Here at 108 Red Stitches, we're growing weary of the constant debate and speculation regarding which baseball team has the best chances of winning the World Series. So we bring you part two of our two part installment of "Superbowl MLB; A Look at Which Baseball Team Could Win the Superbowl". Part II covers the National League Contenders. (Part One: AL)
For argument's sake, well use only a handful of teams to compare, one's that are normally (or would be considered) World Series Contenders. To balance out "position eligibility" catchers will equate to the team's position known as the Center and the team's front line starter will be considered the Quarterback. Every other position is fair game. Realizing that there aren't enough baseball players to fill out a football team, we'll base our studies on the theory that "Offense Wins Championships". Based on 2007 Season Rosters. Let's Continue.

New York Mets:

O-line: Paul LoDuca, Carlos Delgado, Moises Alou, Shawn Green, and Ramon Castro make up one of the most un-inspiring offensive lines in the league. Not only are they slow, they're creaky old men who'd likely spend anywhere from 6-8 games a season on the Physically Unable to Perform List.

Quarterback: Pedro Martinez starts the season as the QB and gets nailed on the first play of the game. He's out for the rest of the season allowing for a Bledsoe/Brady type situation where John Maine comes in and leads the team to the playoffs.

RB/FB: This one is a obvious. Jose Reyes in the open field is probably as dangerous as Reggie Bush or LT. The only problem is his offensive line shuts down faster than a cupcake factory does when Artie Lange leaves town. Carlos Gomez acts as a good second option to give Reyes a breather.

WR/TE: Pretty decent receiving duo with Beltran and Wright. After those two, the depth chart is pretty scary looking.

Defensive Highlight: This team would need to put up 35-40 points a game to remain in the playoff hunt. They have no end-game. Sounds oddly similar to last season.


St. Louis Cardinals:

O-line: Yadiar Molina anchors a scruffy o-line. Alongside Molina; Scott Spiezio, Scott Rolen, Chris Duncan, and Jason LaRue

QB- Jason Isringhausen would make a fine QB due to his career. Being both a starter and a closer allows Izzy to have the emotional and mental makeup of a good QB that'll pace his team throughout the first 3 quarters, and then know how to finish off the opposition in the 4th.

RB/FB- The run game is almost completely ignored. Due to the fact that any of their big guys who might be considered RB material are manning the O-line, the running came suffers. But that's not the end of the world because:

WR/TE: Albert Pujols is Cardinal version of Antonio Gates. He'll block for the run, helping out a weak run game, but in the Red Zone he's a huge target that will cause huge mismatches. Rick Ankiel and Adam Wainwright fill out the two receiver slots.

Defensive Highlight: The Cards offense is simply put; awful. Chris Duncan will have to go both ways in order to spark some life into a defense that quickly bottoms out.

Unlike their American League Counterparts, the National League (after second thought) probably doesn't have enough man power to fill out a decent football team. The lack of a DH in the NL causes teams to pick up more arms and more guys that are decent hitters (off the bench, not off a screen pass). Sure some teams have guys like Ryan Howard and Carlos Lee (who wouldn't pay money to see Howard level Pedro Martinez in the backfield).
Who wouldn't love to see Greg Maddux kick a game winning field goal against the Rockies, only to find out seconds later that Clint Hurdle called a timeout, causing Matt Holiday to block Maddux's follow up kick and hear the announcer scream Troy Tulowitski at the 40, the 30, the twenty.... TOUCHDOWN TULOWITSKI!!!

Ah, one could always dream.

Here at 108 Red Stitches, we're growing weary of the constant debate and speculation regarding which baseball team has the best chances of winning the World Series. So we bring you part one of our two part installment of "Superbowl MLB; A Look at Which Baseball Team Could Win the Superbowl". Part I covers the American League Contenders.
For argument's sake, well use only a handful of teams to compare, one's that are normally (or would be considered) World Series Contenders. To balance out "position eligibility" catchers will equate to the team's position known as the Center and the team's front line starter will be considered the Quarterback. Every other position is fair game. Realizing that there aren't enough baseball players to fill out a football team, we'll base our studies on the theory that "Offense Wins Championships". Based on 2007 Season Rosters. Let's Begin.

New York Yankees:

Offensive line: The Yankees have one of the bigger lines in the game, consisting of lugs like Jorge Posada, Jason Giambi, Bobby Abreu, Hideki Mastui, and Roger Clemens. They're going to need it to protect:

Quarterback: Andy Pettitte. The southpaw is more of a stationary quarterback, pocket passer. Limited arm strength due to re-occurring elbow and shoulder injuries. Not the team's best option, but their backup happens to be Mike Mussina.

RB/FB: Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera make up this NY team's version of Thunder and Lighting. It's a very powerful backfield, one that will have to carry the team's offense because of their receiving corps.

Wide Receiver/Tight End: Jeter, Johnny Damon, and A-Rod make up a core receiving group. They've got overall average speed and decent hands. Just don't ask Damon to run a WR Option Pass route any time soon.

Defensive Highlight: Two names: Kyle Farnsworth and Shelley Duncan. They make up the scariest line backing duo in the American League. Finally, the Yanks have found a use for Farnsworth.


Boston Red Sox:

O-line: Slow, large, and lazy. Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Mike Lowell, and Erik Hinkse make up one of the largest o-lines in baseball. However, they are severely un-athletic and too slow for their own good.

QB: Josh Beckett. Good fit for a QB. He's tall and strong, and throws a wicked slider, same arm motion as throwing a football. Good thing too because he'll need to his his speedy receivers because the run game:

RB/FB- Dustin Pedroia takes a large chunk of the running game. He's small and elusive, but his body can't handle a physical pounding. Boston's offensive game relies on an attack through the air.

WR/TE: Fleet footed green monsters. Jacoby Ellsbury, Coco Crisp, and Julio Lugo lead the league in speed, which translates into running rampant in most baseball team's secondaries.

Defensive Highlight: Kevin Youkillis transforms from the Greek God of Walks into the Greek God of Handing Out Mild Concussions.


Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem:
Finally, a football team returns to LA. Sort of. Not really. Well, at least LA is in the name.

O-line: Undersized, but quick, which in the MLBNFL is not such a bad thing. Most d-lines aren't exactly lining up with the likes of Warren Sapp or DeMarcus Ware. Line is comprised of Catcher Mike Nappoli, Garrett Anderson, Jeff Mathis, Casey Kotchman, and Robb Quinlan.

QB- Ah, finally, a quarterback controversy. Do you go with experience in John Lackey or flash and glamor, bringing in the fans with your new young gun in Jered Weaver. Sure his older brother tanked in the same position, but unlike the NFL, the little brother is better than the bigger brother in the MLBNFL (see Manning).

RB/FB: Riggie Willits and Howie Kendrick give the Halos a nice 1-2 punch. Its not the best in the league, but their offense doesn't have to rely on one aspect of the game.

WR/TE: Fast, but undersized. This seems to be the team's overriding theme. Chone Figgins leads the receiving bunch as Kendry Morales and Juan Rivera are Lackey/Weaver's 2nd and third option.

Defensive Highlight: Figgins (no surprise) is also a defensive back and special teams highlight reel. Vlad the Impaler leads an undersized defensive unit.

Pending everyone passing a physical and Johan Santana agreeing to a contract extension, the New York Mets may have pulled off one of the biggest upsets this offseason.
Santana had just about done everything except try on a Yankees or Red Sox uniform, until the dark horses of the NL East came charging back with an offer that, apparently, the Minnesota Twins felt comfortable enough to deal the game's best pitcher. The Mets will send Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey to Minnesota in exchange for the coveted left handed strikeout artist.
However, the deal isn't exactly "signed, sealed, or delivered". According to ESPN: "Santana has a full no-trade clause and can veto the deal unless he gets a contract extension, and it's expected that the Mets and Santana will begin negotiating as soon as possible. New York and Santana have until 5 p.m. ET Friday to reach an agreement".

If we may step outside of the objective journalist point of view for a few seconds:

"What the hell where the Minnesota Twins thinking? They got screwed over big time. The Yankees and Red Sox offers were far and away better than anything the Mets could have come up with. Humber is not even considered Major League talent by a majority of Major League officials and Carlos Gomez is borderline at best (right now). Sure he was flashy for the Mets last season, but that was with limited at-bats. It'll be interesting to see how he pans out for the length of an entire season. At least with the Yankees offer, they would have been getting a proven outfielder in Melky. The Twins had initially asked for Jose Reyes, and the Mets refused. So now they settle for less? From the team that rejected a counteroffer?"

Whew, glad to get that off our chest. While its not our primary goal to stand on a soapbox and give our opinion (we'd like to think our selves as a news source, not a biased slanted blogcommunist) this situation all but presented itself in a gift basket.

Apparently we're not the only ones that feel the Twins got fleeced. According to MLB.com:
"At a seemingly reasonable price -- swift outfielder Carlos Gomez and young pitchers Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra -- the Mets have satisfied the Twins. Now, they have until 5 p.m. ET on Friday to satisfy Santana, who, armed with a no-trade clause potentially as effective as his world-class changeup, can veto the trade if the Mets don't make him happy."

Reports indicate that Philadelphia is getting an offensive and defensive upgrade at one of their hot corners. ESPN reported last night that former San Fransisco Giant Third Sacker Pedro Feliz signed a two year deal with a team option for a third.
Feliz is a huge upgrade over the myriad of jerseys that attempted to fill that position for the Phillies last season. Abraham Nunez, Greg Dobbs, and Wes Helms all spent time on the hot corner, but yielded next to nothing compared to other team's third basemen throughout the league.
Feliz is expected to bat lower in the lineup, in attempts to add a power bat and run producer to spark that end of the lineup.

Despite previously published reports, the Orioles are denying any trade rumors surrounding Erik Bedard.

Koby Clemens says that not watching tv is the best way to avoid seeing his Dad on television.

He's in, he's out, he's in, he's out... Yankee standout Joba Chamberlain may start the season coming out of the bullpen.

Tiger's Brandon Inge adds Super-Utility Man to his resume. Movie deal with Marvel is in the works.

According to ESPN.com News Services "The Seattle Mariners have asked talented young outfielder Adam Jones to leave his Venezuelan Winter League team and return to the United States amid reports he's about to be included in a trade for Baltimore Orioles left-hander Erik Bedard."

Jones, the centerpiece (besides Bedard) in the deal makes for an interesting situation in Baltimore. If the deal goes through, the O's would have a younger center fielder with a greater upside than they did coming into the off season. Last season, Corey Patterson manned center field for the Birds. But, according to a January 8 posting on MLB.com's website, "The Orioles, who did not offer Patterson arbitration in December, may bring him back if they do not trade for a center fielder, the Baltimore Sun reported. Team president Andy MacPhail acknowledged that he spoke with Patterson's agent to confirm the team's interest and the two sides will keep in touch."

If the trade goes through, Patterson's future with the club will most likely be in doubt. It would be interesting to see, this late in the off season which clubs are in the market for Patterson's services.

With arbitration hearings underway and Baseball just weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting, things seems to be going just fine for a league troubled with the media frenzy that followed the release of the Mitchell Report.

Just fine that is, as long as you aren't Mike Lieberthal. Phillies and Dodger catcher of fourteen seasons decided to hang up his spikes saying " "There were a lot of reasons, the money was great as a backup, but I have made [enough] money in baseball. I just didn't want to go through what I have to go through with my body to play 20-25 games a year."
The Dodgers were obviously shaken up with Lieberthal's announcemen; they quickly signed backup catcher Gary Bennett to a one year deal.

The Dodgers also extended spring training invites to two left handed (Tom Martin and Mike Myers) relievers in attempts to solidify their bullpen.

In arbitration news, Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano signed a six year deal believed to be worth 56 million dollars, keeping him in pinstripes through the 2011 season (2012 and 13 are option years for the Yanks).

In what should be this off season's most exciting arbitration hearing, the Phillies have set a February 20th date to discuss Ryan Howard's current contract situation.

Time to open up the 108 Red Stitches Mailbag. To ask us a question email 108redstitches@gmail.com. Try to keep it baseball related, spammers not welcome, we know where you live and have Italians on our staff, and we're not afraid to use them.

Dear 108 Red Stitches, "We just started up a fantasy league with a bunch of my buddies from college. Obviously we've gotta wager on the season and I'm looking for an edge on the competition. Any suggestions?"
-Kevin in South Bend.

Well Kevin;
Seeing your email is from South Bend, we're figuring you could at least look to the luck of the Irish to get some help for your fantasy team. Most fantasy sites will tell you not to load up on one stat, home runs for example. Pitching is important, make sure you take a look at a guy's innings pitched, its a key stat in determining how reliable he'll be throughout the season.
So far, some pretty normal advice. Now here's where we put our spin on things. One of the most crucial elements to a successful fantasy season lies within your team's name. Picking some old ordinary name like Pinstripes, or the Bronx Bombers, or The Green Monsters does little to invoke fear into your opponent. Fear instills laziness in most Fantasy League players. The onset of laziness begets forgetfulness, which causes opponents to forget to check their lineup. Visit this site for a distinct advantage on naming your team.

Dear 108 Red Stitches; My favorite team just signed a player that's my sworn enemy. Now that he's playing for my favorite team, should I stop hating him? - Rich, Dallas

Hey Rich,
As a famous Emperor once said "Good Luke, let the hate flow through you." Free agency has made a mockery of Major League Rivalries. We've always felt that if the Yankees ever signed Barry Bonds, we'd probably set fire to the Stadium, or at least give up our season tickets. A lot of Yankee fans had similar feelings when Clemens signed on and a lot of Mets fans had confused feelings with the signings of Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine. A lot of baseball fans are simply content with rooting for a jersey now, and attempting to remember who is wearing them.
Our advice Rich, "Give Milton a Chance!" (and tell your first base coach and/or manager to keep his hands off him).

Send us your questions at 108redstitches@gmail.com

2K Sports announced that the latest installment in their baseball video game franchise will be released March 3, 2008. Gamespot.com interviewed Ben Brinkman, 2k8's Producer. In the interview, Brinkman discusses some of the game's new features:

"Well, to start we added 90 minor-league teams to the game, including authentic uniforms, many authentic minor-league stadiums, and a few generic ones as well. Going hand-in-hand with that, we had to do a ton of work on the franchise mode, so you can expect a better and much more complete experience there.

We've also added many new unlockable "special" teams incorporating both current and legendary players. We've also got a pretty cool new approach to unlockables in general. We've implemented a new baseball-card system, in which you can earn players' cards by completing certain tasks. You can then sell duplicate cards for credits to buy new card packs, which consist of 10 cards and may include a stadium or special team. But by far the coolest part of the card system is the online card battles. When you have enough player cards to fulfill the requirements of a full team, you can then combine your cards to create a team and take head-to-head against other gamers' card teams online.

On the gameplay side, the big push was for realism. One area we knew we could improve from 2K7 was the hitting engine. Why am I able to hit an opposite-field home run on a pitch that jammed me off the handle of the bat? This shouldn't be. So first off, we completely gutted and rewrote the hitting engine, and the results are outstanding. Along with this, we tweaked the swing stick from 2K7 to increase your control and give it a better feel overall. This is dubbed "Swing Stick 2.0." The idea was to give batting more "oomph" when you swing. Baseball swings consist of two motions: back and forward. Basically we took the power swings from the swing stick and made them the default way to swing, minus the loft and power boost. We think it makes swings far more responsive, rewarding. and natural. Everything from going the other way with an outside pitch to checking your swing feels natural. My favorite is ripping that pitch in down the line. There is just something extremely satisfying about that!

We've also designed an entirely new and unique pitching interface which is unlike anything that's been done before. The main input comes from the right analog stick. The execution involves matching a gesture to throw the desired pitch. This enables a lot more granularity from the input than a digital face-button approach. We'll reveal more on this later. I know this might be met with mixed opinions on the message boards, but do us a favor and wait for the demo before you rush to judgment. We've spent a lot of time and iterations on this and, frankly, I will never pitch using buttons again. I really love it.

Finally, there is also a new right-stick throwing interface in the field. While you may have seen similar mechanics in the past, we've put a new spin on it which we believe is pretty innovative in its own right. The biggest goal was to give more control to the user and have the results be intuitive and realistic, and we're really happy with it.

Having said all that, we will still provide the option to choose between the pitching, batting, and throwing interfaces from previous years, but we believe once you've used the new ones, you won't want to go back."

Just when you thought the circus might be over, baseball's two biggest numbnuts throw another clown into the ring.

According to the Associated Press and ESPN.com Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco are neck and neck in the race to become "Baseball's Biggest Loser". Bonds asks a Federal Judge to dismiss the perjury charges levied against him, while Canseco asks a Tiger for, well, basically he asks him for a bribe.

Canseco, according to a report filed by the FBI, asked Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez to invest in a movie project funded by Canseco. In exchange, Canseco said he would keep Ordonez's name out of his upcoming book, a sequel to his 2005 hit "Juiced".

Mags had this to say according to ESPN.com:

"I didn't want to press charges against him," Ordonez was quoted as saying. "I don't want any problems. He is probably desperate for money. I don't understand why he is trying to put people down."

Ordonez was not one of the players named in the Mitchell Report.

Continuing the ongoing drama between Bonds and the United States government, Bonds asked a federal judge to dismiss perjury charges against him Wednesday, arguing the indictment is "scattershot" and noted for its "striking inartfulness." (ESPN)

Bonds and his lawyers complained that the line of questioning was ambiguous, confusing, and too much for Bonds' over sized noggin to handle.

The final installment in 108 Red Stitches tribute to African American ballplayers in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Continued from Part IV.

Branch Rickey was able to step up to bat for Jackie while he was being torn apart in the papers. Rickey stated that “Jackie’s the same high-class boy he was the first year we brought him up. He’s entitled to all the rights of any other American citizen. He’s a great competitor and resents any violations of those rights” (Rampersad; 207). In response to Lacy’s attacks on the Dodger and Robinson’s occasional out bursts, Rickey retaliated saying;

“Perhaps he has lost his temper occasionally the same as any white player would do. But he’s been sorry for it afterward and has used good judgment. We couldn’t have picked a finer boy than Robinson for our experiment of introducing a Negro into organized baseball” (Rampersad; 207).

Robinson was under a considerable amount of stress at the time. The hate mail, death threats, being in the nation’s spotlight, constant badgering from the press, and being “broken into the league” with high and inside fastballs all began to take their toll on Jackie. In an interview with Robinson biographer, Arnold Rampersad, Rachel Robinson (Jackie’s wife) began to worry about Jackie’s well being;

“In those months, according to Rachel, Jack’s worries ‘were eating at his mind, for he would jerk and twitch and even talk in his sleep, which was not like him.” Sometimes he would raise his voice in anger, but anything more violent was out of the question.

Aware of his ordeal, she tried hard to make their home a haven, which Jack appreciated; he had little interest in going out with the boys.” (Rampersad; 180).
Robinson’s standings with the press would eventually change dramatically, and with surprising outcomes. Called upon by the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1949 to refute statements made by Paul Robeson, one of the most admired and famous blacks of his time. Robeson was addressing those who attended a gathering of the leftist World Congress of the Partisans of Peace at the Salle Pleyel in Paris when he “had uttered the most controversial words. ‘it is unthinkable,’ he allegedly declared about the United States and the Soviet Union, ‘that American Negroes would go to war on behalf of those who have oppressed us for generations against a country which in one generation has raised our people to the full dignity of mankind” (Rampersad; 211).

Branch Rickey set up an “invitation” from the House Un-American Activities Committee so that Robinson’s growing voice could be heard. Robinson explained to the Committee that in no way did he consider himself an expert on communism or any other type of political organization. According to an article that ran in the New York Times, Robinson did “ask to be put down as ‘an expert on being a colored American, with thirty years of experience at it.’ ” (Trussell; 1). Robinson quickly took the opportunity to denounce racism, many years before the advent of the Civil Rights Movement. Robinson was able to convey to the Committee his love for his country and his willingness to defend it.

Despite his efforts to appear patriotic and expose the racial inequalities his people faced, the remarks against Robeson were what caught the attention of the press and the American people;
“I’m not fooled because I’ve had a chance open to very few Negro Americans,” stated Robinson. He vowed to continue fighting racial discrimination in sports and other areas. At the same time, Robinson rejected Robeson’s assertion that blacks would not fight for the United States;

‘I’ve got too much invested for my wife and child and myself in the future of this country, and I and other Americans of many races and faiths have too much invested in our country’s welfare, for any of us to throw it away for a siren song sung in bass” (Tygiel; 334).

The “siren song sung in bass” Robinson was referring to pointed fingers at Robeson. Robinson believed that Robeson was “shooting from the hip” in his remarks, and felt that his (Robeson) voice did not speak for the entire African American race. Members of the press, however, focused on Robinson’s criticism of the African American Icon, rather than what Robinson had hoped to shed light on; racism in America.

The press, after the Robeson bashing, began to take sides; the white press began supporting Jackie, while the black press remained critical of its bright star. The New York Post ran parts of his speech to the Committee under an editorial entitled “Credo of an American”. The Daily News, ended its editorial piece on the event with ‘Quite a man this Jackie Robinson. Quite a ball player. And quite a credit, not only to his own race, but to all the American people” (Rampersad; 215).

A New York Times article reported that a Democratic Representative from New York, Arthur G. Klein, proposed “that Congress print 500,000 copies of a statement made July 18 before the House Un-American Activities Committee by Jackie Robinson” (No Author; 39). Klein said in a letter to Representative Mary T. Norton (D-New Jersey, chairman of House Administration Committee) “This great American athlete has spoken successfully for all minorities-and for all Americans” (No Author; 39).

The black press was more critical of Robinson; they felt as if he had become a puppet for the white press. They felt as if Robinson was playing into their hands, or buying the white press’ agenda. “To the New York Age newspaper, Harlemites were split sharply on the issue. Robinson had come back from Washington, ‘in the duel role’ of leader of his race and ‘handkerchief head’ ” (Rampersad; 215).

What Jackie didn’t realize was that in negating Robeson’s remarks and by testifying against him, he destroyed what respect and admiration any blacks had left for the influential Robeson. The House got exactly what they wanted from Robinson; a way to remove the “un-American Activist” from public light.

Some members of the black press, like the Baltimore Afro-American, felt that Robinson did more to spearhead a movement against racism then to knock Robeson’s communist remarks; “The Baltimore Afro-American reported that HUAC’s maneuver in summoning Robinson had ‘boomeranged’, in that he had been much more severe on racism that communism. Its headline read: ‘Jackie Flays Bias in Army’ ” (Rampersad; 215).

Throughout his first three seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Robinson was constantly in the nations spotlight and forever a target of the press. His every move, every word, every breath, was under constant watch by both the white and the black press. Living under these conditions took its toll on Robinson, and he would need an outlet off the field to vent his frustrations. One would imagine that Robinson could find a type of peace on the baseball diamond, but the stands, filled with bigots, hatred, and racism only added to the discomfort that came with being a pioneer. In his essay “The Greatest Season” Roger Kahn wrote of a visit he had with Robinson, shortly before his death;

“Before his death, I was visiting the Robinsons in North Stamford, Connecticut, and Mrs. Robinson,Rachel, whom we call Rae, said, ‘No single reporter, not one has ever asked me this. If Jack had a hard day at the ballpark, if the bigots were yelling at him, did he take it out on family when he got home? He didn’t,’ she said. ‘The only way I could tell was that he’d take a bucket of golf balls and his driver and start hitting them off the back lawn into the lake.’ Then Jack looked at me and his eyes were twinkling. “The golf balls,’ he said, ‘were white’ ” (Kahn; 42).

Jackie Robinson set out to do the impossible; he was going to break down the color barrier that cast a dark shadow over America’s pastime and he accomplished that task with the utmost candor and respect. He blazed a trail for the likes of black superstars of the future. Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Sammy Sosa, and for those who follow in his path, all owe an infinite amount of gratitude to Robinson.

Hank Aaron once said “I hope black kids today can learn what Jackie went through, what I went through when I started, what all of us went through. Now there is a statue of me outside the stadium in Atlanta. When you think about it, that statue is as much a tribute to Jackie as it is to me. You don't hear his name much anymore. I think people have forgotten. Baseball should do something about that. Baseball owes Jackie Robinson something” (Allen; 199-200).

On April 15, 1997 Major League Baseball retired Jackie Robinson's number. In every stadium throughout the league, the Number 42 is proudly displayed, in honor of Baseball's Greatest Experiment.

Ten years later, on the 60th Anniversary marking Robinson's entry into baseball, Robinson was again honored, this time, by having every player in the league don his number.

108 Red Stitches continues its week long tribute to African American ballplayers in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Joe Black, a right handed pitcher for the Dodgers during the fifties, was one of Robinson’s roommates on road trips. He and Robinson became close and in an interview with Robinson biographer Maurey Allen, Black said that “Jackie developed this internal defense system, this thick skin, and he just didn’t let it bother him. Sure he was dying inside, but he felt the real answer was just playing well and beating the other guys” (Allen; 189). Jimmy Cannon of the New York Post gave Jackie Robinson the nickname of “the loneliest man I have seen in sports” (Rampersad; 172).
The incident between Robinson and the Phillies opened a Pandora’s box for those who wished ill of Robinson. With the press focusing on the events of the three game series, those who had ripped Robinson quietly now had the opportunity to let fly their bigotry and hatred;

“The escalation of public disclosures about the ridicule and hatred heaped on Robinson by the Phillies unearthed more snakes. Hate mail increased. Death threats were plentiful. Scribbled letters came in daily, with vulgarities” (Allen; 132).

Had the press kept the problem quiet, (fans who attended the game knew little of the verbal bashing Robinson received from Chapman and his Phillies) the hate mail and death threats might have never happened, or at least have been put off for a time.
Robinson would later write that this experience almost ended his career. He believed he didn’t deserve such treatment and wrote;

“I felt tortured and I tried just to play ball and ignore the insults. [...] But it was really getting to me. What did the Phillies want from me? What, indeed, did Mr. Rickey expect of me? I was, after all, a human being.For one wild and rage-crazed minute I thought; To hell with Mr. Rickey’s noble experiment. To hell with the image of the patient black freak I was supposed to create. I could thrown down my bat, stride over to that Phillies dugout, grab one of those white sons of bitches and smash his teeth in with my despised black fist. Then I could walk away from it all.” (Rampersad; 172-73).

Robinson’s building frustration began to poison his relationships with those that surrounded him. Eventually, the Dodger began to burn bridges with the press, both black and white. Their responses further frustrated a man who just wanted to play the game, nothing more. Wendell Smith had shown that, in his column “Sports Beat, the journalist’s relationship with Robinson was worsening and accused Robinson of showing signs of ingratitude;

“This, it seems, is time for someone to remind Mr. Robinson that the press has been especially fair to him throughout his career. Were it not for the press, Robinson would be ‘just another athlete’ insofar as the public concerned. If it had not been for the press-the sympathetic press-Mr. Robinson would have
probably still been tramping around the country with Negro teams, living under what he has called ‘intolerable conditions’. [...] Mr. Robinson’s memory, as it seems, is getting shorter and shorter. That is especially true in the case of the many newspapermen
who have befriended him throughout his career” (Rampersad; 206-7).

Sam Lacy, one of Robinson’s original ardent supporters, began to attack him. In attempts to correct Jackie, Lacy wrote in the Baltimore Afro-American;

“In his (Joe Louis) at the top of boxing he has NEVER had to deny having made a statement, he has NEVER criticized the people who gave him his chance, and he has NEVER blamed someone else for anything that happened” (Rampersad; 207).

Lacy wanted Robinson to remember where he came from and to watch his mouth. Becoming a the press’ target would only further incense Robinson, and lead to more heated confrontations between the two. Luckily, Robinson found an ally in a familiar place.

To be continued.

Continued from Part II of the week long tribute to African American ballplayers in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Officials weren’t the only ones who were leery of having a Negro play in the majors. Some of the Dodgers, in a movement spearheaded by second baseman Dixie Walker, began “plotting” against the idea of having Robinson in a Brooklyn uniform. Once manager Leo Durocher caught wind of their intentions, he quickly called a team meeting and told the rebels “I don’t care if the guy is yellow or black, or if he has stripes like a fucking zebra. I’m manager of this team, and I say he plays. What’s more, I say he can make us all rich. An’ if you can’t use the money, I’ll see that you’re traded” (Golenbock; 18).

The white press would continue to attack Rickey and Robinson, especially writers from the Deep South. Atlanta Journal sports editor Ed Danforth wrote “I don’t see why a top flight Negro ballplayer would be so anxious to play in the white leagues when he is doing so well in his own organization” (Tygiel; 74). “George White of the Dallas News described the Dodger action as ‘unfair’ to both Robinson and the South, where an established way of life was threatened” (Tygiel; 74).

The black press would begin to levy an unfair burden upon Robinson’s shoulders. They saw Robinson as a figure head that would spearhead a Civil Rights movement. “Sam Lacy cast Robinson in the role of a greater ‘national benefactor’ than President Truman. ‘Alone Robinson represents a weapon far more potent than the combined forces of all our liberal legislation,’ contended Lacy” (Tygiel; 75). Wendell Smith, a prominent figure in the black media, wrote that Robinson had “the hopes, aspirations, and ambitions of thirteen million black Americans heaped upon his broad, sturdy shoulders” (Tygiel; 75).

Robinson officially broke the color barrier in baseball on Opening Day of the 1947 season. The Brooklyn Dodgers played the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field in a game that “went off without a hitch”. Arthur Daley, of the New York Times wrote of the game;

“The debut of Jackie Robinson was quite uneventful, even though he had the unenviable distinction of snuffing out a rally by hitting into a remarkable double play. [...] The muscular Negro minds his own business and shrewdly makes no effort to push himself. He speaks quietly and intelligently when spoken to and already has made a strong impression.” (Daley; 32).

It wasn’t until the series with the Braves ended that Robinson began to face the racism that would follow him throughout his career. The Philadelphia Phillies followed the Braves into Brooklyn, and led by their manager Benjamin Chapman, began to verbally assault Robinson with everything they had;

“And Jackie Robinson was a nigger. He was also snowflake and Little Black Sambo. He was accused of sleeping with the white wives of his teammates. He was told he was spreading contagious diseases among his teammates, and his teammates were browbeaten with that time-honored phrase of bigots-nigger lover. The intensity of the attacks were beyond what anyone had ever heard. Chapman vilified Robinson every chance he had. [...] The language was so vile that National League President Ford Frick ordered Chapman to cease and desist.” (Allen; 130-31).

Chapman would later blame Robinson for keeping him out of the Hall of Fame, and pointed to this incident as “bad press” for his career. In his biography written by Arnold Rampersad, Robinson recalled the series with the Phillies and described it as one he would never forget. Robinson wrote;

“Tuesday April 22, 1947, off all the unpleasant days in my life, brought me nearer to cracking up that I ever had been.’ Starting to the plate in the first inning, I cold scarcely believe my ears. Almost as if it had been synchronized by some master conductor, hate poured forth from the Phillies dugout. Hey nigger, why don’t you go back to the cotton field where you belong? They’re waiting for you in the jungles, black boy! Hey, snowflake, which one of those white boys’ wives are you dating tonight?
We don’t want you here nigger. Go back to the bushes!” (Rampersad; 172).

And Chapman, the ring leader, wondered why he was never inducted into the Hall of Fame.

To be continued.

Continued from Part I of 108 Red Stitches tribute to African American Ballplayers, part of a week long series honoring Dr. Marting Luther King, Jr.

After his discharge from the Army, Robinson soon found himself in a new uniform; the uniform of the Kansas City Monarchs, a baseball team in the Negro League. At the time Robinson began playing for the Monarchs, the Negro League had just suffered a setback in attempts to break down the color barrier in baseball. Major League baseball was looking for excuses to keep black players out of the league and eventually struck gold in the form of the black press. In his novel Baseball’s Great Experiment, Jules Tygiel discusses the actions of a prominent member of the black press, Sam Lacy.

“Lacy and other black writers frequently criticized the absence
of fundamentals in the Negro Leagues. Some black athletes
excelled in hitting or fielding or base running, Lacy contended,
but few demonstrated the all-around talent necessary for
success in the majors” (Tygiel; 84).

In attempts to jump start or motivate the players in the Negro Leagues, Lacy wrote “I am reluctant to say that we haven’t a single man in the ranks of colored baseball who could step into the major league uniform and disport himself after the fashion of a big leaguer” (Tygiel; 84). This comment gave the authorities of “white baseball” something to build off of. If their own press didn’t believe that blacks could play in the majors, why should we give them a chance to prove themselves?
Robinson would continue to play for the Monarchs as the racially driven debate continued. Robinson wasn’t the best player in the Negro Leagues, so it was a surprise to him when the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers approached him with an offer to play for his franchise. In an essay written by Peter Dreier titled “Jackie Robinson’s Legacy; Baseball, Race and Politics” the topic of “baseball’s great experiment” is discussed. Dreier writes;

“He (Branch Rickey) knew that if the Robinson ‘experiment’
failed, the cause of baseball integration would be set back for
many years thereafter. He could have chosen other Negro
League players greater talent or name recognition, but he
wanted someone who could be what today we call a ‘role-model’.
Robinson was articulate and well educated. Although born in the
segregated Deep South, he lived among whites in his Pasadena
neighborhood, at school, and in college, and he played on
integrated sports teams.” (44).

Branch Rickey invited members of the press to attend the signing of Robinson to a major league contract. Once the press realized why they had been invited, the room fell eerily quiet. The writers realized this was the beginning of a new era in baseball, and frankly, they did not know how to handle the situation. In a sign of the times Al Parsley, of the Montreal Herald, wrote in his article of Robinson “His color is the hue of ebony. By no means can he be called a brown bomber or a chocolate soldier” (Tygiel; 72). This was a chance for the members of the press to introduce a new ballplayer to the world, but all they could concentrate on was the color of his skin.
Members of the white press began to doubt Rickey’s selection of Robinson to break the barrier. Will Connally, a sportswriter from San Francisco, spearheaded that belief. Connally considered one of Robinson’s U.C.L.A. teammates, Kenny Washington, to be a better pioneer. Connally wrote “Kenny is a ‘white man’, a nice guy. [He] quoted Californians as saying, “Robinson, he’s a troublemaker” (Tygiel; 75-6).
The black press (or members within the black press) treated this situation far more differently than the white press did. Jules Tygiel writes “black newspapers placed the Robinson story on the front page, hailed the breakthrough in their editorials, and devoted a substantial proportion of their papers to the event” (Tygiel; 78-9). Robinson was quickly elevated to the same platform that held the likes of Joe Louis and Branch Rickey quickly became popular in many black communities.
Once Robinson signed on with the Dodgers, he was assigned to their farm team located in Montreal. The Dodgers hoped this would give him some shelter from the American media that would eventually try to break him. A year before Robinson would make his debut with the Dodgers, New York Times columnist Roscoe McGowen wrote in one of his articles “A bit of tradition was shattered today when Negroes were seated throughout the stands. Heretofore they have sat only in the small bleachers back of first base reserved for them. Possibly the Jackie Robinson influence...” (McGowen). In his essay “The Greatest Season, From Jackie Robinson to Sammy Sosa”, Roger Kahn writes about the task Robinson was about to undertake;

“With precious little help from the press, the umpires, and the
other ball players, Jackie Robinson integrated major league
baseball in 1947. [...] The policy of segregation that began in
1885 was unofficial and absolute. No documents attest to
baseball’s apartheid. There was simply an understanding among
every major league club owner and every minor league club owner
for more than sixty years that no blacks could play in so-called
organized ball.” (Kahn; 38).

Robinson’s entry into the league caused quite a stir amongst baseball officials. An article ran in the New York Times with different officials perspectives on Branch Rickey’s newest signing. Frank Shaughnessy, the president of the International League (where Robinson would play in the minors) confirmed what Kahn had written in his article on race relations in baseball;

“There’s no rule in baseball that says a Negro can’t play with a
club in organized ball. As long as any fellow’s the right type and
can make good and can get along with other players, he can play
ball” (Club Heads Give Views; 17).

Clark Griffith, the President of the Senators believed that baseball had no right “stealing” players from the Negro Leagues when he stated “The only question that occurs to me is whether organized ball has the right to sign a player from the Negro League. That is a well-established league and organized baseball shouldn’t take their players. The Negro league is entitled to full recognition as a full-fledged baseball organization” (Club Heads Give Views; 17). In short, Griffith was stating that blacks should stay where they belong, in the Negro Leagues. Horace Stoneham’s response to the signing of Robinson wasn’t much brighter; “the primary responsibility we have is finding places for our returning Service men, numbering into the hundreds, and only if they prove incapable will new players (blacks) be placed on our clubs.” (Club Heads Give Views; 17).

To be continued.

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, the staff here at 108 Red Stitches decided honor King's Legacy by writing about African American Pioneers in the game of baseball. First up, is "Hall of Famer" Jackie Robinson. Robinson is most famous for breaking baseball's color barrier while playing for the Dodgers. Often overlooked is the way the media and others treated him at the time. Here is the first installment of "Baseball's Great Experiment; Jackie Robinson".

The Constitution says that “all men are created equal”. African Americans served with honor throughout World War One and World War Two. In the North, many African Americans were beginning to realize the dreams their ancestors laid out before them. America, during the middle of the 1940’s and the early 1950’s was undergoing a period of change. Change (although slow at first) effected everything except for the heart of America; baseball. Baseball has been given the title “America’s Pastime”, and up until the end of the second World War, baseball had refused to break down the color barrier that had clouded the game. All that would change with the help of “the founder of the farm system” and a no-name from the Negro Leagues.

In the film “Field of Dreams” Terrance Mann (played by James Earl Jones) says;

“The one constant through all the years has been baseball.
America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been
erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball
has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past. It reminds us of all that once was good, and what could be again.”(baseball-almanac.com)


There has never been a greater quote used to describe baseball, and never has their been a quote like this that so accurately depicts what Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson were trying to accomplish during the Summer of 1947; erase America’s blackboard and rebuild it.

Born Jack Roosevelt Robinson on January 31, 1919, the son of a farmer from Cairo, Georgia would soon face one of life's many hardships that would shadow his life. His father, Jerry Robinson, (owner of a small farm) eventually grew weary of the monotonous motion of his life, and ran away to Florida with another woman. Jackie’s mother decided that Cairo was no place to raise her family, so they moved to Pasadena, California. In his book, Jackie Robinson, A Life Remembered, Maury Allen interviewed Mack Robinson, one of Jackie’s older brothers. Mac said “What my mother didn’t know, when she brought us here, what none of us knew, was that Pasadena was as prejudiced as any town in the South. They let us in alright, but they wouldn’t let us live” (Allen; 19).

Robinson would eventually attend UCLA because of the college’s proximity to his mother. There, Robinson excelled in football, basketball, and most importantly baseball. It was after his college days that Jackie Robinson began to show a glimpse of what was to come.

Just before being deployed oversees to fight in World War Two, Robinson engaged in a dispute that almost ended his military career in disgrace. Robinson got on a bus at Camp Hood (his military base located in Texas) to go to a hospital in Temple. Robinson decided to sit in one of the seats located in the middle of the bus and, eventually, an argument between Milton Renegar (the driver) and Robinson ensued. Renegar commanded Robinson to move to the back and threatened to cause trouble with his officers once they reached the hospital. Robinson refused. “Robinson had obeyed Texas law requiring Jim Crow seating on the bus. But he also knew that the Army now forbade segregation on its military bases” (Rampersad; 102). Things began to spiral out of control, and soon enough, Robinson found himself in front of a court martial panel. In one of Robinson’s biographies, Arnold Rampersad writes about the trail:

“Clearly, almost all of the whites involved were genuinely
mystified that Robinson disliked being badly treated. The white
private, Ben Mucklerath, denied that he had called Robinson a
nigger, as Robinson charged; but Corporal Elwood, the first MP
on the scene, testified the Mucklerath ‘came over to the pickup
and asked me if I got that nigger Lieutenant. Right then the
Lieutenant said, ‘ Look here, you s son-of-a-bitch, don’t you call
me no nigger’. (Rampersad; 107)

Robinson’s testimony to those hearing the court martial open a portal that reveals the strength and intestinal fortitude that he latter called upon when dealing with the media during his baseball career. Robinson took the stand, on his own free will, and delivered a speech that would effect the outcome of his trial;