December 13, 1956......

[DODGER DEB]

Fifty years ago today, December 13, 1956, the Big "O" saw an opportunity to rid himself of the one person who reminded him of Branch Rickey....OUR JACKIE ROBINSON.

He traded him to, of all teams, the NY Giants, for Dick Littlefield and $35,000 cash. What a "slap in the face" to someone who stood alone and gave so much, and did so much, for baseball and this country.

Of course, OUR JACKIE would have none of it, and retired instead. :clapping :clapping :clapping

c.

[Flatbush Flock]

Deb,

I don't know if this is true, but one of Jackie's biographers wrote that Jackie had told O that the only team he would go to would be the Giants, because he wanted to stay in the New York area. I wish I had the book so I could say who the author was, since I was surprised to read it.

[JamesWest]

According to Rampersad, Jackie Robinson had already decided to retire before this deal was made. The only reason that he didn't announce his intention was because he promised the story to a writer who was going to publish the story in early 1957. Even after Stoneham was informed of Robinson's intentions, he tried to sweeten the deal to get Robinson to play for the Giants.