Robinson’s daughter epitomizes hero’s life ‘Jackie’s Nine’ destined for true baseball fans

JACKIE’S NINE: JACKIE ROBINSON’S VALUES TO LIVE BY, by Sharon Robinson, Scholastic Inc., New York, 2001, 181 pages, $15.95.

We all know of Jackie Robinson as a sports hero, a breaker of the color barrier in baseball. Playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was the first black man to sign with a major league team. In the face of ugly confrontations with racist fans, opponents, and even teammates, he learned not to stoop to the level of his tormentors, to turn the other cheek, to maintain his dignity in difficult situations.

The challenges Robinson faced in his private life were as daunting as those he encountered playing in the field. Now his only daughter, Sharon Robinson, has given us a truly intimate look at the man she knew as Dad. “Jackie’s Nine: Jackie Robinson’s Values to Live By” is a must read for any true baseball fan. Unlike many biographies that follow a strict chronological format, this fitting tribute is organized around the virtues Robinson epitomized in his life: courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. In each section there is an episode from Robinson’s life, one from Sharon’s, and the thoughts and memories of another person whose life exemplifies that virtue.

One of the most poignant vignettes is Robinson’s own account of a trip to spring training with his wife, Rachel. In New Orleans, they were bumped from a connecting flight. Unable to find a restaurant that would serve them, they settled into a filthy, run-down hotel for the remainder of their 12-hour “brief delay.” In Pensacola, Fla., they were again bumped to make room for a white couple. Changing to a Greyhound bus, they had to move to the back with uncomfortable, nonreclining seats to make room for white passengers. Inwardly filled with rage, Robinson swallowed his pride and choked back his anger. He felt that he had no right to endanger his wife or the other black athletes following in his footsteps.

“In the dark, Rachel was quietly crying, but I didn’t know that until years later. She was crying for me, and not out of self-pity. She felt badly because she knew I felt helpless. She hoped I realized that she knew how much strength it took to take these in

justices and not strike back.”

In strong contrast is the joy Robinson expressed when his son, Jackie, was cured of drug addiction. In gratitude, he and Rachel held a picnic for Jackie’s Daytop (rehabilitation facility) family. At the end of the event, his boy hugged him.

“That single moment paid for every bit of sacrifice, every bit if anguish I had ever undergone,” Robinson recalls. “I had my son back.”

Sharon’s memories of her own younger years and the stories of other heroes and heroines complement Robinson’s life. Elizabeth Eckford describes the hostility she encountered integrating Central High. Marion Wright Edelman explains the roots of her need to serve and advocate for poor people and children. Christopher Reeve talks about his daily struggle against anger and depression.

After retiring from baseball, Robinson played an active role in the civil rights movement and established a construction company to put the American dream of home ownership within the reach of families with modest incomes. When he was honored in a game of the 1972 World Series, he reminded fans of the injustices that remained in the world of professional sports. It’s no wonder that the Rev. Jesse Jackson once said:

“A champion wins a World Series or an Olympic event and is hoisted on the shoulders of teammates and fans. A hero carries the people on his shoulders. Champions live for the moment – heroes, like Jackie Robinson, transcend time.”