including diabetes and heart 
problems, Robinson accepted 
the position of vice president of 
Chock Full o’
 Nuts, a chain of 
coffee shops in New York, after 
the ’
56 season. 
Toward the end of his 
career, he wanted a bigger 
home with more green land. 
The Robinsons decided 
on Stamford, Connecticut. 
Redlining made it difficult to 
find a home, but eventually 
they found what they wanted. 
They had to wait as the fin-
ishing touches were applied, 
however. Their stressful story 
was chronicled in a local paper 
and read by Andrea Simon, the 
wife of the co-founder of Simon 
& Schuster. She suggested the 
Robinsons move in with her 
family until their place was 
ready. Andrea’
s daughter, Carly, 
a tomboy who wanted to play 
outfield for the Dodgers, was 
thrilled to have the Robinson 
family. But Carly Simon opted 

for the entertainment field 
when she decided to strike out 
on her own.
Jackie wasn’
t just a figurehead 
in his new position. He worked 
hard on bettering the company 
and the relationship between 
management and employees. He 
also did what he could for civil 
rights and took part in meetings 
and marches. Robinson was at 
the forefront when it came to 
registering Black citizens to vote 
and urging them to study the 
candidates.
Robinson also found time 
to appear at dinners for Jewish 
causes. A frequent speaker 
against antisemitism, Jackie was 
especially harsh when antisemi-
tism infected the Black commu-

nity. In 1962, a Jewish business-
man wanted to open a steak-
house in Harlem. Angry Black 
protesters didn’
t like the idea. 
Robinson, who had a syndicat-
ed column in the New York Post
at the time, compared the Black 
nationalists and their rhetoric to 
that of Nazi Germany.
In his autobiography, he 
said he was “ashamed to see 
community leaders who were 
afraid to speak out when Black 
Americans were guilty of 
anti-Semitism. How could we 
stand against anti-Black preju-
dice if we are willing to practice 
or condone a similar intoler-
ance?”
In 1964, Robinson helped 
found the Freedom National 

Bank in Harlem to help 
Black citizens. Jack Roosevelt 
Robinson was the bank’
s 
first chairman of the board. 
(Jackie’
s mother, who had been 
the daughter of slaves, chose 
his middle name to honor 
Theodore Roosevelt, who died 
25 days before her son was 
born.)
In the 1960s, the Robinsons 
held jazz concerts at their 
Stamford home to raise 
awareness and funds for the 
Civil Rights movement. Ella 
Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and 
Sarah Vaughn were just a few of 
the stars who performed on the 
spacious lawn. 
1972 was the 25th anniversa-
ry of Robinson breaking base-
ball’
s color barrier, and Jackie 
was invited to throw out the 
first pitch in the World Series 
at Cincinnati. Nine days later, 
on Oct. 24, 1972, Rachel was in 
the kitchen preparing breakfast. 
Jackie ran into the kitchen, put 
his arms around her, said “I love 
you,
” and slumped to the floor 
dead of a heart attack. He was 
only 53.
His life and career had a 
lasting impact on baseball and 
America, as did his stance 
against antisemitism. 

Author, columnist and public speaker 
Irwin Cohen, who lectures on several 
subjects, headed a national baseball 
publication and interviewed many leg-
ends of the game before working for 
the Detroit Tigers and earned a World 
Series ring. He may be reached in his 
dugout at irdav@sbcglobal.net.

 AUGUST 27 • 2020 | 23

“They were very welcoming
to me and I made many friends
that lasted through the years.”

— JACKIE ROBINSON

CLOCKWISE: With his son 
at a Civil Rights march in 
Washington, D.C., in 1963. 
Jackie Robinson Memorial 
Jackie Robinson, sports 
caster, 1965

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