Viewing page 189 of 516

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Jackie Robinson

[[images]]
Mack Robinson

A Brother's Task

Mack Robinson won a silver medal in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin when he finished four-tenths of a second behind Jesse Owen's world-record 20.7 seconds in the 200-meter dash. Robinson's performance, although it bettered Eddie Tolan's Olympic record of 21.2, received little recognition because Owens captured four gold medals and most of the publicity.  

Robinson's other achievements as a sprinter in the 1930's for Pasadena Junior College and the University of Oregon were also overshadowed over the years by the more dramatic career of his brother.

Jackie Robinson, four years younger, was a star halfback for U.C.L.A. and gained international celebrity in 1947 by becoming the first black player in major league baseball.

Mack Robinson was in New York yesterday to attend the Jesse Owens International Amateur Athlete Award dinner, honoring Edwin Moses, the hurdler.

Mack Robinson is the chairman of the Jackie Robinson Sculpture Project Inc., which intends to erect a 7 1/2-foot bronze statue of the late Brooklyn Dodger star outside Jackie Robinson Field on the U.C.L.A. campus, showing him in the on-deck circle with a couple of bats under his arm.

"I told Jackie about the idea for a statue in 1973, the year he died," said Mack. "He told me he liked the idea. For a long time I thought the Dodgers would have a statue made, but about a month ago I started the ball rolling myself with some personal funds. The whole project will cost about $100,000 in funds that will be solicited from the sports community.

"There was no one more competitive than Jackie. No one could tell him he couldn't do something he wanted to do. No man was more appropriate for the tough assignment he received."

187