The Civil Rights Game

March 29, 2008 - Memphis, Tennessee

For those who were focused on the game itself, the Mets won 3 to 2. Not that the game really mattered. For all the build up and coverage, you'd think that someone would actually care about the game. That really wasn't the case and that's a real shame.

I saw a game on ESPN, but I felt like I was in a history class. I did appreciate hearing about Jackie Robinson's first game in Spring Training. I also liked hearing about Martin Luther King Jr.'s life.

The least that Joe Morgan and company could do was acknowledge that there was a game being played and do a little play by play. I figured out who was who, but there are a lot of casual fans who don't know the players by their numbers.

The only time that Joe Morgan said anything about the game being played was the home run by Carlos Beltran and the home run that was reversed by Carlos Quentin. That's pretty much it. I watch games because I am interested in the play on the field, not because I want to hear about shooting a movie with Jackie Robinson.

Yes, all of that information was interesting. I would gladly sit through any of that. I find those stories fascinating. I don't appreciate those stories in place of a game. Next year, ESPN would be better off broadcasting a History Channel special on the Civil Rights Movement. It makes absolutely no sense talking about that, and nothing else, over the images of a live nine inning game.

The Civil Rights game was a great thing to see. I just wish I could have heard the game as well as seeing it. I could have invited my high school history teacher and put the game on mute for the same effect.

Civil rights? Yes! Baseball? Yes! Civil Rights baseball game? Absolutely yes! Hardly a mention during the broadcast of the actual game being played that day? No. ESPN could have done so much more with this game. I heard more about the minor league team that usually plays in that park than about the Mets and White Sox. That's not the proper way to honor Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby and all the rest who sacrificed to play this game.