[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 16, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H1576-H1580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS OF JACKIE ROBINSON
Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 61) honoring the lifetime
achievements of Jackie Robinson.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 61
Whereas Jackie Robinson was the first four sport letterman
at the University of California at Los Angeles;
Whereas on April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson was the first
African-American to cross the color barrier and play for a
major league baseball team;
Whereas Jackie Robinson, whose career began in the Negro
Leagues, went on to be named Rookie of the Year and
subsequently led the Brooklyn Dodgers to six National League
pennants and a World Series championship;
Whereas Jackie Robinson's inspiring career earned him
recognition as the first African-American to win a batting
title, lead the league in stolen bases, play in an All-Star
game, win a Most Valuable Player award, play in the World
Series and be elected to baseball's Hall of Fame;
Whereas after retiring from baseball Jackie Robinson was
active in the civil rights movement and founded the first
bank owned by African-Americans in New York City;
Whereas his legacy continues to uplift the Nation through
the Jackie Robinson Foundation that has provided 425
scholarships to needy students;
Whereas Jackie Robinson's courage, dignity, and example
taught the Nation that what matters most is not the color of
a man's skin but rather the content of his character;
Whereas Jackie Robinson, in his career, consistently
demonstrated that how you play the game is more important
than the final score;
Whereas Jackie Robinson's life and heritage help make the
American dream more accessible to all; and
Whereas April 15, 1997, marks the 50th anniversary of
Jackie Robinson's entrance into major league baseball: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the achievements and contributions of
Jackie Robinson be honored and celebrated; that his
dedication and sacrifice be recognized; and that his
contributions to African-Americans and to the Nation be
remembered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California [Mr. Horn] and the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney]
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Horn].
Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may yield my
time to the gentleman from Oklahoma, [Mr. Watts], and that he be
permitted to yield blocks of time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Oklahoma [Mr. Watts].
Mr. WATTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution
61. This resolution encourages all Americans to remember the
achievements of Jackie Robinson at this important time in our country's
history.
There is something magical about the firsts in our society. I
sometimes think God gave them broader shoulders to carry the tremendous
load they have had to bear to make life better and provide greater
opportunities for the rest of us.
The list of firsts is long and should never be forgotten. The Rosa
Parkses, the Frederick Douglasses, the Arthur Ashes, the Marian
Andersons, the James Merediths, the Jesse Owenses and, in Oklahoma,
Prentiss Gautt and Ada Louis Sipuels, and most recently in our Nation
we know of Tiger Woods. These are all men and women who had the
courage, heart and insight to be the first to create change in our
society.
Being the first can often be lonely, but these American heroes have
had the strength to push ahead and find justice where injustice had
prevailed.
As a former professional athlete, I am thankful for the Jackie
Robinsons and the firsts of this world. They have gone before and not
only opened the door but they have left it wide open for people like
me.
April 15, 1947, was the first day that Jackie Robinson crossed the
color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. What made Jackie Robinson so
memorable was that his list of achievements did not stop with that
crashing of racial barriers. His accomplishments, including being named
Rookie of the Year and leading the Dodgers to six National League
pennants, including a World Series championship, matched his bravery.
Jackie Robinson understood that he could lock arms with other blacks
and fight racism and fight bigotry, but he also understood that success
is determined by the individual effort, not by the group.
Jackie was a true entrepreneur. His life did not stop with baseball.
He went on to be active in the Civil Rights movement during the 1960's.
He served in Governor Nelson Rockefeller's administration and started
the first black-owned bank in New York City, as well as a construction
firm.
Last night the Nation celebrated this anniversary during the fifth
inning of the Dodgers-Mets game. Mrs. Robinson graciously accepted the
accolades and America paused to recognize number 42.
Athletics is one of the few arenas today where we are judged on our
merits. If an individual is good enough to play, they play. Jackie is
an icon because of his integrity and character and what he proved by
being the first and opening the door. He accomplished more for all
people than he could have accomplished in Washington with more
legislation.
There is a lesson in the life of Jackie Robinson for all of us.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Jackie Robinson is a true American hero. Fifty years ago yesterday he
stood up against racism, prejudice and hate and changed this country
for the better. We applaud the strength that
[[Page H1577]]
he showed on the field and especially the courage he exerted off the
field. He was a pillar of strength in the civil rights movement and we
are fortunate that his legacy is continued today in the Jackie Robinson
Foundation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from California, [Mr. Horn].
Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time. It is a great day when Members in both parties can honor one of
the really fine Americans of this century.
Jackie Robinson did break barriers throughout his life: as a college
student, a college player, and as a professional player. I am delighted
to note in the city of Long Beach, which I am honored to represent and
in which I live, a few years ago we established the Jackie Robinson
Academy. It is located in the inner city. It is an academic achieving
school. President Clinton has visited there, spent time with the
students and the faculty in the school, and Mrs. Robinson was there on
the dedication day, as were a few thousand others. And it was a great
spirit that he would have been proud to see if he were still alive.
It is that spirit and gentlemanliness, that compassion that he
personifies, and that I think all who study his career hopefully will
emulate.
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Illinois, [Mr. Davis].
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman
from New York for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with all of those who have come
together in this resolution to honor the life, the legacy, and the
contributions of a great American.
I grew up during the Jackie Robinson era and I can tell my
colleagues, as a young person there was nobody alive at that moment who
had as much impact. As a matter of fact, Jackie Robinson was so
important to us and to everybody that I knew that we could recite the
Brooklyn Dodger lineup, beginning with the catcher to the right
fielder.
More important than that, Jackie Robinson demonstrated not only skill
but courage and determination to help break down the barriers of
racism, of prejudice, of assumptions that individuals could not all
play on one field and make a score. If we can remember that, then I
think we will score well not only for ourselves but for generations yet
to come.
Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the
gentleman from Kentucky, [Mr. Bunning.]
(Mr. BUNNING asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BUNNING. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House
Concurrent Resolution 61. I did not get to pitch against Jackie
Robinson very many times in his career, because it was just about over
when I finally got to the big leagues. When I started out I was in the
American League with Detroit and he was in the National League with
Brooklyn, so the only time I really got to face him was in spring
training games in 1954, 1955, and 1956.
But in those days, Brooklyn was the team to beat. They had a real
dynasty going. In fact, they made it to the World Series in 1952, 1953,
and again in 1955 and 1956. And Jackie Robinson was one of the biggest
reasons they were such an outstanding team.
He was a real trail blazer and an outstanding ball player. A man of
destiny. In the mid 1950's, when I finally made it to the major
leagues, nearly 10 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier,
there were not too many blacks in the American League, and that was 8
years after Jackie Robinson played his first game for Brooklyn.
I can tell my colleagues this: Under the best of circumstances, when
an individual is starting out, it is pretty frightening to walk out to
the pitcher's mound or to the batter's box in a big league game. That
is even true when an individual's race is not an issue. So it is mind-
boggling to consider the kind of pressure that Jackie Robinson must
have been under when he walked out there the first time when race was
an issue, a very big issue.
The fact that he tried, the fact that he dared, the fact that he made
it is tremendous testimony to his courage, his self-confidence, and to
his love of baseball. Jackie Robinson changed the face of baseball and,
for that matter, all other sports, and he made a tremendous
contribution to race relations in this Nation.
Fifty years ago Jackie Robinson made a difference. It is right and
fitting that we honor the memory of his achievements here today and his
courage in doing the things that he did when he lived. My good wishes
to Rachael and all his family today.
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may yield
my time to the gentleman from Maryland, [Mr. Cummings], and that he be
permitted to yield blocks of time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
It certainly is an honor to stand here today to salute a great hero.
As I watched the President on television last night, and as I listen to
my colleagues, and I am very grateful to all of them for every syllable
that is spoken on behalf of Jackie Robinson, I stand, Mr. Speaker, and
wonder what he would feel if he were standing here today.
In Baltimore, where I hail from, we have a team that is doing pretty
good right now. I look at that team and I ask myself, if it were not
for a Jackie Robinson, how many African-American players would be there
today?
But going back to the question that I asked before, the question is
how would he feel. I think that and I hope that as we celebrate this
great man's life, and certainly we do not celebrate because he died but
because he lived, I hope that we will keep a lot of things in mind, and
I am sure if Jackie Robinson were here today he would agree with me.
First of all, it is true that he did break the color barrier with
regard to baseball. But as I read his history, it went far beyond that.
He was a man who spoke eloquently about race relations. He stood up for
what was right, no matter what the situation was. And that is very
important in our society; that we ought to bring about positive change.
I would submit that he was a great man of integrity. The great writer
Stephen Carter, in his book ``Integrity'' says that integrity is based
upon three things: No. 1, he says one must discern between what is
right and wrong, what is good and bad. And Jackie Robinson surely did
that.
{time} 1430
He did it over and over and over again. He did not take a walk when
it came time to stand up for what he believed in. He made a decision
between right and wrong, and he stood on that. Even when people spat on
him and people called him all kinds of names, names that I dare not say
in this Chamber, the fact is that he stood for what he believed in.
The great writer, Stephen Carter, goes on to say that there is a No.
2 thing that we must do to have true integrity, and Jackie Robinson had
it. That is that you must act upon what you believe in even to your own
peril.
So I say to America and to our country and to this great Congress
that his example is one that we must live up to. That is, that we must
look at a man called Jackie Robinson, who broke this color barrier 50
years ago, who stood up over and over and over again for what he
believed in, even to his own peril. I cannot even imagine what he must
have felt going onto a field with people calling him everything but a
child of God. I cannot imagine it. But yet and still, he performed
quite nicely under all of those circumstances.
Going back to the writer Stephen Carter, he says you must do one
other thing. He says, No. 1, you must discern between right and wrong;
No. 2, you must act, even to your own peril, on what is right; but then
he says something else, that you must tell someone about it. The reason
why he says you must tell someone about it is because of the fact that
in order to change the world, in order to change the world, you have to
tell people what you stood for and what you did with regard to that.
And so it is that Jackie Robinson told the world. He told the world
that no matter what, I shall stand up for what I believe in. He told
the world
[[Page H1578]]
that I will play baseball even under difficult circumstances.
But, Mr. Speaker, he had something else going for him, too. He had a
vision. I am sure he had a vision that one day every team in the
American League, every team in the National League would have African-
American players playing great baseball, African-American players
sharing rooms with white players, African-American players doing
everything that they could to stand up for what they believed in, just
as Jackie Robinson did. And so it is with great honor that I stand here
in support of House Concurrent Resolution 61.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I say to the gentleman from
Maryland, that was very well said.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona [Mr.
Hayworth].
Mr. HAYWORTH. I thank my colleague from Oklahoma for yielding me this
time and my colleague from Maryland who preceded me with his comments.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution to honor the
memory and the legacy of Jack Roosevelt Robinson. A couple of Arizonans
offer a unique perspective on the life of Jackie Robinson. One is
former Phoenix Mayor Sam Mardian, who grew up in the modest Pasadena
neighborhood in close proximity to Jackie Robinson.
In a recent column in the Arizona Republic, he spoke of Robinson's
unique gift not only as a great athlete but as one who could reach
across barriers, as one who could work to extol the virtues of
teamwork. And even as we recognize that, we dare not, we cannot pause
without reflecting on Robinson's incredible athletic gifts. A four-
sport letterman at UCLA. Indeed, baseball, ironically, was not his
greatest sport. But in baseball it is where he began to make a
difference for this land of ours.
Another recollection comes from another man who now calls Phoenix
home, former Dodger pitcher Joe Black, who joined the Brooklyn
organization after Jackie broke the color line and who had the occasion
to room with Mr. Robinson. Joe Black recalls that Jackie's first words
to him were, ``You're a big man, Joe. I bet you're good in a fight, but
we're not here to fight.''
A personal recollection. My grandfather spent 50 years in major
league baseball. He was honored to scout, alongside Branch Rickey, many
of those who would come from the Negro leagues into major league
baseball. And what Jack Robinson brought to the game was more than a
great physical ability, it was an incredible ability to bring his
intellectual capacities, the notion of strategy. Indeed, he helped to
change the face of baseball. The strategy of using his speed to even
steal home changed the face of baseball just as suredly as he broke the
color line.
Mr. Speaker, we rise today to honor the memory and legacy of Jackie
Robinson, who described himself as an eternal optimist. He did so in
one of the most difficult moments in our history. In the wake of the
assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jack Roosevelt Robinson
said, I am an eternal optimist and I believe some good will come even
of this tragedy.
Jack Robinson was one who was a pioneer in many areas. He stood
unafraid to speak the truth as he saw it, active in both major
political parties, and it is that eloquence, that ability and, yes,
that pioneer spirit that we honor today.
Mr. Speaker, to his widow Rachel, to his family and most of all to
the people of the United States of America, we go on record today proud
to honor the legacy of Jack Roosevelt Robinson.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona who just
spoke for his comments. He said something that I would like to just
piggyback on just a bit.
So often out of difficult circumstances come great things. I think
that when you look at what Jackie Robinson did and coming through the
difficulty that he did come through, the fact is, is that he opened the
doors for so, so many. I would venture to guess that the 39 members of
the Black Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, owe a great debt of
gratitude to this great man, for he did open many doors. But he did it
through pain. I think that if we are to learn anything from this great
man, we should learn that through pain, a lot of times come great
things.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Shadegg].
(Mr. SHADEGG asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SHADEGG. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time, and I thank and compliment all of those involved in this great
discussion this afternoon.
Jackie Robinson played his first major league baseball game on April
15, 1947. That was 7 years before the Supreme Court's historic decision
in Brown versus Board of Education. It was 18 years before the voter
registration drives in Selma, AL. It was 16 years before Martin Luther
King's famous ``I have a dream'' speech. And it was 18 years before
passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
It was 1 year before President Truman ordered the integration of the
United States Army and 21 years before Arthur Ashe would become the
first black man to win the U.S. Open men's singles title. It was 16
years before Michael Jordan was born and 50 years before Tiger Woods,
to the pride of millions this weekend, became the first black man to
win the Master's golf tournament.
Jackie Robinson and baseball were at the forefront of America's race
relations. As baseball went, I am proud to say, so too has gone the
country, slowly improving race relations and moving toward equality for
all Americans regardless of color. Children growing up in the late
1940's and the early 1950's could look to Jackie Robinson and to his
Dodger teammates and witness firsthand black and white working
together, being part of a common team. And while there remained much
progress to be made after Jackie Robinson integrated baseball and much
progress still to be made today, a major step had been taken.
When Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey showed the courage to
challenge baseball and America, to reevaluate American racial policy,
they helped start a movement that continues to this day. While much
progress remains to be made in today's race relations, we have made
great strides in the last 50 years, strides that would not have been
possible but for heroes like Jackie Robinson and others similar.
I join the gentleman and am pleased to support this resolution and am
proud to be a part of this effort.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Philadelphia, PA [Mr. Fattah].
Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for
yielding me this time, and I rise in support of our attempt to honor
the life and legacy of this great African American.
I am reminded, however, that as we come to honor Jackie Robinson, we
should be clear what brought him to the opportunity to play major
league baseball. It was in its own way an affirmative action program in
which he was sought out, brought in to deal with the fact that African-
Americans had been excluded from the opportunity to play in major
league baseball. If it were not for the active effort to include him,
then we would not be here today honoring him, and as we honor him as a
nation, we should think about the other doors that are sometimes locked
to persons of color because, for whatever reason, people are unable to
get past prejudices, to deny people access to law school and medical
school, to colleges, college preparatory schools, to deny them access
to contracts and employment opportunities.
We know all too well that the racism that existed that prevented
Jackie Robinson from being able to play and others who were even more
qualified than him perhaps and were denied the opportunity to play in
major league baseball at that time has not evaporated totally in this
country over the last 50 years.
So I come to the floor to join my voice to the voices of others, but
I want to remind us that as we pay homage to Jackie Robinson and as we
marvel at the ability of a Tiger Woods, we
[[Page H1579]]
should know that they represent the reality that Americans of every
color and persuasion have gifts given to them by the Creator and are
capable if they are given the opportunity. We should continue as a
Congress to try to find ways to open those doors of opportunities so
that these young people and people like them can continue to create a
circumstance in which we can all be proud.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland, and thank
my colleagues from the other side of the aisle. I hope that as we vote
to honor Jackie Robinson, we will not vote to close doors of
opportunity to other young people, those same doors that we today rise
to congratulate and recognize the accomplishments of this great
African-American.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
As I close, Mr. Speaker, I just want to go back to something that the
distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania just talked about. He talked
about the fact that there had been doors closed over and over again to
people of African-American descent. And there have been doors closed to
many immigrants that have come to this country. As I sat there
listening to what he had to say, I could not help but be reminded of my
childhood as a young boy in south Baltimore, where we did not have many
opportunities. We did not play on grass. We played on asphalt. I will
never forget looking up to a Jackie Robinson and saying there is a man
who looks like me, who looks like my father, there is a man who came
from the same kind of neighborhood that I came from, there is a man who
is doing it, and so I know that I can do it, too. That was very
significant for me.
I shall never forget standing and singing in class, in elementary
school, ``My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I
sing.'' And then I asked the question, but am I singing for a dream
that can be fulfilled? Am I singing for a dream like a Jackie Robinson?
Mr. Speaker, I would submit to the Members of this great Congress
that it is people like Jackie Robinson that stood up for little boys
and girls all over our country.
{time} 1445
When they looked at Jackie Robinson, they said to themselves, ``He
looks like me, he comes from my same kind of neighborhood, he stands up
like my father, he looks like my father, and if he can do it, so can
I.''
And so it is that it is only fitting that on this 50th anniversary
that we pause, and sometimes, Mr. Speaker, it is so important that we
simply pause in our lives to take a moment to recognize great people,
that we pause out of our busy schedules and say, wait a minute, time
out; let us take a moment to realize and recognize what a great man
did.
So to Jackie Robinson, who is not here, but I do believe that he is
here in spirit, wherever he is, Jackie Robinson I say to him, thank
you, thank you for standing up, thank you for being an example, thank
you for being someone that little boys and little girls could follow
and who can say that you were a true role model. Thank you for being a
role model. Thank you for not taking a walk and saying to our young
people that I will not be a role model, that I am not a role model. You
were a role model.
So we say to him today, thank you, thank you for lifting us up, thank
you for all of us who are now in our 40s, 50s, and 60s, thank you for
being that example, thank you for bridging the gap. Thank you for
building bridges so that we reach out to one another and say we too are
America and so that when little children sing, my country 'tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, so that when they sing those wonderful songs
about this patriotic world that we live in, this country that we live
in, they can too stand there and say that I can too succeed, that I can
too be powerful, that I can too make a difference.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Jackie Robinson said,
Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend
your whole life in the grandstands just watching what goes
on, in my opinion you're wasting your life.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Robinson did not waste his life. He inspired the
lives of others. He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders on
April 15, 1947, to make America better. He carried the weight of the
world on his shoulders in order to raise the conscious level of the
American people concerning injustices of our great Nation at the time,
and because Jackie Robinson became better, not bitter, he challenged us
all to be our best.
Mr. Speaker, I urge unanimous support for this resolution.
Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, today I join my colleagues in
honoring a real American hero--a man who changed the face of baseball
and inspired so many others to break down barriers. Fifty years ago
this week, Jackie Robinson walked onto Ebbets Field, wearing his
Brooklyn Dodgers uniform and before a crowd of 26,623 fans, became the
first African-American to play major league baseball. For young people
today, it's probably hard to imagine a time when the color of your skin
could keep you from fulfilling your dream of playing professional ball.
But for half a century, America's most beloved past time had been off
limits to anyone who was not white.
When Jackie Robinson took to the field that day, it marked a turning
point in American history. As Jackie Robinson's wife, Rachel, later
wrote: ``I think the single most important impact of Jack's presence
was that it enabled white baseball fans to root for a black man, thus
encouraging more whites to realize that all our destinies were
inextricably linked.'' Jackie Robinson's major league debut was a
triumph for a naturally gifted athlete who grew up in Pasadena, CA, and
excelled in every sport he tried. He was an all-American in basketball
and broke the long jump record. During his time at UCLA, he also became
a star football player.
When World War II broke out, Robinson joined the Army and was
commissioned a second lieutenant. Despite his outstanding athletic
ability and commissioned officer status, Robinson came face-to-face
with the harsh reality of a segregated America. He was denied an
opportunity to play on either the Army's football or baseball teams.
When he personally challenged the so-called Jim Crow laws that
prohibited Blacks from sitting in the front of a bus, Robinson faced a
court martial. Although, he was found innocent, his Army career was
soon over.
After his military service, Jackie Robinson returned to his first
love, baseball, joining the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American
League. When the Dodgers' general manager Branch Rickey recruited him
for the major leagues, Robinson was not the most famous or talented of
the Negro league players. But Rickey saw in Jackie Robinson a man of
great courage and conviction, someone who could stand up to adversity
and turn the other cheek to those who were out to destroy his career
and the dreams of all African-Americans.
Over and over again Robinson was put to the test. He faced the boos,
the racial slurs, and even death threats from many fans. Even the other
players were far from supportive. Some of Jackie's own teammates
threatened to strike. And, once on the field, players dug their spikes
into him as they slid into base. Pitchers baited him by throwing balls
directly at his head. Jackie Robinson responded saying, ``I'm not
concerned with you liking me or disliking me. All I ask is that you
respect me as a human being.''
Jackie Robinson had to put up with other indignities as well. He
couldn't stay in the same hotels as his teammates or join them for a
meal at many restaurants. In some cities, he had to drink from colored
only water fountains and catch a ride in colored only cabs. Throughout
it all, Jackie Robinson resisted the temptation to strike back. He let
his actions on the field speak for themselves. By the end of his first
season, his power hitting and aggressive base running earned him the
Rookie of the Year honor as he led the Dodgers' to the National League
Pennant.
Jackie Robinson went on to be the spark that ignited the great Dodger
teams of the 1950's. He batted .300 or better 6 years in a row and led
the National League in stolen bases during two seasons. He was the
National League's Most Valuable Player in 1949 with a batting average
of .342. And then, in 1962, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of
Fame. Years later, in 1987, the National League Rookie of the Year
Award was renamed in his honor.
Mr. Speaker, Jackie Robinson was a great ball player, but as we
celebrate his achievements on the field, we must also remember the
contributions he made to the American way of life. Jackie Robinson put
his own fears aside, stood up to bigotry and hatred, and he triumphed.
His remarkable achievement has been a rallying cry to confront all
forms of prejudice. Jackie Robinson's legacy is still visible today in
the faces of the young boys and girls of all different colors who dream
of becoming a professional athlete or of achieving, in some other way,
their own special place in history.
[[Page H1580]]
In the words of Jackie Robinson ``a life is not important except in
the impact it has on other lives.'' Jackie Robinson's life can serve as
an inspiration to all of us, both young and old, that through hard work
and determination we can overcome any obstacles and break down what
appear to be insurmountable barriers.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on this 50th anniversary of
Jackie Robinson's major league debut, I am proud to say that I am and
always have been a fan of Jackie Robinson. Not just for his athletic
prowess, but for what I believe is his greatest achievement: his
ability to keep his eye on the goal of playing baseball and doing his
best in the face of the catcalls, the hissing, and the jeers.
With all the societal pressures placed on him, Jackie Robinson
breathed life to the idea of community and equality; and proved to his
contemporaries that the only color that mattered to him was Dodger
blue. But more importantly, he made sure he was judged not by the petty
mans' standard of skin color, but by the higher standard of merit,
performance, ability, tenacity, and perseverance.
No doubt, Jackie Robinson had tough times and dreary days throughout
his career. His gift to baseball and, indeed, to America, was his
sensibility to see past the setbacks, the biases, the bigotry, and the
prejudices directed at him and focus on the enormous task of playing
baseball, well, and proving that shades of skin color do not make the
player or the man.
In high school, I was on the track and field team, and now, as many
of my colleagues know, I play annually on the Republican baseball team.
I cherish those times on the field. It's hard to imagine that, before
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, so many were excluded from the
opportunities and rewards that playing organized and professional
sports provide us. Some of life's greatest skills--teamwork, stick-to-
itiveness, determination, diligence and comradery--are learned and
reinforced on the ball field, and to have excluded an entire race from
our national pastime is unconscionable.
I have four children, Mr. Speaker, who, like myself, have a passion
for sports. Every sport my children participate in, from baseball--that
would be my son, Chris--to lacrosse--my daughter Melissa--to soccer--my
son Mike and my youngest daughter, Elyse, is a lesson in unity and
selflessness. And no one lived that lesson better than Jackie Robinson.
With two out and one on in scoring position, and your teammate coming
to the plate for the possible game winning RBI, you stand and root him
on. And your teammate isn't Jackie, the African-American kid, he is
Jackie, your friend, and the best darn player on the team.
Each time my children step on to a field with their teammates and I
see the matching colors of their jerseys worn by a vibrant mix of
ethnicity and race, I know that we are getting closer to an equal and
unified society. I thank Jackie Robinson for breaking the color barrier
and laying the foundation. Yet, I know Jackie Robinson would be
disappointed in all of us if we didn't finish what he so courageously
began. By remembering and honoring him today we rededicate ourselves
and our nation to equality and liberty and justice for all.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, last night I had the honor of attending the
ceremony at Shea Stadium marking the 50th anniversary of Jackie
Robinson's first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Not only was Jackie Robinson a great athlete, he was a man of amazing
courage and grace who served as a powerful role model to so many of us
growing up in that era.
I recall vividly when I was a young boy the excitement among my
friends as we followed the career of Jackie Robinson. In fact, in 1946,
when he was still with the International League, he played in Jersey
City, which is now in my congressional district, before a wildly
enthusiastic crowd of 26,000 cheering fans.
He led the Dodgers to six National League pennants and a World Series
championship in 1955. Over the course of his major league career, he
was named to six all-star teams. He distinguished himself by winning a
batting title, leading the league in stolen bases, and winning a Most
Valuable Player Award.
I had the opportunity to see Jackie Robinson play the year he broke
the color barrier, 1947. For African-Americans, his accomplishments
were a source of great pride and hope for the future.
Last night many of those who knew Jackie Robinson best, his former
teammates and colleagues, testified to his strength and perseverance
under enormous day to day pressure. Sadly, that strain took a personal
toll which undoubtedly led to his medical problems and premature death.
I recall that in 1972, the year which marked the 25th anniversary of
his debut in the major leagues, a special tribute was, at long last,
given in his honor. At that ceremony, he looked beyond the accolades
given to him personally, and spoke out in behalf of future
opportunities for other African-Americans. He said that our mission
would not be complete until an African-American was given the
opportunity to become a manager, a privilege which he was never offered
despite his obvious talent and ability. He put his sentiments in these
words: ``I will be even more pleased when I can look at the third-base
coaching box and see a black manager. I'd like to live to see a black
manager.''
Jackie Robinson never got his wish. He died 9 days later.
As President Clinton noted last night, our Nation can best honor
Jackie Robinson's legacy by striving to become a society where we all
work together in a spirit of harmony and a shared vision for the
future.
Mr. Speaker, as we remember the remarkable legacy of Jackie Robinson,
let us also resolve to honor the lessons he so eloquently taught us.
Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California [Mr. Horn] that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 61.
The question was taken.
Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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