We mentioned in yesterday's story that Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider were teammates as Brooklyn Dodgers and Montréal Royals. And I noted, from first-hand knowledge, that Robinson has a statue outside Olympic Stadium.
Now Robinson's Montréal apartment has been honored with a plaque in a ceremony that featured the United States Consulate General and U.S. ambassador to Canada. The words (above) in English and French honor the significance of Robinson's pro debut in Montréal.
The Robinsons lived on DeGaspe Avenue in a French neighborhood. The apartment was near Delorimier Stadium, where the Royals played, and Jarry Park Stadium, the first home of Les Expos.
What is significant beyond the simple honoring of a great pioneer and baseball player is the contrast in what the Robinsons saw in the United States vs. Canada.
From the Montréal Gazette story:
The Robinsons were met with racism at every turn with whites-only hotels, restaurants, washrooms, flights and even rival ballparks and the teams which occupied them. But it was a complete reversal of things in Canada.
“When my father and mother were in Montreal, they were welcomed and the fans were great. It was a very positive experience,” said (daughter) Sharon. “When they were on the road, it was a completely different situation.
And the story from ESPN.com:
De Gaspe Avenue was predominantly French, but language didn't stop Rachel Robinson from making friends, especially when it became clear she was pregnant. The women would give her ration coupons and help sew maternity clothes.
A couple with eight children lived above the Robinsons. While Rachel couldn't speak to them, she'd leave them a bowl of fruit on the porch.
"The children had to come down and pass my kitchen door to go to school, so I used to put fruit out just to attract them and they'd stop by on their way," she said.
The children would reciprocate, rushing down the street to help her with her grocery bags as she walked home.
"Little things [like] that turn into big pieces of your experience," Robinson said. "They were friendly, they were protective, they were supportive and it was not something that I'd have expected."
While Jackie Robinson died at a relatively young 53 in 1972, his widow, Rachel Robinson, is still alive, though she was unable to attend the ceremony.
Robinson talked in a letter (for the ceremony) about having to deal with rough treatment in the Jim Crow South. There was a lot of pressure on Jackie and his family, and being able to play his first professional season in a place that didn't think of Robinson's skin color was crucial in a way that is difficult to put into words.
So we'll end this with words from someone who knows better than anyone currently alive: Rachel Robinson:
"We were still shaken from that experience and didn't know what to expect in Montréal. We knew that this was a noble experiment sponsored by Branch Rickey to integrate Major League Baseball against serious opposition and Jack's shot at playing in the major leagues,” she continued. "We couldn't afford to fail.
"In the end, Montreal was the perfect place for him to get his start. We never had a threatening or unpleasant experience there. The people were so welcoming and saw Jack as a player and as a man."
Screen grab courtesy of MontréalGazette.com
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