Colleagues –

I have to admit that I am a bit shocked by the tone and direction this exchange has taken.  Robinson was unquestionably more than a pioneer.  The courage that it takes to do what he did is something that most post-civil rights era Americans (black or white) would never understand.  Certainly in the world we live in today in which people are unwilling to sacrifice the “self” for a cause such as equal rights, I wonder if the movement would have happened at all.  I can tell you I admire Robinson most of all not because of his talent, but because I would not have had the courage myself to do what he did.

Having said this, I think it is tremendously unfair to compare Clemente’s tribulations with those of Robinson and argue whether the retirement of the number 21 is more or less deserving base on that.  Particularly when it appears evident that some of those who have commented are less than knowledgeable on Clemente’s life and tribulations.  Certainly, Robinson endured horrors that Clemente did not.  Clemente did, however, endure horrors that Robinson did not.  Clemente, just as an example, endured a hostile press who delighted in quoting him phonetically to purposefully make fun of his accent or his broken English.  And if you take the time to read a couple of biographies on Clemente, particularly those contemporary to his death, you would find that Clemente did endure a significant share of abuse.   Can we said in good faith that one man’s enduring of their tribulations were more deserving than the other?  I dare say that Dr. King himself would be the first one to say this is an unfair and misguided debate.  Before Robinson, many African-American and Latinos suffered discrimination in baseball.  I am sure you are not unfamiliar with stories of great black pitchers in the minors whose white teammates purposefully dropped balls, etc. to ensure their black teammate would not register a win – or all the physical and verbal abuse they endured from fans, managers, teammates, owners, or the press.  Everyone of us “stand on the shoulders of giants” that came before us and contributed to minorities being able to play on equal footing.  Clemente did; and so did Robinson.

Whether number 21 should be retired – an issue for which I offer no opinion – should be debated and based on whether Clemente’s achievements on and off the field deserve the honor and not whether he is comparable to Robinson.  Robinson deserved the honor.  To honor others who may also be deserving does not lessen Robinson’s legacy or memory.   Similarly, to deny honor to others who may also deserved based on whether they could ever be compare to Robinson is unfair.  So, let’s talk about whether Clemente deserves the honor, not whether Clemente is comparable to Robinson.  Each is unique, in their contribution to baseball, to humanity, and in what they endured.  To say you can measure one against the other on things other than stats is a fallacy. 

Saludos,

g