Canadian capital city to honour Jackie Robinson on Sunday

[JeffB]

The Ottawa Lynx baseball club (International League farm team of the Baltimore Orioles) are honouring Jackie Robinson on Sunday in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Robinson's first season in professional baseball.

They will be retiring Robinson's no. 42 on the outfield wall of Lynx stadium prior to their game against the Norfolk Tides, the Triple A affiliate of the New York Mets.

Robinson, of course, played his minor league baseball in Canada, with the old Montreal Royals in 1946, leading them to the IL pennant and championship that year.

[DODGER DEB]

How wonderful that our Canadian neighbors think as much of OUR JACKIE as WE do.

I applaud them for celebrating OUR JACKIE, by marking 60 years after WE finally righted a wrong here in OUR land.

Thank you, Canada!

c.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Aren't the Lynx to be moved any time soon?

[JeffB]

Originally Posted by Yankeebiscuitfan

Aren't the Lynx to be moved any time soon?

Not sure - and I could be wrong - but I believe plans are in the works to move the Lynx to Allentown, Pennsylvania in 2008 (I'm impressed you knew that from Europe!) That would be unfortunate because IL baseball is of very good quality and offers very affordable prices.

But Ottawa is not drawing fans. We're lucky to get 2,000 to a weekend game and 1,000 to a weeknight match. Ironically, Ottawa set IL attendance records back in 1993, the Lynx' first year. They won the IL championship in 1995, but attendance has dropped like a stone since 1997.

A little history: until 2002, the Lynx were affiliated with the Montreal Expos. They became the Baltimore Orioles' triple A team in 2003, and there are reports they will switch allegiances to the Philadelphia Phillies for 2007, and therefore be well positioned geographically for their move to Allentown in 2008.

[Ontarioguy]

I'm going to try to make it to this game. Unfortunately I have to work overnight on Saturday night so waking up around 11 pm will be really tough.

The Lynx will be wearing the old Montreal Royals jerseys for the game and 2 of Robinsons former Montreal teammates will be on hand.

I really want to go, it's just a matter of working up the courage.

[DODGER DEB]

Can I ask both of you, JeffB and Ontarioguy, to post any articles and/or photos that your newspapers may have on this ceremony on Sunday.

All of US would really like to see and read them.

Thanks, guys.

c.

[Paulmcall]

A classy move. Our neighbors up north are generally a pretty smart bunch.

[DODGER DEB]

Ironically, they chose to celebrate OUR JACKIE, on July 23rd, which would have been PEE WEE's 88th birthday.

It seems PEE WEE and JACKIE will be forever connected....as it should be!

c.

[JeffB]

Originally Posted by DODGER DEB

Can I ask both of you, JeffB and Ontarioguy, to post any articles and/or photos that your newspapers may have on this ceremony on Sunday.

All of US would really like to see and read them.

Thanks, guys.

c.

Will see what I can do about providing links to the local newspaper, which I'm certain will feature this on the sports page.

-Jeff

[soberdennis]

Personally I think #42 should be retired throughout all of professional baseball.
Mariano Rivera is the last Major Leaguer who will ever wear it. (I think he has made Jackie proud.) Once MO retires, why should anyone anywhere wear it.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Originally Posted by JeffB

Not sure - and I could be wrong - but I believe plans are in the works to move the Lynx to Allentown, Pennsylvania in 2008 (I'm impressed you knew that from Europe!) That would be unfortunate because IL baseball is of very good quality and offers very affordable prices.

But Ottawa is not drawing fans. We're lucky to get 2,000 to a weekend game and 1,000 to a weeknight match. Ironically, Ottawa set IL attendance records back in 1993, the Lynx' first year. They won the IL championship in 1995, but attendance has dropped like a stone since 1997.

A little history: until 2002, the Lynx were affiliated with the Montreal Expos. They became the Baltimore Orioles' triple A team in 2003, and there are reports they will switch allegiances to the Philadelphia Phillies for 2007, and therefore be well positioned geographically for their move to Allentown in 2008.

Oh, it is not that special. You can find a lot of information on the net.

[JeffB]

Originally Posted by DODGER DEB

Can I ask both of you, JeffB and Ontarioguy, to post any articles and/or photos that your newspapers may have on this ceremony on Sunday.

All of US would really like to see and read them.

Thanks, guys.

c.

Unfortunately, there's really nothing available on-line. The best coverage is in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper - they had articles focusing largely on George Shuba and Jean-Pierre Roy on Friday and then again today, but I can't access their stories about Sunday's ceremony over the web.

The best site is http://club.minorleaguebaseball.com/...x.jsp?sid=t501. Wait for the photo of Jackie Robinson and George Shuba shaking hands in Jersey City in 1946 to appear, then click on the story. However, it only covers the impending ceremony ahead of time, as opposed to actually covering what happened yesterday.

[Ontarioguy]

I got pictures!

[Ontarioguy]

JP Roy on the left and George Shotgun Shuba on the right.

[Ontarioguy]

The ceremony behind the mound with, Shuba, Roy and the IL president.

[Ontarioguy]

The throwback Montreal Royal Jersey's worn by the Ottawa Lynx.

[Ontarioguy]

And finally, the number is retired.

[DODGER DEB]

Terrific shots, Ontarioguy. I hope you enjoyed all the festivities at the game. Those throw-back uniforums do look exactly like OUR 1946 Montreal Royal uniforms. I especially like seeing OUR JACKIE's #42 posted, and retired.

Thank you much for your time and effort in bringing them to US here on OUR BROOKLYN DODGER FORUM.

c.

[musial6]

Except for the numbers on the front.