April 09, 2007

60 years ago, Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier. He was Hank Aaron's hero. What would he have thought about today's game? Why is Garret Anderson of the Anaheim Angels refusing to join others in baseball in honoring Robinson?
posted by HawthorneWingo 17 years ago
  • Garret Anderson a selfish, unmitigated asshole? What was funny before is just pathetic now... Baseball Gods are a vengeful bunch. Do not piss off the Baseball Gods...
  • I mean -- really. It's a hollow jesture when you come down to it, but to not want to 'jump on the bandwagon'? Jeez Louise... Asshole.
  • See how much this has ticked me off? I can't even spel rite.
  • That espn article was interesting HWingo, thanks. Now that you mention it, I wonder what Reggie Jackson thinks about today's game. Or, hell, Ty Cobb for that matter.
  • He doesn't seem to have any problem jumping on the "equal opportunity" and exorbitant pay bandwagon, however.
  • ...and his teammate doesn't believe in dinosaurs. my favorite baseball anecdote
  • At last, someone who looks like a dick even next to Barry Bonds. Well played, sir. Well played.
  • Jackie Robinson was lynched for stealing second base. I read it in The Onion, it must be true.
  • I think he's being deliberately obtuse. He's taking the headline seriously, when obviously, it's a reference to Kanye West's response to Bush on Katrina -- something the author disregards completely. The headline was made half in jest -- but just half. Allright, let's look at the second sentence of the quote, which supposedly vindicates Anderson. "If I did it just because someone else was doing it, it would seem kind of empty to me." OK, now let's be charitable, and say that this is an honestly held belief, that he so respects Jackie Robinson that he doesn't want to participate in a symbolic gesture he sees as empty. (And let's face it -- it is a hollow gesture.) Surely, even if this is what you believe, that your respect for Robinson is so profound that it deserves more than this, you can see the consequence -- every single player on the field wearing '42' except for Garret Anderson. Everyone participating in this empty tribute to Jackie Robinson except for Garret Anderson. Nevertheless, it's still a tribute. And Garret Anderson refuses to take part in it. When he steps onto the field, you won't see his motivations. You'll only see an asshole who won't play along in something honourable, however small.
  • You can't say there were dinosaurs when you never saw them. -Carl Everett Wow. That's hard-core genius at work there.
  • And let's face it -- it is a hollow gesture. I dunno - I think I disagree in that either all gestures are hollow or that this one is simple (and not hollow). And if I were the skipper, Mr. Anderson would be ridin' the pine that day. I would refuse to take part in his empty gesture of casual egotism.
  • Baseball had no problem breaking the asshole barrier.
  • Idunno, wearing Jackie Robinson's number doesn't really do anything. If they were to, say, donate their earnings that day to inner-city little league baseball, or to buy equipment for black kids, or spend a day as an honourary coach for underprivileged kids -- I'd think that would go a lot further to honour Jackie's legacy. But that's all beside the point, which is that Garret Anderson is an unmitigated asshole. Agreed, pete?
  • But that's all beside the point, which is that Garret Anderson is an unmitigated asshole. Agreed, pete? My client finds the terms acceptable. Let us celebrate this accord with favorable beverages and televised athletic competition.
  • The Ranger's manager Ron Washington will be wearing 42 for the day, in honor of Robinson's wish to see more African-American managers. Everett used to be a Ranger, and I'm so glad he's gone. He started weird fights over the music in the locker room (to the point where they had to institute a rule about what could and could not be played) and his disbelief in dinosaurs. Good riddance to bad attitudes.
  • That dinosaur thing is hilarious. Not In Bible = Does Not Exist. Funny, cars and planes and jockstraps aren't in the Bible either, yet I'm sure the guy depends on those non-existant things every day...
  • You can't say there were dinosaurs when you never saw them. There are no rules of grammar either. Apparently. Also: that is not a pipe.
  • Let's tell all the wingnuts that all the baseball players are wearing #42 in honor of Bill Clinton, the 42nd POTUS! Bush sucks!
  • Finally!