PBS Special

[George II]

I just watched the PBS Special on Jackie Robinson, it's about to start again (11PM EST)

Made me proud and sad, and brought a tear to my eye.

I don't remember much of it, but when I was 10 years old my father took me to a game at Ebbets Field. Two of the players were Jackie Robinson and Henry Aaron.

[MADem]

1. It was beautifully done. I especially loved the comments by his wife, and the pictures of family

life.

I can't recommend it enough--for those of us of a certain age, it will bring back memories.

[rusty quoin]

2. Was it that good?

I recorded part one and earlier my DVR went to shits and wouldn't record. I will find part two later.

[George II]

3. Very good. But I was a little mistaken, the 11 PM show is Part 2. I'm sure they'll show it again.

[rusty quoin]

5. They always do. I appreciate what Ken Burns does.

[elleng]

8. Yes, and lots more history than Part 1.

[pangaia]

4. I was lucky enough to see him play several times at Ebbets Field.

Even as a then Yankees fann...sshhh.

[rusty quoin]

6. What was your thinking at the time as a kid.

Did you think..wow?

[pangaia]

9. I just loved baseball and still do.

I doubt I had an awareness that Robinson was doing anything out of the ordinary. I will say. I grew up in NJ..the group of kids I hung with even up to and through high school. .an Oklahoma "indian" whose father was called Chief, a black guy, a Jewish guy, a red headed Catholic guy, another named Bill Shakeseare, a Chinese guy and me..the WASP
That has for sure had a profound impression on me.

On edit.. forgot the "greasy" Italian.. )

[rusty quoin]

10. Yes. That's a good mix for back then. I'm sure it made you the person you are today.

How could it not. I love a mix. It makes us a stronger America, and screw nativism.

[elleng]

7. LUCKY you got to Ebbets Field!

The show brought several tears to my eyes; Part 1 not so much.

[George II]

11. Growing up in NYC during the 50s, we were all baseball fans. The three teams were...

...constantly rivaling each other - the Giants and Dodgers all season, then mostly the Dodgers and Yankees in the World Series.

Every year back then there was the "Mayor's Trophy Game", where two of the teams would play an exhibition game for charity. One year they had all three play - there were three "half innings", it was like a round robin!

For about ten years a New York team had the most valuable player in one or the other league, some years both teams. It was a great era for baseball, and baseball in NYC. There was always the perennial argument about who the best center fielder was - Mays, Mantle, or Snyder.

My father, Brooklyn born (as were 5 of 6 of us siblings), was heartbroken when the Dodgers moved to California.

[elleng]

12. I grew up in and near NYC too,

but somehow didn't get to a game til high school > Shea! Dad did take brother to Garden for basketball, tho.

Dad (and I) were born in Manhattan, and moved to Brooklyn (til I was 9.) I'm STILL pissed about 'LA' Dodgers! Saw Jackie Robinson on PBS, further affirming my pissedness!!!

[George II]

13. My first baseball game was at Yankee Stadium (my father got one set of tickets a year from work)....

....in the field boxes. We were poor, so that was a big luxury. He caught a foul ball at my first game ever! Second was later that year in Ebbets Field, again his company tickets. Both were 1956. Those were the last time I sat in field boxes until I was 45, up in Toronto.

We lived very close to Ebbets Field, in Bushwick. Then we moved to Flushing a couple of years before they built Shea Stadium. I scrimped and saved and got tickets for the first game at Shea Stadium ever ($2.50 each)