Just in case you’re one of those people who thinks we don’t need to have Jackie Robinson Day every year. (Why you’re reading this blog if you think that way, I’m not quite sure.)
caryn- i want to use that top pic in my American History class. I just started teaching the civil rights movement. Do you have any idea what the $64 reference means?
The $64,000 Question had its roots in the CBS radio quiz show, Take It or Leave It, which ran from April 21, 1940, to July 27, 1947, hosted first by Bob Hawk (1940-41) and then by Phil Baker (1941-47). In 1947, the series switched to NBC, hosted at various times by Baker, Garry Moore (1947-49), Eddie Cantor (1949-50) and Jack Paar (beginning June 11, 1950). On September 10, 1950, Take It or Leave It changed its title to The $64 Question. Paar continued as host, followed by Baker (March 1951-December 1951) and Paar (back on December 1951). The series continued on NBC Radio until June 1, 1952.
On both Take It or Leave It and The $64 Question, contestants were asked questions devised by the series’ writer-researcher Edith Oliver. She attempted to make each question slightly more difficult than the preceding one. After answering a question correctly, the contestant had the choice to “take” the prize for that question or “leave it” in favor of a chance at the next question. The first question was worth one dollar, and the value doubled for each successive question, up to the seventh and final question, worth 64 dollars.
62 Mets Fan! Awesome! Thank you!!
very cool… thanks… i didn’t want to use it in class and not know… tommorrow i will open my lesson with this… perhaps i’ll convert some young reds/pirates/indinas fans to yankee haters…
What’s insane to me is that the red sox didn’t integrate until 1959, 12 years after Robinson’s debut.I found this nice website with a timeline of baseball’s integration and other things that were happening in the world at the time, I thought you might like it.
http://www.thediamondangle.com/marasco/negleg/timeline.html
Ah, yes. Pumpsie Green. Who turned up on the Mets in 1963.
Tom Yawkey was not the best owner for anyone, was he? (Understatement.)
kelsey - the most telling thing for me was at the Negro Leagues Museum, where the first exhibit is a map that shows you the timeline. I would have photos, except that they don’t allow them! (it’s one reason I still don’t have my writeup up)
Boston was so - glaring. And the Yankees just make me angry.
By the way, I went to the game yesterday; it is both awesome and disorienting to see all those #42s on the field on both teams. If I can find the connector for my camera, there will be pictures.
Most disgusting were the Washington Redskins. They were forced to field their first African-American player by the NFL in 1970!!! Outrageous.
update… the lesson went swimingly, as my occasional sport peppered history lecture/discussions often do… one funny remark from a kid “you must really hate the yankees a lot to go out of your way to dig that picture up” to which i replied “a little blogging birdie provided it” thanks again… i’ve got a feeling reading you will make me feel closer to ny this summer than i felt in a long time…
That poster is amazing. Thanks for posting. I will say, though, making wearing #42 mandatory somehow takes away from the specialness of wearing it.
According to the MLB website, every player has been asked to wear #42 today.
And there will be special ceremonies at New Shea. (I like it.)