MLB Civil Right's Game 2014
by Joe Calvey
@joecalvey
jcalvey@aol.com
Major League Baseball's Civil Rights Game 2014 held in Houston this year presented an interesting group of people and facts. With the sports world still churning over the train wreck created by the NBA’s now reviled and seemingly bigoted owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, Donald Sterling, the game between the Astros and the Orioles went in the other direction. Major League Baseball offered packages to the game and it’s related round table and luncheon events at prices up to $25,000. With 5 African-Americans on it’s active roster Houston has a higher percentage (20%) of African-American players than MLB’s average (8%).
The centerpiece of the event’s activities was to have been an appearance by poet laureate (and former madam) Maya Angelou to receive MLB’s Beacon Award. The award is to recognize those who have fought for equality for all Americans. Health concerns prevented her travel to Houston to address a luncheon crowd. Sadly, Angelou would pass away the week of the game. However her taped remarks were played to the crowd during the pre-game ceremonies. It’s pretty doubtful the majority of the hot dog chomping, beer swilling crowd or the kids clamoring for autographs had any idea who she was.
The other two honorees this year were Berry Gordy the Motown music producer and Jim Brown, the NFL running back widely regarded as the best football player ever who abandoned his athletic career for a career in the movies. Gordy is best known for taking young artists like Diana Ross and the Supremes, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye to stardom where they transcended race in America and abroad. Brown, who is often called Hollywood’s first black action hero for his long run of successful movie roles who also founded in 1988 Amer-I-Can a youth program that works with gang members to turn their lives around.
Past recipients of the award that began in 2007 to recall Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier include Bill Cosby, Muhammad Ali, Hank Aaron, former Orioles player and manager Frank Robinson (pictured above), rock musician Carlos Santana the only Hispanic recipient and tennis great Billie Jean King the only white recipient. King is best known for winning the Battle of the Sexes against Bobby Riggs, multiple titles at Wimbledon and eventually declaring her sexuality.
Both teams would wear Negro League uniforms for this game, the visiting Orioles would wear the Baltimore Elite Giants gray uniform while the home town Astros would wear the bright white uniform of the Houston Eagles. Flannel however gave way to polyester knits. Of course nothing screams civil rights like a 7' green mascot named Orbit who hails from the Grand Slam Galaxy wearing the Houston Eagles jersey and ball cap.
Both Gordy and Brown were brought to the area between first base and home plate sitting high aboard a Chevy Camaro convertible. One white, one black.
When Berry Gordy joined Jim Brown along the baseline, both wearing their Beacon medal around their neck, the crowd erupted in approval for these two superstars. Clearly elated Gordy raised his right arm with his fist clenched while Brown waved and smiled. During the 1968 Olympics this became known as the Black Power salute when runners Tommy Smith and John Carlos did it from the winner’s podium during the playing of the USA National Anthem. Lost in the ensuing furor was that all three of the medal winning athletes wore a human rights patch that day on their uniforms. Smith and Carlos were expelled from the Olympic Village and the US team.
Following Gordy and Brown’s introduction and the ensuing adulation a member of the USA 1968 Olympic team, Gold Medalist and former Heavyweight Champion of the World George Foreman, was introduced. He walked to the mound and threw out the first pitch and then waved to the crowd smiling the entire time. Once again the crowd roared it’s approval.
Likely no one had noticed that Big George earlier had ambled in under his own power to no fanfare then sat in a folding chair while Gordy and Brown were being driven in. Foreman was widely criticized by fellow African-Americans following those 68 Olympics for waving an American Flag after winning the Gold Medal. American cities at that time were torn apart by race riots but according to Foreman no athlete ever criticized him for waving the flag. Though still a teenager in interviews following the games Foreman defended Smith and Carlos and spoke highly of freedom in America.
But on this night at this Civil Rights Game 2014 Foreman did not wear the Negro League attire but rather the everyday Astro's jersey and ball cap. Once again Big George went his own way. All three posed for pictures and George asked Gordy to sign his baseball.
This is where the Beacon Award selection committee (Bud Selig?) needs to look for it’s next recipients. The committee needs to select George Foreman, Tommy Smith, John Carlos and posthumously Australian Peter Norman, the white fellow who shared the podium that day long ago in Mexico City and who despite qualifying for the Australian Olympic team 13 times in subsequent years was ostracized and left off the team for his support of Smith, Carlos and human rights.
Recording artist Aloe Blacc performed before the game.
22 year MLB veteran Dave Winfield was on hand at Minute Maid Park.