Latest news with #Rickey
Los Angeles Times
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Dodgers Dugout: Who is the best Dodgers catcher ever, Roy Campanella or Mike Piazza?
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Good news: Shohei Ohtani could be back on the mound before the All-Star break. More on that in Friday's edition. We are going to break the 'Top 10' series into its own edition of the newsletter each week to keep the newsletters from being too long. Sort of like turning 'War and Peace' into two editions: 'War' and 'Peace.' Here are my picks for the top 10 catchers in Dodgers history, followed by how all of you voted. Numbers listed are with the Dodgers only. Click on the player's name to be taken to the Baseball Reference page with all their stats. 1. Roy Campanella (1948-57, .276/.360/.500, 123 OPS+, 3 MVP awards, 8-time All Star) One of the greatest catchers of all time, Roy Campanella (he did not have a middle name) was born Nov. 19, 1921, in Philadelphia. He loved baseball as a kid and grew up a Phillies fan. They once offered him an invitation to try out but rescinded it when they found out he was Black. Campanella played in the Negro Leagues after high school, and in October 1945 he was the catcher for an all-star team that played five games against a team of major leaguers at Ebbets Field, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Dodger manager Chuck Dressen led the major leaguers and was impressed by Campanella. He touted him to Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey, who arranged a meeting. Rickey offered Campanella a contract, but he said no because he mistakenly thought Rickey was offering him a contract with the Brooklyn Brown Dodgers, a Negro Leagues team Rickey was rumored to be starting. The next week, Campanella and Jackie Robinson happened to be staying at the same hotel. Robinson told Campanella he had signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. It was then that Campanella realized what Rickey was offering. He sent Rickey a telegram asking if he could sign with the team. Campanella played for the Dodgers from 1948 until his career was cut short after the 1957 season. In that time, all he did was win three NL MVP awards, make eight All-Star teams, hit 242 homers, have a .500 slugging percentage and play Gold Glove-worthy defense behind the plate. The Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles after the 1957 season, and Campanella was all set to be the team's starting catcher in Los Angeles. But on Jan. 28, 1958, while driving in New York, Campanella's car hit a patch of ice, ran into a telephone pole and overturned. Campanella broke his neck and was paralyzed. He eventually regained use of his arms but used a wheelchair for the rest of his life before dying of a heart attack on June 26, 1993. 2. Mike Piazza (1992-98, .331/.394/.572, 160 OPS+, 1993 Rookie of the Year, 5-time All Star) The Dodgers chose Piazza in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft, the 1,390th player picked overall. No one picked that low has had a career like Piazza's, but it's a bittersweet one for Dodgers fans. Piazza made his major league debut near the end of the 1992 season and won Rookie of the Year in 1993 after hitting .318 with 35 home runs and 112 RBIs. Amazingly enough, Piazza played only five full seasons with the Dodgers, but what seasons they were. After his 1993 season, he hit .319, .346, .336 and .362 and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting in each of those seasons. His best season was his final full season, 1997, when he hit .362 with 40 homers and 124 RBIs. Piazza's contract was scheduled to run out after the 1998 season, and he was due a large increase in salary. Negotiations turned ugly, and the Dodgers, then owned by Fox, wanted to make a statement. So, on May 15, 1998, they traded the best-hitting catcher in history to the Florida Marlins, along with Todd Zeile, for Gary Sheffield, Charles Johnson, Bobby Bonilla, Jim Eisenreich and Manuel Barrios. 3. Mike Scioscia (1980-92, .259/.344/.356, 99 OPS+, 2-time All Star) Scioscia was with the Dodgers for 13 seasons; he never won a Gold Glove, never led the league in any offensive category and made only two All-Star teams. But what he did can't be understated: He gave you above-average play almost every season for 13 seasons. You never had to worry about the position when Scioscia was there, and he hit one of the most important home runs in Dodgers history when he connected off Dwight Gooden in Game 4 of the 1988 NLCS. Scioscia is the only person in major league history who played at least 10 seasons with only one team and then managed at least 10 seasons with a different team. Tommy Lasorda and Vin Scully each said that Scioscia was the best plate blocker he had ever seen, high praise considering they also saw Steve Yeager, another excellent plate blocker. Most Dodger fans remember when Jack Clark leveled Scioscia while trying to score. Scioscia was knocked unconscious but held onto the ball. You can watch a compilation of Scioscia blocking the plate, including the Clark collision, by clicking here. 4. Will Smith (2019-current, .263/.356/.474, 127 OPS+, 2-time All Star) The book is still being written about Smith, who may very well move to the top of this list when his career is through. I've written a lot about Smith over the years, so let's go with 10 little-known facts instead. —His full name is William Dills Smith. —As a senior in high school (Kentucky Country Day School), he pitched and went 7-1 with an 0.87 ERA. He went undrafted and went to Louisville. —He played for Rancho Cucamonga in 2017 and was named to the California League All-Star team. —His first major league homer was a walk-off home run against the Phillies. —He backed up Austin Barnes before becoming the Dodgers' starting catcher on July 26, 2019. —He is one of four catchers to hit 100 home runs with the Dodgers, along with Campanella, Piazza and Steve Yeager. —Smith is one of three catchers to hit home runs in four consecutive at bats (spread over two days), along with Johnny Bench and Benito Santiago. —His favorite player growing up was David Ortiz. —One of only three catchers to steal a base in an All-Star game, joining Iván Rodríguez and Tony Peña. —Hit only .243 in four minor-league seasons, which shows you can't always judge everything by just stats. 5. Steve Yeager (1972-85, .228/.299/.358, 84 OPS+) Yeager was one of the best defensive catchers in history but had the misfortune of being a direct contemporary of the best defensive catcher in history, Johnny Bench. Otherwise, Yeager would have multiple Gold Gloves. His best season offensively was 1977, when he .256 with 21 doubles and 16 homers. Dodger fans remember how he blocked the plate, becoming an almost impenetrable wall whenever a runner tried to score and Yeager had the ball. He also had a powerful throwing arm. Hall of Famer Lou Brock said that Yeager was the toughest catcher to steal against. In 1976, Yeager was in the on-deck circle with Bill Russell at the plate. Russell's bat shattered as he hit a ground ball and a jagged piece of the bat stabbed Yeager in the throat, piercing his esophagus and narrowly missing his carotid artery. While he was recovering, Yeager and Dodgers trainer Bill Buhler designed a device that hung from the catcher's mask, protecting his throat. For years, most catchers wore a mask that had this device, which Yeager and Buhler patented. Yeager served as technical advisor for the first three 'Major League' movies and appeared in them as third-base coach Duke Temple. 6. John Roseboro (1957-67, .249/.326/.371, 95 OPS+, 2 Gold Gloves, 5-time All Star) Roseboro was the starting catcher on three World Series title teams, and when people mention the great Dodgers pitching staffs of the 1960s, they seldom mention who was catcher for all those great pitchers. It was mainly Roseboro. Roseboro became a catcher when he tried out for his high school team. No one tried out as a catcher, so he volunteered. He wanted to be a football player at Ohio's Central State College, not a baseball player. He became ineligible for football because of poor grades and was working out with the baseball team one day when Dodgers scout Hugh Alexander saw him. Alexander was searching for a left-handed hitting catcher and Roseboro fit the bill. He invited Roseboro to try out with the Dodgers. Five years later, in 1957, Roseboro had moved steadily through the minor-league system as a catcher when he got the call to report to Brooklyn. Only, not as a catcher. They wanted him to play first base because Gil Hodges was injured. So Roseboro's first games as a Dodger were at first base. In the offseason, the Dodgers moved to L.A., and Campanella had the car wreck that ended his career. The Dodgers had three catchers: Roseboro, Rube Walker and Joe Pignatano. Walker was past his prime and retired after starting the season five for 44. Manager Walter Alston named Roseboro, 20, the Dodgers' new starting catcher. Roseboro was the starting catcher through the 1967 season. He was involved in a legendary fight with Juan Marichal, but his career was so much more than that, even though that seems to be what he is remembered for today. Which is a shame. The Dodgers won titles in 1959, 1963 and 1965 with Roseboro in the lineup, and he is a big reason why they won. Roseboro died of a stroke on Aug. 16, 2002. He was 69. One of the speakers at his funeral: Juan Marichal. You could easily move Roseboro to third on this list. Once you get past the top two, the choices could go a lot of different ways, depending on what you view as most important about each player. 7. Babe Phelps (1935-41, .315/.368/.477, 125 OPS+, 3-time All Star) Perhaps the second-best-hitting catcher in Dodgers history, Ernest Gordon Phelps was born April 19, 1908, in Odenton, Md. As most kids did back then, he played baseball every chance he got. The Washington Senators signed him in 1929. He was then a first baseman and outfielder, but was mainly a professional hitter. The Senators brought him to the majors briefly in 1931 and he was such a strong hitter and built like Babe Ruth that his teammates nicknamed him Babe. But, while Ruth was a good fielder, Phelps was not, and the Senators traded him to the Chicago Cubs, who decided to convert him to catcher. It was a strange move, because the Cubs had a great catcher in Gabby Hartnett. After two seasons as Hartnett's backup, his contract was sold to Brooklyn, where he became the backup to Al Lopez. Phelps hit .364 in 47 games, so the Dodgers traded Lopez after the season and named Phelps the starting catcher. He hit .367 in 1936, finishing second to Paul Waner for the batting title. His .367 average is still the highest for a catcher who qualified for the batting title. Phelps remained a strong hitter throughout his Dodgers career, but he put on weight every season too, getting so out of shape that his teammates nicknamed him Blimp. His offense didn't suffer, but his defense did, and he became relatively immobile. He was considered one of the nicest guys in the league and was a fan favorite. Before the 1940 season, the Dodgers made a change that eventually ended Phelps' career: they started traveling by plane, and Phelps was terrified of flying. He made one flight with the team, and then refused to go on another flight, traveling by train throughout the season while the rest of the team flew. The Dodgers acquired Mickey Owen before the 1941 season, and held part of their spring training in Cuba. Phelps refused to fly to Cuba, so the team worked out without him. Owen was named the starting catcher. Then, on June 12, 1941, the team was going to travel ... by train ... to Pittsburgh. Phelps never showed up. Eventually reached by telephone, he said the stress of travel was too much and he was having heart palpitations. He had claimed this before and the Dodgers' team doctor examined him and said he was fine. Thinking he was faking it or a hypochondriac, manager Leo Durocher demanded that Phelps be traded. Finding no takers, the Dodgers suspended him. A couple of months later, the team was in a pennant race and wanted a left-handed bat on the bench. The Dodgers wanted to bring Phelps back, but because of suspension rules at the time, they couldn't without Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis' permission. Landis met with Phelps and refused to reinstate him. The Dodgers lost in the World Series. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates after the season. In 1950, Dodgers fans voted Phelps as the catcher for the all-time Dodgers team, a testament to his popularity. He died in 1992 in Odenton, Md. 8. Russell Martin (2006-10, 2019, .268/.362/.391, 99 OPS+, 1 Gold Glove, 2-time All Star) Martin was a rare catcher who was fast enough to steal bases, including a career-high 21 with the Dodgers in 2007. He was with the team for five seasons, but was hurt for the latter part of the 2010 season and the team let him go as a free agent. They replaced him with Rod Barajas, while Martin signed with the Yankees and put together several solid seasons after that. He returned to L.A. for his final season in the majors, and hit .220 in 83 games, sharing catching duties with Austin Barnes and then-rookie Will Smith. He played in one of the five postseason games against Washington that season, going two for four with a double and a homer. He became a fan favorite in 2019 for pitching four scoreless innings during the season, giving up only two hits and striking out two while throwing a low-80s fastball. Whenever the Dodgers' bullpen had problems that season (see, this season is nothing new), fans would often call for Martin to pitch. He is one of 12 catchers since 1901 to steal at least 100 bases, and his 67 steals is the most by a catcher in Dodgers history. 9. Mickey Owen (1941-45, .258/.319/.315, 80 OPS+, 4-time All Star) Much like Roseboro, Owen is remembered for something (that passed ball in the 1941 World Series) that has overshadowed a solid career. He was a four-time All-Star and during that 1941 season had set a then-record for most consecutive errorless chances handled by a catcher (508). He is also the first player to hit a pinch-hit homer in the All-Star game, which he did in 1942. Arnold Owen (no middle name) was born April 4, 1916, in Nixa, Mo. (By the way, isn't baseball amazing? Here we are, 109 years after a player was born, talking about his career). Owen signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1935 and quickly became known for his defense. He was quickly promoted to the majors, and played 80 games with the Cardinals in 1937. After four seasons of solid defense but subpar hitting, the Cardinals traded him to Brooklyn before the 1941 season for catcher Gus Mancuso and $60,000. Owen was called Mickey because of his resemblance to the great catcher Mickey Cochrane. However, when he came to the Dodgers, manager Leo Durocher refused to call him that, referring to him as Arnold. Owen was considered the best defensive catcher in the NL, and if the Gold Glove had been around, probably would have won at least five. He was drafted into the Navy midway through the 1945 season and while he was in the Navy on April 1, 1946, Jorge Pasquel of the Mexican League announced that he signed Owen to a five-year deal as a player-manager for the Veracruz Blues. Commissioner Happy Chandler announced that any player who jumped would be banned for five years if they tried to return. Owen did not like playing in Mexico and, in 1947, petitioned to return to the majors. Chandler denied the appeal. He eventually dropped the suspensions before the 1949 season. The Dodgers released Owen and he signed with the Cubs. Owen retired after the 1954 season and started a baseball camp for kids in Missouri. He ran the camp until 1985, and the camp remained active until 2005. You would often see ads for it in the Sporting News, nestled among the baseball box scores. Owen died in Mt. Vernon, Mo., of complications from Alzheimer's Disease. He was 89. 10. Joe Ferguson (1970-76, 1978-81, .245/.359/.419, 119 OPS+) The Dodgers had two good, young catchers in the early 1970s, Ferguson and Yeager. They eventually decided to go with Yeager because of his superior defense, but Ferguson was a much better hitter. He also played in the outfield quite a bit for L.A. and his most famous Dodger moment probably came as an outfielder, when he cut in front of Jim Wynn to catch a fly ball and throw out Sal Bando trying to score in the 1974 World Series. You can watch that play by clicking here. Watch how far Ferguson had to run to get to the ball, and watch how well Yeager blocked the plate. Ferguson's other great moment as a Dodger came in 1980. The Dodgers were three games behind the Houston Astros with three to play ... all against the Astros. In the first game, the Dodgers and Astros were tied 2-2 going into the bottom of the 10th. Houston's Ken Forsch went to the mound for his 10th inning of work. On Forsch's first pitch, Ferguson homered to left to give the Dodgers the walk-off win. 'I go up in that situation and I'm looking to hit at least a double,' Ferguson said, 'I've got to drive the ball. It wasn't that Forsch was losing command of his pitches. It was just that he didn't have that little extra. He knows what I can do, because I've done it against him before.' You can watch that home run here. By the way, the winning pitcher in that game: Fernando Valenzuela. Almost 1,486 ballots were sent in. First place received 12 points, second place nine, all the way down to one point for 10th place. Here are your choices: 1. Roy Campanella, 1,209 first-place votes, 15,867 points 2. Mike Piazza, 124 first-place votes, 11,733 points 3. John Roseboro, 82 first-place votes, 8,642 points 4. Mike Scioscia, 33 first-place votes, 8,256 points 5. Will Smith, 13 first-place votes, 7,918 points 6. Steve Yeager, 19 first-place votes, 7,006 points 7. Russell Martin, 5,774 points 8. Joe Ferguson, 2,803 points 9. Mickey Owen, 2,444 points 10. Jeff Torborg,1,512 points The next five: Paul Lo Duca, Yasmani Grandal, A.J. Ellis, Rick Dempsey, Norm Sherry. Who are your top 10 Dodgers first basemen of all time (including Brooklyn)? Email your list to top10firstbasemen@ and let me know. Many of you have asked for a list of players to consider for each position. Here are the 40 strongest first baseman candidates, in alphabetical order. Del Bissonette, Jack Bolling, Ken Boyer, Greg Brock, Dan Brouthers, Enos Cabell, Dolph Camilli, Hee-Seop Choi, Jake Daubert, Frank Dillon, Jack Doyle, Jack Fournier, Dave Foutz, David Freese, Freddie Freeman, Nomar Garciaparra, Steve Garvey, Adrián González, Buddy Hassett, Gil Hodges, Hughie Jennings, Tim Jordan, Eric Karros, Ed Konetchy, Norm Larker, Sam Leslie, George LaChance, James Loney, Dan McGann, Eddie Murray, Dick Nen, Dave Orr, Wes Parker, Bill Phillips, Albert Pujols, Olmedo Sáenz, Ed Stevens, Dick Stuart, Franklin Stubbs, Tommy Tucker. A reminder that players are listed at the position in which they played the most games for the Dodgers, which is why Garciaparra is listed here and not at shortstop. Mike Piazza hits a home run over the left-field roof and out of Dodger Stadium. Watch and listen here. Have a comment or something you'd like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Epoch Times
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘Sacramento': This Road-Trip Movie Will Drive You Crazy
R | 1h 29m | Roadtrip, Dramedy | 2025 'Sacramento' has an inviting poster—any movie with Kristen Stewart, I'm going to want to see. Even though Stewart's uglified herself somewhat for this freshman effort by screenwriter-director-actor Michael Angarano (who also cast his wife, father, and baby in the film), her presence wasn't enough for me to not thoroughly rue this 90 minutes I'll never get back. This is the story of two of the weakest, most ineffectual, angst-filled, needy, Peter Pan boy-men on the planet. One's named Rickey (Angarano). And since annoying Peter Pans are actor Michael Cera's calling card, Cera plays Glenn, Rickey's best friend since they were kids. Glenn Glenn (Michael Cera) wants to know what his wife Rosie (Kristen Stewart) is doing, and she would like him to go away, in "Sacramento." Vertical Glenn's wife Rosie (Stewart) is eight months pregnant. Glenn's got anxiety, passive-aggressive anger issues, OCD, and is no handyman. Wanting to test their new baby crib and finding it a bit creaky, he flies into a rage and rattles it so hard, it breaks. Rosie sweetly reminds him that she's the one who currently needs care-taking, rather than having to mother her grown husband. Glenn remarks that this information is 'an actionable note' for him to work on. Since Glenn is also about to get laid off from his job, Rosie reassures him that she can support the family while he takes a year to stay home with the baby. Just what every woman wants. Related Stories 4/22/2025 4/10/2025 Rosie's soul has long left the relationship. She deems her hubby a pathetic, predictable child of a man, and clearly must have been taking some strong drugs when she first met him. That would be my guess. Casting alpha Kristen Stewart as a woman who could be remotely attracted to such a nerdy non-nest-builder is so outlandish that it makes it very challenging to suspend disbelief for any other aspect of this film. The Misadventures of Glenn and Rickey Rickey (Michael Angarano) drops by unannounced, in "Sacramento." Vertical Rickey shows up unexpectedly at Glenn's door, after being out of touch for over a year. We first meet him trying to wrest the 12-step type therapy group he participates in away from the overseeing psychiatrist. He mistakenly believes he's a talented facilitator, though he has neither degree nor experience. When Glenn spies Rickey in his front yard, he's reluctant to reconnect with him because he's come to the conclusion that Rickey is a loser. Talk about projection. Rosie says, 'But he's your best friend.' 'He's trying to hide in a tree in the yard!' 'But you're hiding behind the kitchen sink.' This is all intended to be humorous. However, more-or-less homeless Rickey has somehow managed to not only track down, but restore (to the tune of at least $5,000) Glenn's old brown convertible that holds many memories for the two of them. Glenn has no choice but to agree to accompany Rickey on a road trip from L.A. to Sacramento to spread Rickey's father's ashes. Glenn surreptitiously phones Rosie from a truck stop to complain that Rickey played the 'dead dad' card. While Glenn's on the phone, Rickey surreptitiously empties a tennis ball canister, scoops up some gas station dirt, thereby jerry-building an ash-urn. Their misadventures along the way include spending the night with two former female boxers—both much more attractive and more powerful than the pathetic road-trip duo. The women now own a gym, and the two men end up ineptly scuffling with each other. Twice. Glenn also insults a young female convenience store clerk because the store doesn't carry the exact kind of sunblock he's looking for. Glenn (Michael Cera, L) drives to Sacramento with his old friend Rickey (Michael Angarano) whom he doesn't like anymore, in "Sacramento." Vertical Stop the Car, Let Me Out The biggest problem with the film is that while the men are immature, needy, self-involved, and pathologically disingenuous at the expense of everyone they meet, 'Sacramento' isn't exaggerated and over the top enough to be successful as a comedy. Director Angarano insists on trying to sell the notion that this loser-duo is somehow nevertheless mildly appealing to all these attractive women, to the point that it's completely out of touch with of reality—the result of which is an hour and a half of cringe. Rosie (Kristen Stewart) politely listens to her husband, in "Sacramento." Vertical Stewart's natural charisma lights up the screen with a layered, authentic performance that, in any other setting would capture audience interest, but due to the yawning reality-void she's tasked with making appear real, it's too much to ask of any actor. With 10 more rewrites and an A-list director, Angarano might have had something. As a sort of poor man's Sam Rockwell with good hair and an appealing face, he may have gotten his foot in the Hollywood door with this calling card. I'll always raise a glass to anyone attempting the giant task of Hollywood-quadruple-threat, writing-acting-directing-producing, but Angarano should probably just focus on acting for a while. Promotional poster for "Sacramento." Vertical 'Sacramento' Director: Michael Angarano Starring: Michael Angarano, Kristen Stewart, Michael Cera MPAA Rating: R Running Time: 1 hour, 29 minutes Release Date: April 11, 2025 Rating: 1 star out of 5 Would you like to see other kinds of arts and culture articles? Please email us your story ideas or feedback at
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US pet stores and main street shops caught in trade war crossfire
Selling everything for pets from treats and tennis balls, Noelie Rickey is struggling with the consequences of US President Donald Trump's trade policies. In 2022, she and her business partners, took over a small speciality shop for dog supplies - The Dog Park - in the picturesque old town of Alexandria in the state of Virginia, close to the capital Washington. Back then, sales were at their peak, says Rickey, a former veterinary nurse. "Now they're at their lowest point." There are many reasons for this though what worries her most is Washington's tariff war with almost the entire world. Trump imposed blanket tariffs of at least 10% on all imports to the country, plus additional levies for a host of trading partners, triggering significant turbulence in the stock and financial markets in April. While he suspended many of the planned tariffs to allow for trade negotiations, special tariffs of up to 145% remain in place on Chinese goods and Beijing retaliated with tariffs of up to 125% on US products. Trade war takes toll on small businesses and households Trump's tariffs, with the stated aim of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US, are driving people worldwide to rethink their relations with Washington. The impact remains unclear as it may take a while for the tariffs to reach supply chains and shoppers. But many are worried about prices rising and increasing reports of hoarding. According to calculations by Yale University, the tariffs could lead to an average long-term loss of purchasing power of $2,700 per US household in 2025. While Trump says the trade conflict will lead the US to a "golden age," it is hitting small businesses such as Rickey's particularly hard. She hasn't raised her prices yet, but she won't be able to hold out long, she says, as she imports many of her products, with food mainly from Canada and plastic or fabric toys, dog leashes and other accessories from China. Many of the retailers Rickey works with are pretty small and come from North America, she says. They are not large chains or online retailers that focus primarily on quantity. But even her business partners' products often come from China. "If I tried to buy only American products, the shop would look very different," says Rickey. Ultimately, for most of her customers, it is the price that counts, she says, especially as the price of everyday products is soaring. The four-legged end consumer has practical needs, she says. "If a dog breaks a toy every fortnight, they're more likely to reach for the $10 model than the expensive $40 item." Whether directly or indirectly, China is a major supplier of cheap consumer goods to the US, whether for major retailers such as Walmart and Amazon or neighbourhood stores offering toys, clothing, electronics or household items. "Many entrepreneurs depend on Chinese supply chains. Whether it's to keep their business running or to fill their warehouses," says Alexis D'Amato from the Small Business Majority advocacy group, which represents 85,000 small businesses from a wide range of sectors across the country. A small business can include up to 500 workers, according to the US government agency SBA, while the Small Business Majority draws the line at around 30 staff members. Even though the reality in many places is characterized by structural change, these owner-managed shops embody the US ideal of main street, where people know each other well, unlike the powerful, anonymous Wall Street. It's an ideal deeply rooted in the nation's self-image, on both sides of the political aisle. But such small traders are also part of global supply chains and unlike larger corporations, they have little cushion for price increases or ways to alter their suppliers, says D'Amato. Trump's tariff policy is 'a slap in the face' She slams Trump's trade policy lurch, saying, "It feels like there are new tariffs or changes every other day." That makes it almost impossible to plan for the longer term. They are a question of survival for Beth Benike of Minnesota who told CNN and CBS News about the struggles of her family business, selling baby products made in China. A new batch worth $160,000 was ready for dispatch when the tariffs rose to 125%. Rather than paying $30,000 to import the goods, her imports were suddenly going to cost $200,000 - money she doesn't have. Now, the goods are going to cost even more. Benike is not only worried about her employees. Her own home is also at stake as it secures a business loan. Then there are the financial markets. In the US, many people's retirement provisions are closely linked to the stock market. Often those who are self-employed rely on their stock portfolio. When markets fluctuate, their future fluctuates too, says D'Amato. Trump's customs policy is "a slap in the face" for many of her association members, she says. What they need is support. She does not accept the government's argument that tariffs will ultimately strengthen domestic production. "There are enough other ways," says D'Amato. Rickey agrees. If you want to promote domestic production, you have to invest in subsidies, locations and skilled labour, she says. "People who can operate a sewing machine and produce large numbers of dog toys don't exist here," she says. And considering Trump's tough migration policy, she adds, "If they do, then we'll just deport them as quickly as possible." What Rickey wants to see is a coherent approach from the government. Customs duties are only one part, she says. Sales at The Dog Park have been struggling for several reasons. The end of post-pandemic support and the wave of mass layoffs at federal agencies have taken a toll—especially in this region, where many public sector workers live in Virginia and commute to Washington DC. Tourism in Alexandria has also dropped significantly, leading to a noticeable decline in foot traffic. Still, Rickey remains pragmatic. Even before Trump returned to office, she had begun diversifying her business, introducing dog daycare and pet grooming services. Cats are also welcome.
Epoch Times
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Jackie Robinson's Silent Fight for Racial Equality
On Aug. 28, 1945, Jackie Robinson walked into the office of Branch Rickey, manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Unaware of the reason he was called to this meeting, Robinson had no idea that he was about to play a part in changing American history. In '7 Men and Their Secrets of Greatness,' Eric Metaxas recreated this moment. When Rickey informed Robinson that he wanted him to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Robinson was at first too surprised and overcome to utter a word. Blacks played in their own league, but never on major league baseball teams. After Robinson accepted the offer, Rickey explained what Robinson probably already knew: He would be the target of verbal abuse and threats because of the color of his skin. Then Rickey added a kicker to their agreement that Robinson couldn't have foreseen. 'I'm looking for a ballplayer who has the guts not to fight back.' American professional baseball player Jackie Robinson (1919–1972) of the Brooklyn Dodgers, dressed in a road uniform, crouches by the base and prepares to catch a ball, 1951. Throughout the course of his baseball career Robinson played several positions on the infield as well as serving as outfielder. PhotoRickey then took off his coat and acted out various scenes that would soon confront Robinson: the hotel clerk who would refuse him a room; the maître d' who would turn him away from the restaurant entrance; the spectators at the games who would hurl obscenities and slurs at him. Rickey hit Robinson with these curses and racial taunts right there in his office. Robinson withstood all that Rickey threw at him. He considered the offer, recognized it as an enormous opportunity both to play ball as he had dreamed and to improve race relations, and shook hands on the agreement with Rickey. Looking down at the two men from a wall in Rickey's office was a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Robinson first played for the Dodgers' Montreal farm team. There, he successfully completed that season without reacting to the jeers and taunts that often accompanied his appearances on the diamond, and joined the Dodgers in New York in the spring of 1947. A turning point for him and his team came in his first game when manager Ben Chapman of the Philadelphia Phillies, joined by several of his players, spat out racial epithets throughout the contest. Years later, as Metaxas reported, Robinson recollected that horrible afternoon in 'I Never Had It Made,' his 1972 autobiography: 'Starting to the plate in the first inning, I could scarcely believe my ears.' At the stadium the next day, when the insults grew even more cruel and obscene, Robinson's teammates, including those opposed to having him on the team, stepped up to defend him. Eddie Stanky, the second baseman, shouted back at the Phillies' dugout: 'Listen, you yellow-bellied cowards, why don't you yell at somebody who can answer back?' Related Stories 4/16/2025 7/25/2023 Metaxas explained, 'Branch Rickey was delighted with the team's response. Chapman's evil intentions had, he said, 'solidified and unified thirty men, not one of whom was willing to sit by and see someone kick around a man who had his hands tied behind his back.'' Jackie Robinson and his wife, Rachel, arrive at the Capitol Hill grounds in Washington, on July 18, 1949. AP Photo Yet the abuse continued, and not only on the field. Some restaurants and hotels refused Robinson service, and death threats came through the mail. Throughout that entire season, however, Robinson maintained his cool. Never once did he give way to the temptation of retaliation. He ignored the mockery and curses, and usually walked to the plate without a glance at his tormentors. His wife, Rachel, whom he had married in 1946 after Rickey's offer, stood by him and helped him remember the cause for which he was fighting: racial equality not only in baseball but in the nation. According to Metaxas, Robinson also relied heavily on his religious faith to maintain his silence in this torrent of abuse. He made a habit of 'getting down on his knees every night to pray for strength.' Doubtless, he was supported in this resort to prayer by Rickey himself, also a man of strong faith. By the end of the season, Robinson's name had become a household word. Moreover, he won the 1947 Rookie of the Year Award, with a batting average of .297 and an outstanding performance at the plate. Though the abuse continued into the next season, another turning point occurred in Cincinnati. While Robinson was once again being assailed from the stands, Pee Wee Reese walked over to his teammate and put his arm around him. Dedicated in 2005, a A statue of Pee Wee Reese (L) and Jackie Robinson was unveiled in then, other blacks were entering major league baseball. Over the next decade, this practice of putting ballplayers on the field based on their talent rather than on the pigmentation of their skin became standard. Robinson himself went on to an outstanding career in baseball. After retiring from the game, he was engaged in several successful businesses, ran programs aimed at providing food and housing for the poor, and was active in the civil rights movement. In 1962, only 15 years after joining the Dodgers, he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Ten years later, he collapsed from heart failure into his wife's arms, telling her for the last time, 'I love you.' Lots of great Americans have helped improve America through their deeds and words. Jackie Robinson did the same through dignity and silence. What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jackie Robinson is a Civil Rights hero. DEI helped him make history
Branch Rickey knew his intentions. He, the former general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals who'd created a dynasty featuring stars like Dizzy Dean and Stan Musial, wanted to replicate his success. Rickey's work would be difficult in Brooklyn. When he became president and general manager in 1943, the Dodgers were the low team on New York's baseball totem pole. The Yankees had nine World Series titles, the Giants a handful of their own. His challenges were myriad — the most pressing being that baseball players were in short supply. The best were off in Europe, fighting World War II against the Nazis and Hitler's Jim Crow-influenced fascism. So dire were the straits in Major League Baseball that the Browns signed a player with one arm. Outfielder Pete Gray wasn't just a decent ballplayer; he was also a significant draw at the ticket booth, attracting fans who were likely disappointed that their favorites were still off at war. But despite the desperation felt by Rickey and his fellow executives, there was one pool of athletes that had yet to be mined for talent. Following the hardening of baseball's color in the late 1800s (a smattering of Black players had played on teams before then), Major League Baseball rosters had remained lily white for decades. Even the Latin American players were fair-skinned, so as to not thwart the unwritten rule that athletes of African descent had to play on separate ball fields. Rickey, however, understood the benefit in disrupting baseball's status quo — for his team, as well as American society at large. We all know what happened next: On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson walked onto Ebbets Field as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. If you're at all familiar with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the subsequent creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — both of which outlawed employment discrimination and became the precursor to modern diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives — the process of bringing Jackie Robinson into white organized baseball will sound very familiar. Branch Rickey knew that signing the first Black player in Major League Baseball's modern era was a potentially risky endeavor. He first had to clear the move with the rest of the Dodgers leadership. He then had to find the right man for the job — a man, it so happened, who had become a nationally known as a multi-sport star at the University of California Los Angeles. At UCLA, an integrated school where Black students were a stark minority, Robinson hadn't just learned to navigate predominately white spaces. He'd also learned to absorb the attacks — both physical and psychological — from people who didn't feel he belonged. This experience, as much as anything else, made him an ideal candidate for Rickey's great experiment. And there was the final box to check, the need to position Robinson's signing as a greater good. That part came easy, and had little to do with Rickey himself. Well before Robinson's signing in August 1945, Black activists, newspeople, and everyday citizens had been pushing for integration across American society. Opinion: Book bans and DEI backlash aren't about unity. They're erasing Black history. Baseball was as good a place as any to start, and with his signing of Robinson, Rickey became, to millions of Black Americans, an overnight hero. It mattered little that he hadn't paid a dime to the Kansas City Monarchs for Robinson's contract, only that he had been willing to do what no other executive would. And for the white Americans who hadn't been so sure, who weren't convinced that an all-white Major League was a problem? Robinson's Rookie of the Year title and leading of his team to the National League pennant in '47 were response enough. There were no computers back then, no internet or social media accounts. But if there had been, I can only imagine that, in the days after the deal became official, Rickey and company would've proudly flooded the web with a statement declaring their commitment to DEI. For those who've accepted the lie that DEI is an attack against meritocracy, or some evil, Democrat-hatched strategy to 'divide America,' Jackie Robinson's signing is an unassailable counterpoint. No matter the MLK-style defanging of his Civil Rights efforts (a flattening and smoothing that has certainly catalyzed his universal acceptance) or MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred's assertion that he "transcends any debate that's going on in today's society about issues surrounding DEI," one truth remains: Jackie Robinson was a quintessential DEI hire. Opinion: Trump DEI orders foolishly erased Navajo Code Talkers from military websites All the markers are there: the mandate that Robinson accept being both 'first' and 'only,' the reality that his actions (and inactions) would be used as a benchmark by which to measure the worthiness of those who came after... And, perhaps most important: the historical whiteness of Major League Baseball, which proves that Robinson would've never been signed if not for Rickey's expressed intent to add a Black player to the Dodgers roster. It's part of what makes the Trump administration's attempts to erase Robinson's legacy in the name of "DEI" so ridiculous. There is no Jackie Robinson - at least not Jackie Robinson the Major League Baseball barrier breaker - without it. It was MLK who said that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.' Yet even with his life and career as evidence, we often need reminding that every individual has a shared responsibility to help bend that arc. Nothing truly great, or worthwhile, happens on its own. Robinson knew this, which is why, at the end of his life, he was still pushing for diversity, this time pointing down the first and third base lines and publicly wondering why there weren't any Black coaches in Major League Baseball. Opinion: Sign up for the Black Tennessee Voices newsletter He, perhaps the most famous DEI hire in American history, understood the value of making an exception in the name of equality. This Jackie Robinson Day, as Americans on both sides of the political aisle celebrate his bravery and athletic dominance in the face of searing hatred, I hope they'll begin to understand that, too. And for folks who will still argue that DEI initiatives unfairly elevate the unqualified, who will tell me that the 1940s were a different time and that modern DEI is a deformed derivative of the initial design, here's another reminder: Historians agree that Jackie Robinson probably wasn't the best athlete available from the Negro Leagues. He wasn't even the best on his Monarchs team. Andrea Williams is an opinion columnist for The Tennessean and curator of the Black Tennessee Voices initiative. She has an extensive background covering country music, sports, race and society. Email her at adwilliams@ or follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @AndreaWillWrite and BlueSky at @ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Jackie Robinson wouldn't have made MLB history without DEI | Opinion
