 Welcome to Yes, We're Here special Jackie Robinson edition, and I am pleased to be joined by Hall of Fame or Reggie Jackson. Of course, we can spend a whole show on Reggie's exploits and Major League Baseball, his Hall of Fame career, one of the greatest sluggers of all time. But with the Jackie Robinson anniversary coming up, 73 years ago, on April 15th, Jackie broke the color barrier. We wanted to get Reggie's thoughts and about Jackie's legacy and what Jackie Robinson actually means to you, Reg. Gosh, you know, Kenny, when you, when you say it that way, what he means to me, I think what he means to so many people. I've always thought of Jackie Robinson being a national treasure. One that both whites and blacks were would be proud of and happy to honor. I've always thought of the O'Malley relationship that he had, not only branch Ricky branch Ricky had to get permission from the O'Malley's to take the chance and the risk. At the time what it which it was to bring Jackie on the field to bring him to the major leagues because many teams, whether it was Philadelphia, Detroit or the Cardinals would refuse to take the field. If Jackie was going to be on the field. It certainly impacted the financial success of the Dodgers you don't get people in the ballpark and certainly you can understand that now. No people no parking no concessions. No support for salaries, etc. And you understand the importance of the fan. You know also understood understood the importance of or the intestinal fortitude the commitment sociologically and philosophically of the O'Malley family to stand behind Jackie Robinson and support Jackie and branch Ricky. Yeah, when I think of his legacy I think of what he meant to the country itself what he's done for the country and and show the people if they work together they can work for a common goal. I have the fortune of growing up in New York and my dad was a big Dodger fan because of Jackie Robinson, Don Newcomb and Roy Campanella and Jim Gilliam those are the first African American or black players on the Dodgers. But it was Jackie who did a lot of the heavy lifting for all of us to be honest with you. And I think of the fact that though some of the stuff he had to listen to from the fans and his own teammates and certainly from the opposition and was able to get through all that and have a hall of fame career But six of those years he was an all star six of those years is Dodgers played in the World Series. Unfortunately for them they played the Yankees all six times they only won once, but the fact is that he was such a leader. And after his career was over. He took up civil rights issues as well so I think this, this is a unique man, and they certainly chose the right man to do this. Agreed. I know Branch Ricky had went and looked for talk to the owner of Montreal and also talk to the Dodgers had many conversations that they thought that Jackie would be the right guy. I always remember Larry Dobie saying gosh, I was the first guy in the American League but I just don't think I could have done it. And I know myself, when I went to New York it was doing some social inequitable times if you will if I could say it that way, but certainly where there was anti-Semitism around for it was for sure. Racism around and clicks around for sure among the league in the league on the teams that I played for played with played against all that stuff lived and I couldn't have taken it. I know I could but I didn't have the makeup for it. There were things that constantly were in my mind as a player, as a player was a big deal to be black and hit clean up for the Yankees believe it or not. Those were comments that I heard and I just didn't get it. I was very fortunate to have had an owner that was a bit of a renegade, plowed through problems if you will and was really about me being a good player, about me being a great player. As much of the battles that people thought Thurman Munson and I had, he was supportive of me coming to the team. And so I say all that to say that, you know, I had a, I guess a greater understanding. I've always had a great and just admiration for Jackie, his family, his wife, Rachel. I still believe was an angel that still lives. She's in her mid 90s. Her daughter Sharon, they're still special people and part of baseball. I do now understand or believe that most players have a great understanding of who Jackie was what he did to commitments that he made for them. There are some players that don't know, but, you know, I think he asked for bringing this kind of thing out and, you know, to have this conversation to remind people, you know, what Jackie did is very important. Of course, baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson every April 15. And I think that's a good thing to keep this going forever. I had a chance to meet him once. And I really couldn't speak. All that while I was just flabbergasted. This is the man standing next to me. And I'm glad I didn't really say that much because I really would have sounded in and out. And I just, I was just forward that I got a chance to meet Jackie Robinson. You know, I met Jackie in 1972 at the World Series. He was going blind. You know, but I had my encounters or my experiences. When I was a young kid, we went to Shide Park. That's that's the area of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Phillies ballpark, Connie Max Stadium. It was built in the Shide area and that was a minority community. And I remember going there and we only went when the Dodgers or the Giants went. And my favorite player was, of course, Jackie Robinson, but I had a real affection for left hand hitter by the name of Duke Snyder. And I remember going to those games and all the colored folk, we sat out in left field bleachers and there was no shame for it. That's just the way it was. That's the way, you know, things were at the time. And after the game, we would go around where the players came out of the ballpark and got on the bus. And I could get on the ground, crawl between people and stick my head out and watch the players get on the bus. And I watched Jackie Robinson. They all wore a jacket and tie, you know, back in those days. And I looked up at him. It's just a little five, six year old from attending the game. We'd wait outside maybe an hour and a half and just a little short walk, maybe 15 feet from the door of the clubhouse to where they got into the bus. And I'll never forget that, you know, experience. I also read that Jackie Robinson sort of barnstormed in the wintertime. You know, he would go play in different places. And like you, he was a great all around athlete. He not only played baseball, a lot of people thought that was one of his worst sports. He ran track, he played basketball. He was a, you know, a football star at UCLA. I know you played football at the Arizona State. But when Jackie was finally signed, it was, it was a monetary thing. He could make more money playing baseball. And that's why he signed and eventually got to the big leagues. And, and to, to think about everything that you went through just to get to that point of being a major league Hall of Fame baseball player that opened up the doors for the Hankins and the Willie Maze's and McCuvey's and Ernie Banks. A lot of these guys also played in the Negro leagues. And then the next generation players like yourself and me and all the guys that we played with. And just think that the Jackie Robinson's legacy is not only for black players. It is for the Asian players that have come over from the Far East to play. It is for Latin American players like Roberto Clemente, who were able to make it to the big leagues. This is a legacy for all people. He has made the game of baseball. At least he started to make the game of baseball a better game overall that all of us could enjoy. And when I think about baseball now and the, the game that it is and the profitable game that it is, it wouldn't have been that way unless Jackie made that first step way back in 1947. You know, I really think that the only person that, that I could compare Jackie to is Martin Luther King. I think he had just as much impact or even more. But I would put them on an even keel of really making a significant difference that benefited everybody in the country. And I mean black and white, it was a real conduit, a real bridge of social inequity, if you will, because I could see whites and blacks rooting together. And I'll never forget the picture when Pee Wee Reese and Jackie was getting booed and they were calling them names and throwing stuff on the field and refusing to go on the field. And Pee Wee Reese walked over from shortstop and put his arm around Jackie Robinson. And that really made a huge difference. Those are the things that are imprinted in my mind. The Reggie, I want to thank you, great memories, not only of yourself, but thanks for talking about Jackie Robinson. As we celebrate the 73rd anniversary of Jackie breaking the cul-of-barry on the major leagues and taking the way for players like you and myself and many, many others all around the world. We really appreciate it. Another thing we appreciate and I think you'll agree with me is all our first responders and our doctors and nurses during this time of the coronavirus who are trying to take care of us all and keep us all well so we can all return back to the game we love. And Reggie, I will see you down the road. Be safe, my friend, and Godspeed. Thank you. Kenny, I'm going to say a ditto to what you just said and thank you so much for giving me the opportunity today. See you next time.