42: Ricardo MarquezBy Ricardo Marquez, @iBlogBetterInvalid dateImagine going to your job every day and having people constantly berating you just because you were a tad different. Now imagine those very people spitting and tossing anything around you just to get you to stop going to work. Think about confiding in people who you think are friends and those very same people go behind your back and say the cruelest of things just because of your race, gender, religion, or orientation. This, my friends, was the life of 42.Jackie Robinson arrived to baseball in quite possibly the darkest times this country has faced. He was spit on, yelled at and even had death threats sent to him and his family just because of a minor detail of difference; the color of his skin. Even with all these atrocities going on, 42 went to the clubhouse with a smile on his face and an attitude that every single one of us strive to have.It's hard for me to sit here and jot down a few thoughts about Robinson because he literally changed the color barrier. Not just in baseball, but across this country. The amount of respect and thanks that I have for 42 goes beyond a blog post. To be able to celebrate and honor Jackie Robinson is truly an amazing experience and leaves me speechless. Maybe that's exactly what we need to do. So just take a breather, sit down and think about all that 42 has done for you and everyone else.
