QUOTE(Walking Disaster @ Nov 28 2005, 07:13 PM) [snapback]434197[/snapback]
I don't like the idea of celebrating the career of a person who used his power and influence to segregate the game based on his racist beliefs. For that reason alone I don't believe his number should be retired. If anything, he hurt the franchise.
Here's an extremely
well-documented piece on racism and the Red Sox... snippet:
The April 16 evening edition of the Globe carried a brief piece–credited to the Associated Press–reporting that in addition to Woodall and Duffy, Boston manager Joe Cronin also witnessed the tryout. The account noted that "During a friendly discussion after the workout Muchnick argued the American game should conform with the tradition of democracy.... His comment drew a response from the Red Sox that no Negroe [sic] had ever sought a place on the team."41 The next day a much briefer account appeared that quoted Duffy referring to the three men as "Pretty good ballplayers."42 The Herald also reported that Cronin watched the workout and "exhibited interest in the work of Robinson," and that Hugh Duffy called the players "'fine fellows' but he did not care to make a definite decision as to their ability after a single workout."43 Reports in the Post, Traveler, and American made no note of Cronin,44 although in later interviews Cronin always asserted he attended.45 The Post claimed "no statement was made as to the impression the players made,"46 whereas the American stated, "those who saw the players said they appeared to have considerable ability."47 The Traveler even maintained that the players were invited to return the next day for a second workout.48 36
Joe Cashman's story in the Record provided the most detailed account. While it included the previously cited quotation from Cronin, Cashman also wrote that Cronin saw only a portion of the tryout and that the three players did not take batting practice. Cashman concluded, "Further observation may result in the Red Sox signing one of the trio and then schooling them at one of the Sox farms–Louisville, Durham or Roanoke–will be required so that the candidates ability in competition can be noted."49 37
Initially, the African American press reacted optimistically to the tryout. The Boston Guardian's Doc Kountze contacted the Red Sox soon afterwards and Duffy told him the three players were "Good boys ... hustlers. We were glad to give them a tryout. They're the same as anybody else.... Got a soul the same as I have.... Deserve the same chance as anybody."50 38
Several weeks later, Wendell Smith confidently reported that Robinson, Williams, and Jethroe were "anxiously waiting to hear from the management of the Boston Red Sox," but noted that due to a broken leg manager Joe Cronin "may not be free to consider the applications of the three fellows until he is well again."51 Such anxious waiting would be in vain. Meanwhile, Cronin's injury notwithstanding, at least one of the white amateurs who supposedly attended the workout that same morning, Milward Quinn, signed a minor league contract.52 39
Clearly, the Red Sox chose not to sign either Williams, Jethroe, or Robinson. To be fair, they reacted in the same fashion as every other major league team at the time, even Branch Rickey's Dodgers. Signing any one of the three players to a contract in 1945 would have flouted convention and demonstrated courage not yet apparent in the front office of any major league team. And in regard to Robinson, he had, after all, played only five games of organized baseball of any kind over the preceding three years. Of course we were the last franchise with a black player, in 1959. Was Cronin's injury a ploy to delay until the 1945 decision no longer had to be made?
Why isn't Cronin's number already retired? Because of his reputation for racism, perhaps?