The topic below was originally posted in my blog, the Intrepid Liberal Journal.

My first love is baseball. I am a Yankee fan. Please don't snicker. Rooting for the Yankees doesn't make me a bad person. However, as another opening day approaches, I want to acknowledge the cultural importance of two Brooklyn Dodgers: team President Branch Rickey and second baseman Jackie Robinson. This season marks the 60th anniversary of their collaboration to break major league baseball's color barrier.

Baseball is America's enduring pastime. Hence, the game is a snapshot of America's soul. Prior to Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson, baseball was at the forefront of America's institutionalized bigotry. Racism was not stigmatized in that era. Indeed, bigotry was mainstream. Just consider the story of Jimmy Claxton.