The 60th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson.

I wouldn't say I was hesitant to write about the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball today so much as I wasn't sure what to say. I am hardly qualified to speak to just how important this moment was other than to say it is one of the most important moments in American history. Sports is often taken far too seriously but the importance of Jackie Robinson being the first black major league player can't be underestimated. In 1947 baseball was still America's true past time and held far more of the publics attention than people realize and far more than it does now. The opposition to Robinson's joining the Brooklyn Dodgers was tremendous, and the courage Robinson had to have to face the racial taunts, hate mail and death threats he received is simply incredible.

To put it in perspective, Robinson played second base for the Dodgers eight years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus and 10 years before Martin Luther King, Jr. became a prominent figure in the civil rights movement. It is not incorrect to say Robinson was a true civil rights pioneer.

While a lot has been made recently about the diminishing number of black players in the major leagues, I don't think Mr. Robinson would be the least bit disappointed. For him it was not about having 50% or 60% of the players being black, it was simply about black players having the opportunity to play baseball should they be good enough to have the chance. Because of him they now have that opportunity.

I don't think whether one player from each team, all the minority players in the league, or every single player in the league wears number 42 today is really important, as long as all the players understand just how significant that number is today 60 years after Jackie Robinson wore it and helped change history.