Bill Text: NY K00079 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Commemorating the 100th Birthday of Jackie Robinson, a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers known for breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 28-13)

Status: (Passed) 2019-02-11 - adopted [K00079 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-K00079-Introduced.html

Assembly Resolution No. 79

BY: M. of A. Perry

        COMMEMORATING   the   100th   Birthday  of  Jackie
        Robinson, a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers known for
        breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball

  WHEREAS, It is with noble admiration and pride that this Legislative
Body joyfully pays just recognition to those  respected  athletes  whose
bravery,  skill  and quiescent dignity brought extraordinary humanity to
both the game of baseball and society, contributing to  the  integration
of that sport; and

  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative  Body is justly proud to commemorate the
100th Birthday of Jackie Robinson, a  member  of  the  Brooklyn  Dodgers
known for breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball; and

  WHEREAS,  In  recognition  of  what  would  have  been  the baseball
legend's 100th Birthday, his family members were given a key to the City
of Brooklyn on Thursday, January 31, 2019, at Brooklyn Borough Hall; and

  WHEREAS, In addition, the centennial of his birth marks the  opening
of  an  exhibit  at  the  Museum of the City of New York titled, "In the
Dugout with Jackie Robinson: An Intimate Portrait of a Baseball Legend";
the exhibit features memorabilia and 32 photographs, as well as  footage
of  Robinson  hitting grounders to his son in the backyard of the family
home in Stamford, Connecticut; and

  WHEREAS, On  April  15,  1947,  Jackie  Robinson  became  the  first
African-American  to  play  in  a  Major  League  Baseball game, when he
started at first base  for  the  Brooklyn  Dodgers  against  the  Boston
Braves; and

  WHEREAS, Born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, Jack Roosevelt
Robinson,  or  Jackie  as  he  was known, was raised along with his four
brothers and sisters by his mother in Pasadena, California; and

  WHEREAS, An athlete of outstanding physical skills with  a  burning,
single-minded   desire   for   victory,  Jackie  Robinson  attended  the
University of California, Los Angeles, where  he  won  an  unprecedented
four varsity letters in four different sports: track, football, baseball
and basketball; and

  WHEREAS, During World War II, Jackie Robinson enlisted in the United
States  Army  where  he  rose  to  the rank of Second Lieutenant and was
honorably discharged after two years; and

  WHEREAS,  Upon  the  completion  of  his  military  service,  Jackie
Robinson  began  playing  with  the  Kansas  City  Monarchs of the Negro
National League; he was later signed to a major league baseball contract
by Branch Rickey and assigned to the Dodgers' Montreal farm team of  the
International League in 1946; and

  WHEREAS,  In  1947,  at  the  age  of 28, Jackie Robinson joined the
Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League and led the team  to  its  first
pennant since 1941; during the season, he hit .297, scored 125 runs, and

led  the  league  in  stolen  bases with 29, and was named Rookie of the
Year; and

  WHEREAS,  Instrumental  in  leading  the Dodgers to six World Series
appearances in 10 years, Jackie Robinson was named Most Valuable  Player
in 1949, when he led the league in batting and stolen bases; and

  WHEREAS,  For a time when Jackie Robinson played for the Dodgers, he
resided at 5224 Tilden Avenue  in  the  58th  New  York  State  Assembly
District;  today, this home is known as the Jackie Robinson House and is
listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and

  WHEREAS, Jackie Robinson retired from  baseball  in  1957,  and  was
elected  to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, in 1962,
a fitting climax to an illustrious career that triumphed over  adversity
and  led the way for other African-American baseball players to emulate;
and

  WHEREAS, On June 4, 1972, the Dodgers retired his No. 42 uniform  in
on-field ceremonies at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California; all of
Major  League  Baseball  saluted him in 1997, on the 50th Anniversary of
his breaking the color barrier, and retired his number permanently  from
the game; and

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  sense  of  this  Legislative  Body to commend
individuals of historical  significance  who  have  contributed  to  the
richness  and  ethnic diversity of the history of New York State and our
Nation; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commemorate  the  100th  Birthday  of  Jackie  Robinson, a member of the
Brooklyn Dodgers known for breaking the color barrier  in  Major  League
Baseball; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Jackie Robinson.
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