By Jon Weisman
Rachel Robinson and Don Zimmer have been elected to the Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals, along with former Cardinal legend Dizzy Dean.
The Reliquary is an organization “dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American art and culture through the context of baseball history,” and the Shrine serves as its Hall of Fame.
By Jon Weisman
Rachel Robinson is one of 13 first-time candidates for the Shrine of the Eternals of the Baseball Reliquary, the Pasadena-based organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American art and culture through the context of baseball history. The Shrine’s annual ballot is aimed to those who have impacted baseball in ways beyond statistics.
Here is Robinson’s ballot summary:
Rachel Robinson (b. 1922) – Widow of baseball and civil rights pioneer Jackie Robinson, Rachel Robinson was the only person in America privy to the most intense private doubts and struggles of No. 42 as he broke the color barrier in MLB in 1947 while a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. A native of Los Angeles, she met her future husband while both attended UCLA. She pursued a career in nursing, eventually earning a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing from New York University. After her husband’s death in 1972, Ms. Robinson founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to provide college scholarships and leadership training to promising and talented young people. At age 91 she continues to use her ability and Jackie’s legacy to further civil rights and educational causes.
The 45 individuals previously elected to the Shrine of the Eternals, heading into its 16th year, are Jim Abbott, Dick Allen, Roger Angell, Emmett Ashford, Moe Berg, Yogi Berra, Ila Borders, Jim Bouton, Jim Brosnan, Bill Buckner, Roberto Clemente, Steve Dalkowski, Rod Dedeaux, Jim Eisenreich, Dock Ellis, Eddie Feigner, Mark Fidrych, Curt Flood, Ted Giannoulas, Josh Gibson, Jim “Mudcat” Grant, Pete Gray, William “Dummy” Hoy, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Bill James, Dr. Frank Jobe, Bill “Spaceman” Lee, Roger Maris, Marvin Miller, Minnie Minoso, Manny Mota, Lefty O’Doul, Buck O’Neil, Satchel Paige, Jimmy Piersall, Pam Postema, Jackie Robinson, Lester Rodney, Pete Rose, Casey Stengel, Luis Tiant, Fernando Valenzuela, Bill Veeck, Jr., Maury Wills, and Kenichi Zenimura.
Mota was among those elected last year.
Returning nominees on this year’s ballot with Dodger connections include Glenn Burke, Mike Marshall, Hideo Nomo, Pete Reiser and Don Zimmer.
Anyone who pays an annual membership fee of $25 by the end of March is eligible to vote. Results will be announced in May, with the Induction Day ceremony set for July 19. For more information, visit the Baseball Reliquary.
Dodger speedster Maury Wills has been elected to the Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals, along with World War II-era ballplayer Pete Gray and Ted Giannoulas, aka the San Diego Chicken.
Wills’ candidacy rested on his role in popularizing the stolen base as well as his lifelong devotion to the game, while Giannoulas earned his popularity in a much different way, strutting through Padres games in his Chicken costume.
Gray, who lost his right arm in a childhood accident, began in professional baseball in 1942 at age 27 and gained national attention two years later when he batted .333 for the Memphis Chicks with a league record-tying 68 stolen bases. Entering the majors with the St. Louis Browns during the wartime player shortage, Gray had a .259 on-base percentage and .261 slugging percentage, but still wowed fans with his ability to catch a fly ball, roll the ball across his chest as he tucked his glove under his right shoulder and then throw in one motion. Gray continued to barmstorm for years in the minors. He passed away in 2002 at age 87.
The trio join the previously elected Eternals: Jim Abbott, Dick Allen, Roger Angell, Emmett Ashford, Moe Berg, Yogi Berra, Ila Borders, Jim Bouton, Jim Brosnan, Bill Buckner, Roberto Clemente, Steve Dalkowski, Rod Dedeaux, Jim Eisenreich, Dock Ellis, Mark Fidrych, Curt Flood, Josh Gibson, William “Dummy” Hoy, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Bill James, Bill “Spaceman” Lee, Roger Maris, Marvin Miller, Minnie Minoso, Buck O’Neil, Satchel Paige, Jimmy Piersall, Pam Postema, Jackie Robinson, Lester Rodney, Pete Rose, Casey Stengel, Fernando Valenzuela, Bill Veeck, Jr. and Kenichi Zenimura. Induction day is July 17 in Pasadena.
Here are the 2011 Baseball Reliquary vote percentages (top three earn election):
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