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Frank Robinson Named MLB’s 1st African-American Manager 40 Years Ago
Outside the Lines (Sunday 8 a.m. ET, ESPN2; 9 a.m. ET, ESPNEWS)
Credit: ESPN / Producer Willie Weinbaum
Jeremy Schaap interviews Frank Robinson at MLB offices on Park Ave.
A quarter-century after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier, he was still hoping to see an African-American manager in the Major Leagues. However, that milestone would not occur until two years after his death when another legendary Robinson was hired to manage the Cleveland Indians 40 years ago this week. Frank Robinson reflects on his historic hiring, and shares his thoughts on African-Americans in baseball today with reporter Jeremy Schaap.
“It was nothin’ compared to what Jackie did or what he went through, but it was important because I was the first. And, that meant the door was open.” — Frank Robinson, on becoming MLB’s first African-American manager
Gio’s Journey
NFL Countdown (Sunday, 10 a.m., ESPN)
https://youtu.be/doi6l1BCeSU
Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard has overcome numerous obstacles on his journey to the NFL, but he wasn’t alone. Hall-of-Fame wide receiver and ESPN analyst Cris Carter took Gio into his home as a child when the Bernard family needed it most. Bernard and Carter take reporter Jim Trotter to their south Florida hometown where the journey began on Pop Warner football field.
“It still gives me chills to this day. I was walking in – we were just getting back from school – and I saw my mom on the ground. I yelled to my brother. My brother was the one holding her. He told me to call 9-1-1. I don’t remember verbatim, but, I mean, I’m sure it was in that premise of, ‘My mom’s on the ground, just come help. Come help!’” — Giovani Bernard, describing the day his mother passed away in his bathroom
“We cried. Sometimes I cried blood. When I was living there, I cried blood, you know? And I don’t know how we survived. That was tough for my son Gio.” — Yven Bernard, Gio’s father, describing the conditions they were forced to live in
“I opened up my house to him. I asked him did he want to come over. I asked him on Thursday, ‘Did you want to come over on Friday, spend the night? We’ll go to a high school football game. Then we’ll play our game on Saturday’. And after I started asking him that, he would show up every Friday with his bag packed.” — Cris Carter, on the first time he took Giovani into his home
Collegiate Sports: Realigned Revenues
ESPN.com
The schools that moved to power conferences in 2011 and 2012 are still finalizing some of their financial data from 2013-14, but from prior years’ financial reports and conversations with chancellors and athletic directors, it’s possible to assess which teams are getting the biggest payoffs and what exactly they’re planning to do with all that extra cash. Paula Lavigne reports.
The Final Walk-Off
ESPN The Magazine (“The Cleveland Issue” on newsstands Friday)
Now that Derek Jeter has joined the ranks of baseball immortals, J.R. Moehringer looks at what he has meant to the Yankees, to the game, to all of us.
What’s next for Josh Gordon?
ESPN.com
Josh Gordon discusses what it’s like to be caught in the crosshairs of the NFL’s shifting drug policy. Liz Merrill reports.
Competing — Even with Cancer
espnW
At the 2012 Olympics, Jamaican sprinter Novlene Williams-Mills told only a handful of people she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, she’s back on top. She tells her story of overcoming a June 2012 mastectomy to win the bronze medal at the London Olympics.
Claire with fellow recipient NBC’s Brian Williams
It’s been a big week for ESPN’s news and reporting, and for Claire Smith who received an award from Temple University.
Claire with fellow recipient NBC’s Brian Williams
· SportsCenter’s comprehensive coverage of NBA Media Days and the first week of training camps has featured on-site reporting and interviews with key players and coaches including Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, Eric Spoelstra, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant and Jason Kidd. Upcoming will be Sage Steele’s conversation with the Warriors’ Steve Kerr, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, and Kelly Naqi’s interview with NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts.
· News Editor Claire Smith was honored Friday at The 14th annual Lew Klein Alumni in the Media Awards ceremony, the flagship event of Temple University’s School of Media and Communication.
· ESPN’s journalism rises to the occasion.