MLB Network, starved for fresh programming with the start of the 2020 baseball season indefinitely delayed due to COVID-19, decided to begin their annual tribute to Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson a wee bit early this year.
This weekend has seen the broadcast of an MLB Productions special, Letters From Jackie: The Private Thoughts of Jackie Robinson, which aired earlier tonight. Curtis Granderson, then with the Yankees, served as host-narrator. I cannot be sure whose voice is heard reading Robinson's letters, though it sure sounds like Allstate pitchman Dennis Haysbert ("Major League", ex-24, The Unit). Regardless of who it is, the actor is uncredited.
Ronald Rabinovitz, a personal friend and correspondent of Robinson's, posted the video:
Yes, the program was padded out to a full hour on MLB Network for commercials. It was released on DVD 2 years after its initial broadcast, but good luck trying to find it.
Rating: A.
My father was a Brooklyn native and naturally, a Brooklyn Dodgers fan. He used to tell me that most fans did NOT like Robinson joining the team. He had to prove himself as far as they were concerned. He eventually did, but even back then, Brooklyn folks weren't crazy about that kind of change.
ReplyDeleteHe also told me people spat on the name, O'Malley forever after the team moved to CA.
The O'Malley part I've read about for years.
ReplyDelete