Another reason the new stadium should be named for Jackie Robinson can be found along a snaking road that connects Brooklyn to Queens and Long Island that used to be called The Interboro Parkway. It is a terrible road with sharp curves and narrow lanes, and I know because I’ve driven along it many times in my life. The traffic is always backed up along this route; it has only two lanes going in either direction, and the precipitous turns and short exit and entrance ramps make drivers slow down for safety. Back in 1972, my 18-year-old cousin was killed in an accident while riding his motorcycle along its most dangerous stretch through Cypress Hills, where quite fittingly there are cemeteries on either side of the road.
I guess you can understand why I've never felt fondly about The Interboro Parkway, that is until a few years ago when the name was changed to The Jackie Robinson Parkway to honor the groundbreaking ballplayer from the Brooklyn Dodgers. It was along this curving thoroughfare that winds its way through Brooklyn cemeteries and Queens parklands that Mets manager Willie Randolph’s father used to drive him from Brooklyn into Queens to see Mets games. Little did young Willie know that the parkway would one day be renamed for the great Jackie Robinson whom he so admired or that he would be the skipper (and first black manager) of the team that he so loved.
As I watched the presentation about the new stadium (I saw it here in New York City on the new Mets Channel SNY), I knew many people would be excited by this development, but I felt it was bittersweet for I have so many memories connected to that place. Shea is hallowed ground for Mets fans: most notably left field, where Cleon Jones genuflected as he squeezed the fly ball for out number three and the Mets first World Series victory in 1969, and the mound, where Jesse Orosco threw that last strike of the 1986 World Series.
It has also been a site for rock concerts, visits by the Pope, and a venue for other conventions and convocations. Most hallowed of all ground is the area around second base that should be preserved forever to mark the place where the stage stood for the legendary Beatles' appearance in 1965. Before the Beatles, no rock and roll act could have sold out a 57,000-seat stadium, but they were like no other band before or since. I recall reading once that John always said that the concert at Shea Stadium was not only his most exciting performance as a Beatle, but also was the defining moment for the band in terms of popularity and their legacy.
Article comments
1 - Gary Berman
A fitting legacy indeed!
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
Victor, nice proposal. Can we name the toilets after Mo Vaughn?
3 - Victor Lana
Suss, we can name the toilets after Big Mo only if the garbage disposal system is named in Bobby Bonilla's honor. Now, if I could just think of something apropos for Richie Hebner, Stork Theodore, and Bret Saberhagen (maybe Waste Management?)
4 - J. P. Spencer
It's a lovely idea. Unfortunately, in this time of extreme commerce, naming a stadium after Jackie Robinson won't make anyone any money in the Mets front office.
Expect it to be named after some huge multinational conglomerate who's willing to shell out millions of dollars a year for the naming rights. Hanging a "42" on the outfield fence, in the mind of Major League Baseball, gets them off the hook. What a travesty!
5 - Victor Lana
Right you are, JP. You know what I find a travesty: that anyplace in baseball could have been named Enron Field. Just a disgrace.
6 - joe
no way,if u want to name the park to a great man fine,not to a baseball player who always would cry the blues and did not like white people,get real,read between the lines of his statements.I would love to see MLK who was for all people,not someone for one people.
7 - MCH
Victor;
Good idea, it'd be a great tribute to a great pioneer. The obstacles he overcame changed the face of professional sports.
8 - Victor Lana
Without specifics and actual sources, I don't know how to comment on #6 directly.
At this point in time, everything I've ever read about Jackie Robinson has been so positive and an affirmation of his conduct as a player and a human being. Ever hear his teammate Pee Wee Reese talk about him? It's worth listening.
Thanks, MCH; I hope Jackie will get the recognition he deserves.
9 - Sean
You want to name the Mets new park (in Queens) after a Brooklyn Dodger?
Did Jackie Robinson ever play for the Mets?
10 - John
Why not name the stadium after Sandy Koufax. He was a Brooklyn Dodger, the greatest jewish baseball player and a friend of the Mets owner.
No wait let's name it after Roberto Clemente. The great Pirate who fought prejudice and died helping victims in a earthquake.
No let's name it after Hank Aaron the great home run hitter for the Braves who help lead the fight against racism.
No wait this is the METS ball park, not the Pirates or the Braves or the bleeping Dodgers. For all the METS fans who were born after the Dodgers left (and the Giants, remember them); any time some old sport writer starts talking about the good ol' days of the Dodgers, we feel like buying them a one way ticket to LA.
Why don't the Dodgers change the name of Dodger Stadium to Jackie Robinson Stadium and just leave the Mets to the MET fans.
Its a given that Jackie Robinson was not just a great baseball player but, a great American. And one of the most important people in American history of the 20th Century.
But, we're just naming a ballpark and while most New Yorkers don't want to go Pepsi Park or The Home Depot Stadium, there are a lot of fans that are Met fan and want the park to embrace the history of the Mets and not the Dodgers.
11 - NR Davis
That makes a lot of sense (sez this longtime Mets fan; they're my National League team). But you know what? Given a choice between Jackie Robinson Stadium and one named after some collective of corporate robber barons, I'll take honoring a ballplayer. The same holds for a Sandy Koufax, Henry Aaron or Roberto Clemente stadium. But in the end... Fed Ex or Comcast or some other icky entity will get the honors.
Of course, in Baltimore we ignore that shit. The city's football stadium is named after a big local bank that shelled out a bundle for naming rights, but ask any real fan - they'll call it Ravens Stadium. (The baseball stadium, reasonably, is named Oriole Park at Camden Yards, "the Yards" being the historic location of the side-by-side sports facilities.)
12 - Doug DeLise
To All, Jackie Robinson, while being a history maker, did not make ANY history for the New York Mets. There are several baseball parks, stadiums, facilities named for him all across our country. The Cubs Minor League in Daytona Beach has one. When the Dodgers build a new stadium (and they will) it will be up to them to name their new stadium after Jackie Robinson, anything else would be premature. The N.Y. Mets new stadium should bear a name in Mets history, who knows maybe Payson Park?
13 - Craig B
If given a choice between a corporate name or another, business wise the corporate name will take place. So if there was that choice there is no way an owner will pass on 50 Million a year in order to name a park after a player, especially a player that never played for that team.
Naming the new stadium after Jackie Robinson will indeed be an honor to his memory. However, it would be a dishonor to all the players, coaches, and managers that have come through the Mets organization over the past 45 years. If we must go back on history then name the park after the heart and soul of the baby Mets, Ms. Joan Payson.
There are so many choices out there, Gil Hodges, Casey Stengel, Tom Seaver, etc. Geez, Don Zimmer even played for the Mets. If this is such an important deal, how come the Dodgers never named, or renamed for that matter their park at Chavez Ravine? It has always been called "DODGER STADIUM". If the organization that had Robinson, and so proudly proclaims that "they" had the first black ball player in the majors hasn't named their stadium after him why should a team that has NO connection to him do so? I love the Mets because I was brought up with them, my family were Brooklyn Dodger fans, and like millions were stabbed in the back when the O'Malleys took "Dem Bums" from us, but the Mets came in honoring the Dodgers and the Giants with the Orange and Blue - I think that is enough. We have history of our own that s hould be honored first and foremost! Changing the Interboro to Jackie Robinson stadium was okay. The city shold have just gone and renamed Ebbets Field projects after him. People may not know this but there are many things named after him in New York - next to the aforementioned projects is Jackie Robinson Elementary P.S. 375 - in Manhattan is the Jackie Robinson H.S., even a Jackie Robinson Center for Physical Culture, etc. etc. get the drift? These are proper places for his name. NOT ON THE WALLS OF A STADIUM FOR A TEAM HE NEVER PLAYED FOR!
14 - Wong
They dont need to waste money on a stadium they suck they need to waste money on players not druggy's either