Eye On The Ball: Wichita Artist Looks To Inspire Others With Jackie Robinson Tribute kmuw.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kmuw.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Columnist
Today, we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the handshake of Youngstown native George Shuba with Jackie Robinson, a defining moment in civil rights and a consequential addition to Mahoning Valley history.
Rookie first basemen Jackie Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers’ minor league affiliate Montreal Royals. He hit a three-run home run, and as he crossed home plate, Shuba instinctively raised his hand to congratulate him. The iconic scene will be captured in a statue of Shuba and Robinson in downtown Youngstown, to be dedicated in late summer.
George Shuba’s handshake was groundbreaking the first interracial handshake in professional baseball.
Jackie Robinson
Photo Credit: Jackie Robinson Foundation
Jack Roosevelt Robinson said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” Robinson’s impact on baseball, and society was monumental.
On April 15, 1947, Robinson became the first Black man in the 20th century to play Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to Robinson’s courageous move, Black baseball players were segregated in the Negro Leagues. Their accomplishments and athletic abilities were not recognized in white society.
Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia in 1919 to a family of sharecroppers. His mother moved her five children to California to escape segregation but racism soon followed. The Robinsons were the only Black family in a predominantly white neighbourhood.