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This year marks a number of milestones in the legacy of Jackie Robinson (1919-”™72), the Brooklyn Dodgers second baseman and Stamford resident who broke Major League Baseball”™s color barrier in 1947.
To celebrate his life and achievements, the Greenwich Historical Society will present a Tuesday, April 18, talk by Kostya Kennedy, author of “True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson.” His talk will offer an account of four transformative years in Robinson”™s career ”“ 1946, his first year playing in the essentially all-white minor leagues; 1949, when he won the Most Valuable Player Award as a Dodger; 1956, his final season in baseball, when he played despite health struggles; and 1972, the year of his death.
“We are privileged to have New York Times best-selling author Kostya Kennedy bring Robinson”™s amazing career to life for us with details not revealed in previous biographies,” said Stephanie Barnett, public programs manager for the historical society. “It”™s an especially timely topic following on the heels of the 50th anniversary of his death, the 75th anniversary of his professional baseball debut and Jackie Robinson Day, which is celebrated each year on April 15th by all major league teams for his contribution in breaking the color barrier.”
Robinson figures prominently in “Sports! More Than Just a Game,” the historical society”™s
exhibit of local sporting culture, which showcases how athletes in Greenwich and surrounding communities broke boundaries, tested their limits and found common ground through athletic achievement. It will be on view through Sept. 3.
For more, and to register, click here.
