Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

A19
SPORTS Monday 16 april 2018
Robinson's daughter says black MLBers reluctant to speak out

an annual event in 2004 we funnel some of these
and five years later started proceeds from the games,
asking all players to wear where we're helping to
No. 42 each April 15. bring these proceeds,
An educational consultant and funnel them into the
to Major League Baseball, African-American com-
Sharon Robinson attended munity? So some of the
the first-pitch ceremony baseball players do that
before the Mets-Milwau- through their own chari-
kee game with her mom, ties or their own work within
95-year-old Rachel Rob- communities that they're
inson, and brother David. playing (in)." Edward Rob-
On a chilly afternoon, the inson, a son of Jackie's
game time temperature brother Mack, attended
was 42. the Los Angeles Dodgers'
Sharon Robinson said ac- game against Arizona and
tion among African-Ameri- wouldn't address Sharon
can players is more an indi- Robinson's comments.
vidual undertaking. "However, I will tell you that
"They do it around their in- Jackie stood for strength
volvement in community and education. I've seen
themselves, and talk about some progress," he said. "It
why that's important," she comes and goes. What we
Rachel Robinson, left, widow of Jackie Robinson, and daughter Sharon pose for a photograph with
a plaque honoring Jackie on Jackie Robinson Day, Sunday, April 15, 2018, in New York, before a said. need to do is maintain the
baseball game between the New York Mets and the Milwaukee Brewers. "Part of the protest with the high levels of progress and
Associated Press NFL or the NBA is how do continue to show unity."q

NEW YORK (AP) — Jackie speak out individually, they
Robinson's daughter thinks could be the only African-
black baseball players are American player on their
more reluctant to speak team and it could be a dif-
publicly about racial issues ficult spot for them to be in."
than their NFL and NBA col- The percentage of black
leagues because they con- players from the United
stitute a lower percentage States and Canada on
of rosters. opening-day active rosters
She spoke at Citi Field on rose to 8.4 percent, up from
Sunday to mark Jackie 7.7 last year and its highest
Robinson Day, the 71st level since at least 2012.
anniversary of her father The percentage peaked
breaking Major League at 19 in 1986, MLB said last
Baseball's color barrier with week, citing Mark Armour
the Brooklyn Dodgers. of the Society of American
While more than 200 NFL Baseball Research.
players protested racial "It's definitely a small repre-
inequality last season by sentation at this level," Pitts-
kneeling or sitting during burgh All-Star second base-
"The Star-Spangled Ban- man Josh Harrison said. "For
ner," Oakland Athletics younger guys coming up, if
catcher Bruce Maxwell was guys with 10 years or so in
the only baseball player to this league haven't really
take a knee. done much, you lean on
"I don't think they have those guys for advice. If you
much choice," Sharon Rob- don't have anybody telling
inson said. "They are in the you one way or the other,
minority and where in foot- you'll keep your mouth
ball and basketball you shut. You don't want to ruf-
have a group and there- fle any feathers. If you don't
fore you can take a group have anybody to help you
action. So players if they in that regard, you'll see a
lot of guys be quiet."
"Guys feel it's a lose-lose
situation for them," Harri-
son said. "It sucks because
you want to have a voice,
but some people feel they
can't."
Baseball Commissioner Bud
Selig retired Jackie Rob-
inson's No. 42 throughout
the major leagues in 1997,
made Jackie Robinson Day