teams with no African-American players – Houston and Atlanta – and seven with just one.
There is no easy explanation, but it begins with a cultural shift. In the 1960s, African-American kids grew up playing baseball. However, when opportunities grew in college basketball and college football in the 1970s, baseball began losing out.
“Now when they watch TV, they see athletes in the NBA and the NFL that look like them. Those sports naturally become more popular,” Pierre said. “I know with my name, most people think I am Latin. And the other thing, and it’s sad to say, but in baseball you need someone to teach you the game and play catch with and that’s hard if the dad isn’t around.”
Expenses take toll on numbers
Hawkins traces the declining statistics to money – or the lack of it for black youth to join organized leagues. Growing up in Gary, Ind., he recalled playing in a Little League with a one-time registration fee. Now, it’s getting more costly to play with the evolution of competitive travel teams.
“My cousin Jay is playing right now and it’s going to cost him $1,500. Luckily, he has a dad with a good job,” Hawkins said. “But for a lot of kids, there’s no way they afford that. It’s easier to pick up a basketball.”
Major League Baseball has directed resources to try to address the issue. The RBI program, which provides grants to Boys and Girls Clubs of America, enters its 18th season. And a $10 million academy opened in Compton, Calif., last year to help facilitate higher participation numbers by African-American youth. For decades, teams have operated baseball academies in Latin America, which has helped fuel the explosion of Latino players in baseball.
Carrying Robinson’s torch
The difference is that baseball is the most popular or second-most popular sport in those countries. Baseball has fallen to third in the United States with African-American kids behind basketball and football.
“We need to get back into the communities. These kids need to see guys like Torii Hunter or Jacque Jones, meet them, so they realize it’s something they can do,” Hawkins said. “Growing up, my idol was Leon Durham. The more they see, the better chance they will like it and learn about the game.”
Hawkins, a voracious reader, is a student of Negro League history. He has visited the Kansas City, Mo., museum honoring the Negro League more than 50 times. Pierre wears his uniform pants up and socks high to honor the former Negro League players.
Pierre said he is honored to wear Robinson’s number but added it’s not just about the jersey number, but who Robinson was and how this gesture will ultimately affect future African-American players.
“Without him, I would have never had this opportunity,” Pierre said. “We need to get more players out here. We need to carry the torch.”
Staff writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
60 years later, honoring Jackie
As a tribute to Jackie Robinson, players and, in some cases, entire teams will wear No. 42 today to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Robinson’s first appearance in the major leagues to break baseball’s color barrier:
Angels: Gary Matthews Jr.
Astros: Team
Athletics: Milton Bradley
Blue Jays: Vernon Wells, Frank Thomas, Royce Clayton, coach Mickey Brantley
Braves: Andruw Jones
Brewers: Team
Cardinals: Team
Cubs: Derrek Lee, Cliff Floyd, Jacque Jones and Daryle Ward
Devil Rays: Carl Crawford
Diamondbacks: Orlando Hudson, Tony Clark, Chris Young, Scott Hairston and coach Lee Tinsley
Dodgers: Team
Giants: Barry Bonds
Indians: Josh Barfield, Grady Sizemore,
C.C. Sabathia
Mariners: Arthur Rhodes
Marlins: Dontrelle Willis
Mets: Manager Willie Randolph
Nationals: Dmitri Young
Orioles: Corey Patterson
Padres: Mike Cameron
Phillies: Team
Pirates: Team
Rangers: Jerry Hairston Jr., Kenny Lofton, manager Ron Washington,
coach Gary Pettis
Red Sox: Coco Crisp,
David Ortiz, coach
DeMarlo Hale
Reds: Ken Griffey Jr.
Rockies: LaTroy Hawkins
Royals: Reggie Sanders, Emil Brown
Tigers: Gary Sheffield, Curtis Granderson, Marcus Thames, Craig Monroe, Ivan Rodriguez and coach Lloyd McClendon
Twins: Torii Hunter, Rondell White, coach Jerry White
Yankees: Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and manager Joe Torre
White Sox: Jermaine Dye, coaches Harold Baines, Anthony “Razor” Shines
(Source: Major League Baseball)
