The deed was beyond words.”, Kahn relays Robinson’s words about that day in Cinicinnati: “After Pee Wee came over like that, I never felt alone on a baseball field.”  Joe Black, a future Dodger teammate of both Reese and Robinson said these words at Reese’s funeral:  “When Pee Wee reached out to Jackie, all of us in the Negro League smiled and said it was the first time that a white guy had accepted us. Ultimately, the monument incorporated pioneering black athlete Jackie Robinson, whose friendship with Reese on and off the field, represented increasing racial tolerance in America. In his first seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play Major League baseball, faced venom nearly everywhere he traveled–fastballs at his head, getting spiked on the bases, brutal epithets from the opposing dugouts and from the crowds. Brooklyn shortstop Pee Wee Reese, a Southerner from Kentucky with friends attending the game and captain of the team, engages the black infielder in … Jackie Robinson (1919-1972) is legendary for his role as the first black professional baseball player in the major leagues. He walked from his position at shortstop toward Robinson at second base, put his arm around Robinson’s shoulder, and stood there with him for what seemed like a long time. In the new movie "42," Lucas Black and Chadwick Boseman re-create the famous scene where Pee Wee Reese put an arm around the shoulder of his teammate Jackie Robinson in Cincinnati. On this day the spew of hatred was worse than usual. Harold Henry Reese grew up just outside of Louisville, KY.  His nickname “Pee Wee” stemmed from his successes as a young sharp shooting marble champion. Same story different version:  One example of friendship remains with me as vividly as the moment I first heard of it as a boy. That all changed in the spring of 1947 when the progressive thinking general manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey, promoted a twenty-eight year old rookie infielder to the major league club. It was an April day as the Dodgers made their way onto historic Crosley Field. Pee Wee Reese, teammate and friend, was one of the pallbearers at his funeral. The Day Jackie Robinson Was Embraced (1 Letter) ... Cincinnati, Pee Wee Reese, the Dodger shortstop and captain, suddenly stopped the practice. Same story different version: One example of friendship remains with me as vividly as the moment I first heard of it as a boy. He passed away this past August 14 at the age of 81. It … http://www.IBelieveinMemphis.com | . He originally was unsure what the arrival of Jackie Robinson would mean for him and was skeptical at first but soon warmed up. When you touched Jackie you touched all of us. The world of sport has always served as a barometer for society at large and as the Major League Baseball All Star game gets underway this week I’m reminded of the men who stood in the gap for equality and freedom on baseball diamonds across America. Racism is an ugly and repulsive belief that millions of people around the world still believe in this poisonous mentality. He was 81. Reese was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. “Reese raised a hand. Not an island surrounded by water, but one surrounded by hate instead. During one game in Boston, the taunts and racial slurs seemed to reach a peak. We know Reese was one of the teammates who supported Robinson in the early years, inviting him and writer Wendell Smith, to join him on the golf course. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career. His primary position was second base but the acting Dodger manager felt that opposing base runners might make too many intentional cleat first slides into second, endangering the prized rookie. That day in Cincinnati Pee Wee Reese showed the world that it was OK for a black man to play Major League Baseball. However, at first base Robinson found himself closer to the boisterous Cincinnati fans. Pee Wee never walked the streets of Birmingham with Rev. Between 1884 and 1947 no black man laced up his cleats for a major league baseball team. Thankfully, Robinson did not stand alone on the field. (Photo credit: The … One that had to face the evils of racism everywhere he went…and another who decided to show people how he felt about racism and be a friend to his teammate. Over time Pee Wee became Jackie’s best friend on the Dodgers. When I finally got to Brooklyn, I went to Pee Wee and said, ‘Black people love you. The Jackie Robinson I Remember by Roger Kahn Editor's Note: African-American students at predominantly white colleges and universities are often confronted with subtle acts of discrimination, expectations of failure, perceptions of inferiority, and outright racial insults. He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd. ... kept an arm draped in friendship … Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. To his credit, Reese, who died in 1999, never made a big deal out of his relationship with Robinson. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. www.ci.nyc.ny.us he risked his career when he stood by jackie / robinson against prejudiced fans and fellow players. Change ). “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” ~ Proverbs 17:17. SHARING THE STORY: (can move to different location if necessary) Read Teammates by Peter Golenbock to the class. In the midst of this, another Dodger, a Southern white named Pee Wee Reese, called timeout. Teammates explores the friendship of Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese, who played together on the Brooklyn Dodgers. He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd. Early life Reese's nickname originated in his childhood, as he was a champion marbles player (a "pee wee" is a … The statue depicts a simple act that was extremely brave for its time: 1947, when America was a separate but unequal society and Robinson became the first of his race to play major-league ball in the 20th century. With Robinson receiving death threats and heckling and taunts from the crowd in a ballpark on the road, Pee Wee Reese walked over to him on the infield at a point either before or during a game and offered a quiet but significant gesture of friendship and comradeship. Father, Coach, Freelance Writer, Educator. Suddenly, Reese was on his side of the baseball diamond, standing beside Robinson in solidarity. ( Log Out /  Jackie Robinson was the first black to play major league baseball. Over time Pee Wee became Jackie’s best friend on the Dodgers. Please log in using one of these methods to post your comment: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Any player who had a personal problem would always make his way to Reese's cubicle, as he took him under his wing and offered friendly and helpful advice." Brooklyn shortstop Pee Wee Reese, a Southerner from Kentucky with friends attending the game and captain of the team, engages the black infielder in conversation, and … Then he walked from shortstop to first base and put an arm around the shoulders of Jackie Robinson. I’m sure there were times when Jackie felt like he was all alone on an island. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. The fans began to ridicule him. Therefore, it is always good to hear of stories of people who took a stand against racism despite what people thought of them. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. So, be a friend… a real friend to someone today! By 1938, Reese was the Colonels' regular shortstop and one of the top prospects in the minors, and so impressed Boston Red Sox farm director Billy Evans that he recommended the Red Sox buy the team. - Jackie Robinson Inscription to Pee Wee Reese in Wait Till Next Year (Sothebys Auction, Reese Estate) " Reese was the force that kept the Dodgers together in the clubhouse. King or into the slums of Johannesburg with Mandela but he did his part to stand in the gap for truth and freedom. The leader of the Dodger teams in the late 40s and early 50s and biggest supporter of Jackie was the shortstop and captain, Pee Wee Reese. Great leaders throughout the course of history have all stood in the gap for truth. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career. He showed the world that it was ok for a black man and a white man to be friends. In a seminal moment of the 1947 season, Pee Wee Reese embraces his Brooklyn Dodgers teammate Jackie Robinson before a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field. It also provides a simple, straightforward explanation of the segregation and prejudice present in the US at that time. It takes a leader ahead of their time to initiate change in a society. Reese is also famous for his support of his teammate Jackie Robinson, the first African American player in the major leagues's modern era, especially in Robinson's difficult first years. Illustrated with a blend of historic photographs and eloquent watercolors by Paul Bacon. Filter your search by Category : Tag : Date, Is Your Child Going to Play College Sports? Some 15 years after that childhood incident, Pee Wee Reese became a pivotal figure in the acceptance and support of a rookie teammate, Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in … Reese died of lung cancer in 1999. He stood there and looked into the dugout and into the stands, stared into the torrents of hate, a slim white southerner, who wore number 1 and just happened to have an arm draped in friendship around a black man, who wore number 42. The fans grew quiet. They are Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson. On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson trotted onto Ebbets Field alongside his Dodger teammates in the opener against the Boston Braves. This is the moving story of how Jackie Robinson became the first black player on a Major League baseball team when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940s, and how on a fateful day in Cincinnati, Pee Wee Reese took a stand and declared Jackie his teammate. Probably Not. ( Log Out /  Some said Pee Wee put his arm around the rookie. Then, shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. Pee Wee Reese putting his arm around Jackie Robinson is a famous moment in Dodgers history, and one of the most famous moments in baseball history.. There are many people who are lonely, made fun of, and need someone to stand up for them…regardless what others say. This simple gesture challenged prejudice and created a powerful and enduring friendship. One is a white Kentuckian. The gesture spoke more eloquently than the words: This man is my friend. "Pee Wee Reese is more remembered for being a good man, a gentleman, a leader, a competitor, a courageous person." Today’s story is about two professional baseball players. Jackie Robinson's friendship with Pee Wee Reese was much bigger than just one noteworthy moment. Evans and owner Tom Yawkey both knew that the Red Sox' regular shortstop, Joe Cronin, was nearing the end of his career. Jack Roosevelt Robinson-number 42: Born 1919 Cairo, Georgia-Died 1972 Stanford, Connecticut. History tells us that those first few years in a Dodger uniform were excruciatingly painful for Jackie Robinson. It got to Robinson, and his teammates could tell – one teammate in particular. The fans grew quiet. Men like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. never wavered in their support for freedom and democracy even when faced with the harshest of treatment. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Jackie Robinson's widow, Rachel, and Pee Wee Reese's widow, Dorothy, were unable to attend today's press conference, but both have indicated that they will attend the groundbreaking for the statue. Pee Wee’s initial reaction was skepticism, if not outright opposition. That first step Jackie took out of the dugout shattered the 63 year long color barrier in Major League Baseball. With Pee Wee it was number one on his uniform and number one in our hearts.”. Pee Wee Reese was serving in the Navy when he heard about Jackie Robinson’s addition to the Dodgers. Robinson took his customary spot at first base. This friendship began to develop early on in the ’47 season and was highlighted one afternoon when the Dodgers traveled to Cincinnati to take on the Reds. ( Log Out /  Robinson took his customary spot at first base. There were even a few of the Reds ball players who were layering obscenities in Robinson’s direction. According to multiple sources, Reese’s change of heart was a matter of simple pragmatism: Jackie Robinson was a part of the team, and Jackie Robinson could play! Reese a native of Kentucky, had friends and family on hand and wanted to send a message to fans who were hurling racial epithets at Robinson. The death threats and insults were a constant presence particularly in those early days of the 1947 season. We know that Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson had a beautiful friendship. In speaking about Jackie Robinson, Rickey once said that “there was never a man in the game who could put mind and muscle together quicker and with better judgement.”  Rickey sought out Robinson not simply because of his athletic skill but also because he knew that the person to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier would have to be a man of great intelligence and never ending poise. It was an April day as the Dodgers made their way onto historic Crosley Field. Jackie Robinson Saved By Pee Wee Reese Jackie Robinson was the first black to play major league baseball. Roger Kahn, in his classic book, The Boys of Summer, described what the Dodger captain did in response to the verbal assault. MLB Photos/Getty Images. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered. This is the moving story of how Jackie Robinson became the first black player on a Major League baseball team when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940s, and how on a fateful day in Cincinnati, Pee Wee Reese took a stand and declared Jackie his teammate. This friendship began to develop early on in the ’47 season and was highlighted one afternoon when the Dodgers traveled to Cincinnati to take on the Reds. "Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese embody the humanity and inclusiveness that make our borough, city and country great," the Cyclones organization said in a statement. “Jackie Robinson’s teammate Pee Wee Reese once said, “Maybe tomorrow we’ll all wear 42 so they won’t tell us apart (Tastad).” Pee Wee Reese was implying that he longs for a day all humans will be viewed by their attitude instead of the color of their skin. born 1918 ekron, kentucky - died 1999 louisville, kentucky / harold henry reese / 1 / known as pee wee, reese was captain of the brooklyn dodgers during the / late 1940s and the early 1950s. These are great stories of a special man that wasn’t just a leader but also an unconditional friend to someone else that was going through unimaginable circumstances. ~ Willie Morris, Parade Magazine. There are many great stories in America’s fight for racial freedom and on that April day in Cincinnati it was a man named Pee Wee who stood the tallest. ( Log Out /  Although hesitant at first, a few of his Dodger teammates became great stalwarts in support of their new found friend. “Pee Wee kind of sensed the sort of helpless, dead feeling in me,” Robinson told biographer Arnold Rampersad. We know that it was hard … Reese, Captain of the Brooklyn Dodgers, walked over to his teammate Robinson and stood by his side, silencing the taunts by the crowd. Reese never said a word. The other is an African-American from California. Illustrated with a blend of historic photographs and eloquent watercolors by Paul Bacon. Are commenting using your Facebook account of Jackie Robinson saved by Pee Wee kind of sensed the of. In the midst of this, another Dodger, a few of the 1947 season around Robinson... Beautiful friendship gesture spoke more eloquently than the words: this man is my friend was first! Boisterous Cincinnati fans Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter.! 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