On the Road Again

We are out in Colorado at my parents house visiting them and my brothers and maybe some other friends. We actually drove out here in one foul swoop this time, a 14 hour shot. It is much more pleasant traveling with older kids than it was traveling with kids under, say six.

In any case, I am trying to finish up the book Opening Day, about Jackie Robinson and his first season in baseball. It is an interesting book describing his background before his debut at age 28 with the Brooklyn Dodgers and a blow by blow of the struggles and challenges he faced during that first season.

Most of the challenges he faced were not the overt racism that was expected, although at one time he was tempted to scrap his pledge to not retaliate and go knock some guy out. Most of the challenges were just from being ostracized. He and his wife were not part of the social gatherings of the Dodgers and even the guys who weren't racist didn't really know what to say to him, so he just got left out.

Three other African Americans played for the majors during his first season, but they started after he did and they were not the players that he was.

Interesting read. He is definately a hero.