The Jackie Robinson Story: Challenge and Triumph

“Jackie’s character was much more important than his batting average.”
– Hank Aaron 

Jim Brown was possibly the greatest running back in NFL history. Brown was a superhero for many of us boys growing up in Cleveland in the 50s and early 60s. He is the only running back to have averaged more than a 100 yards per game for an entire career. (106)

Though his achievements were evident to all, cited weekly in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, there was another side that we didn't see from the stands or on TV: how he was treated as a black man. 

In his autobiography he describes how defensive players would grab handfuls of dirt and, when he was under a pile of tacklers, fling the dirt into his eyes. Keep in mind that many of his opponents came from a Jim Crowe South where blacks were supposed to use separate bathrooms and separate drinking fountains.

These stories sprang to mind when photographer Gary Firstenberg sent me a batch of photos he took at the Jackie Robinson Museum. Robinson was the first black man to cross the color barrier from the Negro League to the all-white Major League Baseball fraternity. He not only had to be an exceptional ballplayer, it was equally important to be a man of character. 

Actually, Robinson was a gifted athlete in many sports. While at UCLA he excelled in baseball, football, basketball, and track, showcasing his incredible range of skills. We only know him as the first black player in modern baseball history.

Robinson was a versatile and gifted player, excelling at third base, second and first. His bat and aggressive play made his a challenging foe for any pitcher. He was especially famous for his daring baserunning, stealing home 19 times in his career. 

When the time came, after hanging up his cleats, Robinson was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. Later, his legacy was affirmed permanently retiring his number, 42.

It was Hemingway who coined the phrase "Grace under pressure" to define courage. It was Robinson who exemplified it. Robinson endured relentless racism from fans, opponents, and even some teammates. He faced racial slurs, threats, and physical intimidation but adhered to an agreement with Dodgers' general manager Branch Rickey to not retaliate for the first two years. His ability to endure this abuse while excelling on the field demonstrated extraordinary mental toughness and inspired millions.

[EdNote: I remember what Hank Aaron went through years later. As he neared Babe Ruth's home run record of 714, Aaron became to receive death threats if he dared to hit more home runs than the Bambino. To hear these kinds of stories is heartbreaking.]

After his retirement from baseball Robinson became part of the Civil Rights Movement, showing that talent and character, not skin color, determine worth. He used his role as a leader to push for social and economic equality. 

Jackie Robinson’s greatness lay in his ability to excel as an athlete while bearing the burden of breaking barriers with dignity, courage, and grace. He was more than just a baseball player—he was a transformative figure who made an impact on both sports and society.

https://jackierobinson.org/
https://www.jackierobinsonmuseum.org/

Photos courtesy Gary Firstenberg

A Kafka Fragment from His Lost Writings

As I was looking for a book in the K section of our library I discovered a small volume titled "The Lost Writings of Franz Kafka." The book is a collection of previously unpublished works by the famous Czech author. I was quite familiar with Kafka's existential and surreal stories such as The Metamorphosis and The Trial. I was not aware of the quantity of unpublished morsels he'd left behind when he passed. Kafka's friend and executor, Max Brod, ignored Kafka’s instructions to destroy them after his death, and published many of them posthumously.

These "lost writings" include fragments, letters, and incomplete narratives that delve into Kafka’s characteristic themes of alienation, bureaucratic absurdity, and human frailty. As I read this collection it brought to mind many of my own fragments, which I never shared because they seemed incomplete. 

According to the Afterword by Reiner Stach, Kafka submitted only 350 pages of his written output for publication, but his fragments now fill more than twelve volumes.

The pieces in this book vary in length from a few lines to a few pages. Despite their brevity they frequently pack a punch. Here's one that I especially liked. Notice how each sentence contributes new information that expands the meaning of the whole. It's like watching a portrait artist produce a quit sketch at an art fair, line by line. I believe it would make a great prompt for a writing class to see where the students go as they expound on it. Then again, the searing moment in time that it captures really needs no accompaniment. 

There are many waiting here. A vast crowd disappearing into the darkness. What do they want? There are obviously certain demands they want to make. I will listen to them and then make my reply. I will not go out onto the balcony; I couldn't even if I wanted to. In winter the balcony door is kept locked, and the key is somewhere else. Nor will I step up to the window. I will see no one, I will not have my head turned by a spectacle, my desk is the place for me, with my head in my hands, that is my posture. 

It captures something poigant and tangible, doesn't it?

The Farmer and the Serpent: A Series of Unfortunate Events

Photo by Museums Victoria on Unsplash

One of the things I inherited from my grandmother was her complete set of the Harvard Classics. Her 1937 version, which I now have, is 51 volumes in length. Volume 17 contains fables by Aesop plus tales by Hans Christian Andersen and the Grimm brothers. 

It's fascinating how relevant and timeless these stories are. This fable by Aesop can be found in Volume 17 of the Harvard Classics, 1937 edition. "The Countryman and the Serpent" is about a farmer whose son accidentally steps on a serpent's tail, which results in a series of unfortunate events for both the farmer and the serpent. Here's the story, followed by a few comments.

The Countryman and the Serpent

A Countryman’s son by accident trod upon a Serpent’s tail, which turned and bit him so that he died. The father in a rage got his axe, and pursuing the Serpent, cut off part of its tail. So the Serpent in revenge began stinging several of the Farmer’s cattle and caused him severe loss. Well, the Farmer thought it best to make it up with the Serpent, and brought food and honey to the mouth of its lair, and said to it: “Let’s forget and forgive; perhaps you were right to punish my son, and take vengeance on my cattle, but surely I was right in trying to revenge him; now that we are both satisfied why should not we be friends again?”

“No, no,” said the Serpent; “take away your gifts; you can never forget the death of your son, nor I the loss of my tail.”

Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten.

* * * 

Let's summarize.

• The serpent bites the farmer's son, killing him
• The farmer seeks revenge on the serpent by cutting off part of its tail with an ax
• The serpent retaliates by stinging the farmer's cattle
• The farmer tries to make amends with the serpent by bringing it food and honey, but the serpent refuses
• The serpent says that injuries can be forgiven but not forgotten 

Two thoughts come to mind. 

First: In the land of "an eye for an eye" everyone ends up blind.

Second: When will we see an end to this madness in Gaza? 

What will it take for this tsunami of sorrows to cease?

 

Veteran's Day: The Book "And There Shall Be Wars" Speaks Volumes

Bud Wagner in North Africa
Anti-aircraft machinegun operator

My father-in-law Wilmer A. "Bud" Wagner was the second man in Northern Minnesota to be drafted into World War II. He carried a small pocket camera and kept a diary from beginning to end, from Camp Claiborne to Ireland to North Africa and the Italy Campaigns. 

When Susie and I were dating in the 1970s, Bud brought out his diaries and asked me to give an opinion as to whether they would be of interest to anyone. At the end of the weekend I gave him my verdict: "Yes!"

So began his journey toward becoming an author. His keen day by day observations were then amplified with a lifetime of research and reflection to provide readers with important insights through the eyes of a young soldier from rural Minnesota.

Bud Wagner -- cook, machine gunner and company agent -- had the privilege of being on the first convoy to make its way across the Atlantic for the European theater. And the good fortune of having survived the duration of the war without becoming a casualty in North Africa and Italy, which included beachheads at Anzio and Salerno.

The book is a joint project involving the research skills and memoirs of WW II veteran Bud Wagner and his son Lloyd Wagner (Masters in Literature). When I encouraged to amplify his diaries and make a book of them I had no idea of how invested he would become in this project. He greatly exceeded my expectations and, with Lloyd's able editing, he has produced a fascinating manuscript that includes a large quantity of original photos and other documents.

When the manuscript was published, he sent a copy to retired General John W. Vessey, former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Vessey's name appears four times in the book, including a diaryentry noting that John Vessey's promotion to Captain took place in Bud's "peep." (It was only after the war that the learned these all-purpose vehicles were called jeeps.)

Here is General Vessey's letter to Bud regarding this memoir titled And There Shall Be Wars.

"Dear Bud, ... Thanks not only for the copy of the book, but also for putting those wartime notes into a permanent record. It is an important addition to all the "stuff" historians record. I couldn't put the book down once I got into it. It brought back a lot of memories reading about times, places, and people from 55+ years ago." 

~ retired General John W. Vessey, 

former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Just today I was forwarded an email from one of Susie's classmates who just finished reading Bud's diary/memoirs. Her comments were so poignant I requested to share them here. She wrote:

Bud and his mud-covered "peep"

This is Sarah Grandson (Sundberg). I have a copy of your father’s book that you gave me at the 50th reunion in July, and just finished reading it. What a treasure!! You and your family are so fortunate that your father kept a diary. You had asked me to let you know what I thought, so here goes.

1. He kept a lot of his personal feelings to himself, so I thought it interesting how affected he was by the death of one of the fellows who he wasn’t as close to when they were fighting in Italy (don’t remember the name), but I suppose after seeing so much death and destruction anyone would really start questioning the purpose. It was amazing how well he actually handled all the destruction around him.
2. I was surprised how poor the quality of the Army “peeps” were as his was always breaking down, a certain amount due of course, to the conditions. You can feel his frustration with it. 
3. It’s amazing at how adaptable the human species are. To go from a tight, secure family environment to preparing for war, then to the thick of it, and handle the emotions as well as your father did, is remarkable. 
4. Those men suffered so much and complained so little. Hunger, cold, heat, lack of a safe place to sleep, danger of losing their life, etc, etc. they truly were the “greatest generation”.

Disabled German tank.

Here's another response to the book, this one from James Wiita, a friend in the local music and arts scene who completed his own first book this past winter, Rock On, Duluth!

Reading Bud is like a daily talk with someone, though one sided. You can pick right up where you left off, it’s so personal it shows his human characteristics, and what to anticipate with each entry.

It seems to show every aspect of “army life “ -- the important details and accuracy mixed with the training -- moments with friends and music, faith, along with frequent headaches and  times of boredom.

You can easily see the kind of soldier he became, and how his superiors and others viewed him. The entries give vivid clues. Not in a slighting way, but this man was definitely on the spectrum. There are so many indicators it’s fascinating.

Read the rest of James Wiita's remarks here:

https://pioneerproductions.blogspot.com/2024/02/james-wiita-on-bud-wagners-and-there.html

One of the surprises for me was Bud's love of poetry. There are numerous poems included in the book. One of my favorites is titled, "You're A Machine Gunner Now." Another is titled "A Battalion Agent" which you can find in this blog post titled "War Poems Tell Stories."

https://pioneerproductions.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-battalion-agent-war-poems-tell-stories.html

When I was in Italy last year my visit coincided with Italy's Liberation Day. On that day Italy celebrated the Allies victory over fascism. There were nationwide expressions of gratitude to the U.S. for its role in defeating Mussolini. You can read about my experiences here:

https://pioneerproductions.blogspot.com/2023/05/liberation-day-italy-celebrates-victory.html

One last link

Various Ways of Looking at History with Commentary (and a Book Offer)

https://pioneerproductions.blogspot.com/2023/04/various-ways-of-looking-at-history-with.html 

Memories from a Cross-Country Train Ride, with a Pair of Lessons

"Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed."
– Thich Nhat Hanh

The year I turned eight my parents allowed me to skip school for three weeks to go on a cross-country trip with my grandparents. (With permission from my teacher, of course.) My family was living a suburb of Cleveland at the time. My grandparents were going out West to see my Aunt Ellen, Uncle Dale and my cousins in Winnemucca in Nevada. It took three days to go from Cleveland to Reno. Uncle Dale picked us up. I'll never forget the lights as we drove through Downtown Reno at what must have been midnight.

My mother is fond of saying, "It's funny the things we remember." That trip with Grandma and Grandpa is chock full of memories. Here's a story from that adventure.

* * * 

We didn't have sleeper cars on this journey. As I remember it the three of us sat side by side with me at the window throughout that cross-country excursion. One highlight was riding through the Rocky Mountains at a relatively high altitude with a deep gorge alongside the tracks to my left. Grandma pointed across the gorge to a train hugging the mountain going the opposite direction and said, "That's where we will be in a little bit." In other words we were on the same track and they were ahead of us by about 15 minutes,

When we reached the far end of this turnabout she had me look down into the valley where there were a dozen abandoned, run-down cabins and bins. Grandma said it was a ghost town, which gave a new meaning to the word "ghost."

This story here is about an experience that took place on the plains, most likely in Nebraska while heading east. It was the middle of the night. I was awake and staring out the window, scanning the darkness when I noticed a very unusual sight. On the ground alongside the tracks we were on there were two streaks of glowing orange. The streaks were glowing like the embers after a fireplace has been spent, throbbing with heat. 

What was it? It was spooky. So I woke my grandmother who was seated next to me and she didn't know either. On and on it seemed to go for miles. 

Suddenly our train began to slow, then the lights went on and we came to a stop. The mystery was explained.

There were two railroad tracks running parallel across the prairie. As it turned out, a passenger train on the other track had come to a halt because the last five cars had jumped the track. The glowing was produced by friction on the limestone that held the railroadties and track in place. Our train stopped, essentially in the middle of nowhere, so that the passengers on the disabled train could be rescued and transported to the next station along the way. 

* * *

LESSON ONE
Occasionally in life we experience mysteries that we don't understand. From the vantage point of the future these mysteries become quite clear. There are simple explanations which we may have understood from the start had we more experience.

LESSON TWO
When our train stopped to help the passengers on the other train, our passengers were inconvenienced for a bit. Not only was there a delay in reachng our destination, there was a need to cram all the extra passengers into our railroad cars. So it is that when people's lives go off the rails or they have simply jumped the track and are stuck... The lesson is clear. The engineer of our train could not, in good conscience, simply ignore the disabled railroad and pass on the other side. Nor should we.

See: The Parable of the Good Samaritan

If I may paraphrase a famous president:
"Ask not what your neighbor can do for you,

but what you can do for your neighbor."

80 Years And Still Swinging: The Glenn Miller Orchestra Returns to Duluth

Wednesday evening I slid down the hill to hear the Glenn Miller Orchestra at the West Theatre in Duluth. There were still a few seats available but the turnout was strong, especially considering they had also performed a well-attended afternoon concert here as well.

Reader publisher and theater owner Bob Boone, decked out in a tux, opened the show by welcoming us warmly and telling us about some upcing shows we shouldn't miss. Pick up a Reader to stay current and get the dates on your calendars.

From 1939 to 1942, Glenn Miller and His Orchestra was the best selling recording bad in the country. This was the big band swing era and Glenn Miller memorable music is with us still today.

In 1942 Miller enlisted to serve in the war effort, from which he never returned, disappearing in a plane crash while crossing the English Channel in 1944. His music lived on, however, as did his orchestra which still travels the country performing as many as 200 shows a year. The various musicians rotate over time but this is the same Glenn Miller Orchestra that thrilled the nation at the end ofthe 30's.

A bouyant crowd was demonstrably lifted by this lively big band carrying on a grand tradition. Here are many of the songs they performed, including Moonlight Serenade, the one they opened ad closed every show with.

Moonlight Serenade

String of Pearls

Pennsylvania 6-5000

I Dreamt I Dwelt In Harlem

I Know Why And So Do You
Vocalist Jenny Schwartz has a velvet voice and confident style that lit up the room. One was certain that she'd been transported here by time machine when she sang,  "Why do I see rainbows when I'm in your arms?"

The big band played two sets with a 20 minute intermission. Here are some of the other tunes they delivered with gusto.

The Blue Room

Boom Shot

Our Love Is Here To Stay

I'm Beginning to See the Light

Sentimental Journey

Glenn Miller also did songs from the Tommy Dorsey songbook and others.

Puddle Wump

Tuxedo Junction (Erskine Hawkins)

The Nearness of You

Sweeter Than The Sweetest

The Little Man Who Wasn't There

In the Mood

American Patrol (for veterans)

Chatanooga Choo Choo

For an encore they did Little Brown Jug, swing style.

The music is historic, but they are now
contemporaries of our modern age. 

Follow them on their Facebook page here:

The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra

The Clash of Sovereignties: Jacques Ellul's The Politics of God and the Politics of Man

An Election Day Reflection on Theology and Human Governance

I was first introduced to the writings of Jacques Ellul in the mid-Seventies through an article in Radix magazine. Ellul was a French lawyer/theologian/philosopher and author of something like 40 books. What interested me, besides his perceptive thinking and pointed writing, was how he wrote differently based on the audience he was addressing. His secular books such as The Technological Society and Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes have become classics, providing understanding of key forces shaping contemporary life.

The Politics of God and the Politics of Man, one of his many books directed toward Christian audiences, (e.g. False Presence of the Kingdom) was one of the first Ellul books that I read/purchased. From the very start he shows a keen understanding of how political structures work. The book opened my eyes to a different way of looking at political influence.

  

He begins by examining the biblical narratives, particularly focusing on the stories from the Old Testament. He argues that the Bible presents a distinct form of political thought, one that is inherently suspicious of human institutions of power and authority. Ellul proposes that while God's politics are centered around justice, mercy, and humility, human politics often succumb to pride, violence, and self-interest.

The "Politics of God," in Ellul's view, is fundamentally different from human political systems. It is not about domination or control, but about service and sacrificial love. Ellul uses the example of the prophets and their often contentious relationship with the rulers of Israel to illustrate his point. The prophets serve as the voice of God, calling for repentance and justice, and standing in stark opposition to the corrupt practices of kings and rulers.

In contrast, the "Politics of Man" is characterized by the pursuit of power and the maintenance of control. Ellul critiques the ways in which religious institutions often align themselves with political power, betraying the very principles they are supposed to uphold. He is particularly critical of how the church has historically sought to legitimize political authority, often at the expense of its prophetic mission.

We saw in the era of the Medicis, we saw it in the Church of England, and we see this compromised position today.

The book is important because of its ongoing relevance to contemporary political and social issues. Although the book focuses on biblical times, Ellul draws parallels to modern political dynamics, encouraging readers to question the ways in which power is exercised and justified in their own contexts. His critique of the complicity between religion and politics remains pertinent, urging a re-examination of how religious communities engage with political systems today.

Ellul's background as a theologian and philosopher shines through in his nuanced analysis. There were many "Aha!" insights, which makes me think I should go back and read it again.

He does not merely offer a critique but also provides a theological framework for understanding the relationship between faith and politics. His insights are grounded in a deep understanding of scripture, yet he presents them in a way that is accessible to readers from diverse backgrounds.

If you can find a copy of this book I believe you'll be rewarded by Ellul’s incisive analysis of both religious and political institutions. For those interested in theology, political philosophy, or the intersection of faith and public life, Ellul’s work is a thought-provoking contribution.