But the show went on and a lot of players did choose to wear 42 to honor Robinson. I guess because it's been 60 years we are forgetting the historical importance of Robinson breaking the color barrier. A girl I work with (she's 23 years old) never heard of Jackie Robinson. 60 years ago blacks couldn't play on the same teams, ride the same buses or eat in the same restaurants as whites. Now blacks can get whites fired for bad jokes. We've come a long way, baby.
I thought Major League Baseball did a nice job and I think they should do something every year to celebrate it, with bigger celebrations on the milestone years, like 2022 and 2047.
But Sunday wasn't such a great day for the only current major leaguer who wears 42 everyday. Mariano Rivera was handed a 2-run lead and he recorded the first two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Then two men reached base and up came Marco Scutaro (Scootero). Believe it or not Scutaro is like the Robert Horry of baseball. His game winning home run off Rivera was the 9th walkoff hit (or walk or error) of his brief career.
The Tigers found a worse way to lose a ballgame. After Jeremy Bonderman and Roy Halladay matched each other for 9 innings Halladay stayed on in the 10th. In the bottom of the 10th the Tigers went to Fernando Rodney. Now remember the Tigers lost the World Series in part because of atrocious fielding by their pitchers. Then this happened:
Aaron Hill led off the 10th with an infield single that hit Rodney.
Jason Smith bunted back to Rodney, who tried to flip the ball to first from his glove but couldn't get it there in time, putting runners at first and second.
John McDonald followed with a bunt toward third base. Rodney fielded the ball but Brandon Inge had broken in and wasn't on the bag. When Rodney turned and looked at first he decided he had no play.
Bases loaded on three grounders to the pitcher.
Alex Rios hits a sacrifice fly for the win.
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